Look to ‘Black Krim,’ one of the earliest “black” tomato varieties, for an heirloom tomato rich in color and flavor. This strong performer yields hefty slicing tomatoes in rich rose and deep purple tones. Explore the heirloom qualities and how-to’s of ‘Black Krim’ with garden expert Katherine Rowe. ‘Black Krim’ tomatoes bring bold heirloom color, flavor, and performance to the slicing tomato. Depending on weather conditions, hefty fruits ripen to deep purple or dusky rose. The unique color, form, and flavor of this “black” tomato make the heirloom noteworthy in the garden. These beautiful, beefsteak-sized fruits have dark flesh with deep, juicy interiors and a balanced, rich, sweet, and salty flavor. Let’s explore the heirloom traits and growing qualities of ‘Black Krim’ for an exciting twist on the summer slicer. What are ‘Black Krim’Tomatoes? This is an heirloom tomato variety with large, flavorful, beefsteak-type fruits. Its origin is as interesting as its color and form. ‘Black Krim’ is a selection in Krymsk, Russia, on the Black Sea across from the Crimean Peninsula. Synonyms include ‘Black Crimea.’ The first commercially available “black” tomato, Seed Savers Exchange introduced it in 1990 after receiving seeds initially from Crimea from Lars Olov Rosenstrom of Sweden. A few years later, the popular heirloom black tomato ‘Cherokee Purple’ came into cultivation. Heirloom varieties span generations because of their flavor, growth, unique fruits, and performance qualities. This variety is notable for hefty, colorful fruits with a rich, slightly salty flavor. Characteristics This indeterminate tomato grows and produces fruits throughout the season until frost. It fruits reliably and productively, with meaty tomatoes that weigh 10 to 12 ounces each. The long, leafy vines that reach six feet or more. In cool climates, the large fruits ripen to dusky rose and chocolate with green shoulders. They’ll turn deep purple-black in more sun and heat, but the sweet, salty flavor remains. The round fruits have squatty, flat tops. ‘Black Krim’ fruits late in the season, yielding mature tomatoes 70 to 90 days after transplanting into the garden. With its tall, continually growing vines, it needs a large tomato cage, stake, or trellis for support. Native Area Before ‘Black Krim’ grew near Russia and Ukraine, its wild ancestors hailed from faraway Central and South American coasts. Their original growing range is the narrow coastline below the Andes Mountains from Ecuador to Chile. Tomato cultivation spread regionally through indigenous cultures and then through Spanish colonists returning to Europe with the fruits. A few centuries later, it became significant in culinary uses. These are tender perennials in regions where they are hardy (USDA zones 10 and 11) and grow as warm-season annuals elsewhere. They belong to the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, along with peppers, eggplants, and potatoes, among numerous other plants. Planting These plants are frost-sensitive and require warm air and soil temperatures for best growth. They grow easily from seed, with seedlings ready to move outdoors a week or two after the last frost and as nighttime temperatures are above 55°F (13°C). Growth takes off with warming summer temperatures. When deciding where to plant, if possible, opt for a spot where you haven’t grown nightshades in the past year. Nightshades like tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, tomatillos, and eggplants transmit diseases among the group. Crop rotation helps prevent the spread of any lingering fungus or bacteria in the soil. Plant seedlings two to three feet apart to provide ample air circulation between plants. If growing in rows, space the rows three to four feet apart. Plant tomato seedlings deep, leaving a third of the stem exposed (or two sets of leaves) with the rest buried. The covered leaf nodes and hairs grow roots to aid plant stability and nutrient uptake. At planting, install the upright support structure like a large tomato cage. How to Grow This large tomato grows best with certain cultural needs fulfilled. However, it’s also an adaptable variety that withstands less-than-ideal conditions. ‘Black Krim’ is a productive and reliable fruiter. Maintenance In addition to meeting basic cultural requirements, an important step is mulching, which helps with moisture retention, weed suppression, and soil temperature regulation. Clean, weed-free straw, compost, leaf mold, or aged woodchips do the job. Pruning is unnecessary, but as large, indeterminate plants, they benefit from pinching off low-growing, suckering offshoots to direct nutrients and growth to the upper parts of the plant. To increase air circulation at the base of plants, some gardeners find it helpful to pinch off the lower six to ten inches of growth along stems. Do this when plants reach two feet tall.

With bright green leaves and a refreshing flavor, parsley is a must-grow herb. If you want to keep plants productive and healthy, know how to harvest parsley and avoid overharvesting, which can cause plant stress and impaired growth. Whether you grow parsley from seeds or nursery starts, this guide will help you time your parsley harvest to perfection. Learn how to harvest parsley the right way to keep your plants healthy and your kitchen brimming with fresh herbs. When to Harvest Parsley Parsley is typically harvested from spring through fall either as a cut-and-come-again herb or in larger quantities for freezing or drying. However, if plants are grown indoors in pots, parsley can be harvested in winter, too. Fast-growing and adaptable, parsley can be kept in container gardens or larger herb beds and harvested just 70 days after sowing parsley seeds—nursery-started plants can be picked even earlier. Note that harvesting parsley too early can be detrimental to plant health, so it’s best to wait until plants are at least 6” tall and have well-formed leaves with at least 3 leaf segments before harvesting. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best-growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! How to Harvest Parsley the Right Way Harvest parsley in the morning. Parsley can technically be harvested at any time of the day, but if you want to get the best flavor out of your plants, pick parsley in the morning before the sun is high overhead. Parsley leaves contain the highest concentration of flavorful oils at this time of the day. Cut or pinch entire stems. Gather the parsley stems you’d like to harvest with one hand and cut or pinch the entire stems off just above the soil line with your fingers or a sharp pair of kitchen shears. Harvesting the entire stem will rejuvenate plants and encourage new growth. Work around the exterior of the plant. Parsley plants produce new leaves towards the center of the plant, so harvest the leaves around the exterior of the plant first. This will refresh the look of your parsley and prevent older leaves from going to waste. Don’t overharvest. Young parsley plants should be harvested sparingly by clipping off just a few stems at a time. Older plants, on the other hand, can be picked a bit more aggressively, but avoid harvesting more than 1/3 of your plant at once. Repeat. Parsley is a fast-growing herb that can be harvested again and again throughout the season as needed for recipes. Established plants can be harvested daily in small quantities, but it’s best to give plants a week or two to recover in between harvests if you gather a lot of parsley stems at once or harvest from young plants. Remember, frequent harvesting encourages parsley plants to produce even more leaves. How to Keep Parsley Growing for Years Parsley is a biennial herb that only grows for two years even with the best of care. As a result, many gardeners grow parsley as an annual and sow new parsley seeds every spring. But, parsley plants can be overwintered and harvested in the spring of their second year if desired. If you’d like to harvest second-year parsley plants, overwinter your parsley indoors or harvest your plants in early fall before the stems die back in cold weather. Outdoor parsley will lie dormant in gardens through winter and begin to grow new leaves in spring, while indoor plants can continue to grow through the winter months. Once parsley starts to produce new leaves in spring, harvest the stems regularly until the plant starts to bolt or flower. When flowering begins, it’s best to harvest the entire plant as bolting changes the flavor of parsley leaves. But if you want to gather parsley seeds for future planting, let your plants flower and gather the dried seeds when the parsley flowers fade.

Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) hails from the ginger family and is most commonly grown for its seeds, which are used as a pungent, aromatic spice. This herbaceous perennial grows from thick, knobby underground rhizomes to produce an evergreen plant with erect, 6 to 15 cane-like stems with glossy, 24-inch, lance-shaped, dark green leaves. In late spring or summer, leafless flowering stems emerge from the plant base to form 2-inch and yellowish-white flowers. The blooms are reminiscent of orchids, with lilac-purple veins and pink or yellow margins. The flowers and stems are not scented but will produce pale yellowish-green 3/4-inch fruit pods. The pods contain 15 to 20 aromatic black to reddish-brown seeds, commonly used in Asian, Middle Eastern, and Scandinavian dishes and drinks. How to Plant Cardamom When to Plant This rainforest native grows in the tropical areas of India, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, typically places that receive about 150 inches of rain per year and temperatures that rarely dip below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant outdoors when temperatures reach at least 70 F, depending on your region. Bring the plant indoors when temperatures dip below 70 F. However, if you bring the plant indoors, it rarely flowers or produces seed pods. Selecting a Plant Site Plant cardamom in an edible garden with other shade-tolerant herbs, greens, or vegetables or in a rain garden where it will tolerate wet soil. The plants prefer rich, slightly acidic humus soil. Hardy in USDA zones 10 through 12, this herbaceous perennial is also suitable for growing in containers. Spacing, Depth, and Support If planting outdoors, plant your seeds 1/2 to 1 inch apart, about 1/8 inch deep, in a partially shady place. Alternatively, plant cardamom seeds in a pot to bring the plant indoors to overwinter. Staking is only needed for young plants if heavy rains or floods are expected, potentially washing the plants away. Cardamom Plant Care Light Cardamom prefers part to full shade. Avoid planting in direct sun. Consider planting under tall trees in tropical conditions akin to its native rainforests. Soil Cardamom grows best in fertile, loam-based potting compost. If planting in bright, unfiltered light with high humidity, add leaf mold or granulated bark to the soil. Because cardamom needs tropical conditions to produce the optimal amount of fruit, it can thrive exceptionally well under glass. In the garden, it prefers acidic conditions (5.1-5.5 to 6.1-6.5). Water Mist cardamom frequently with rainwater; water regularly but do not overwater. Cardamom does best in sites where conditions are stable year-round, without much change to the climate, soil moisture, or natural light exposure. Temperature and Humidity Flowers and fruits will only grow in tropical conditions, so plant cardamom, where daily temperatures rarely go below 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant growth will suffer most dramatically if temperatures reach below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. In semi-tropical or temperate climates, grow cardamom in a heated indoor greenhouse or a hot, steamy bathroom. While flowers and fruit rarely grow indoors, cardamom can make a lovely houseplant. Set the plant on a dish of consistently moist pebbles. The houseplant will grow much smaller than outdoors, to a humble 2 to 4 feet tall. Fertilizer Give the plant organic, high-phosphorus fertilizer twice a month during the growing season. Apply after heavy rain, never before. Supplement with compost once a year. Pollination Bees and other flying insects commonly pollinate cardamom plants. In places where bees are scarce, hand pollination is necessary. However, timing is crucial since flowers only stay open for about one day. Farmers use a small tool or brush to transfer pollen grains from the male anther to the female stigma. Signs that fertilization was successful include the flower wilting and the ovary swelling. Types of Cardamom Cardamom comes from the ginger family but has two main genus lines: Elettaria and Amomum. Lanxangia is a less commonly cultivated genus, more closely related to the Amomum genus. Green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum): Also called true cardamom, Siam cardamom, or white cardamom, this type is native from India to Malaysia. Black cardamom (Amomum subulatum): Also called Indian cardamom, this type is native to Nepal and China. Lanxangia tsaoko (formerly Amomum tsaoko): Also called black cardamom, this Chinese and Vietnamese native plant is commonly used in Sichuan cooking. Green Cardamom vs. Black Cardamom Green and black cardamom are used for flavoring foods, although green cardamom will also be used in sweets. Green cardamom has a sweeter, eucalyptus-type flavor, while black cardamom has a more robust, smokier flavor. With rich camphor or more menthol-like notes, black cardamom is best used in savory stews and curries. Harvesting Cardamom The best way to harvest this plant is to hand-pick each seed pod or fruit. Harvest when the seed pod is beginning to split. You also know it's ready for picking if the seed pod pulls away easily from the plant when you tug at it. Cardamom is the third most expensive spice by weight, just behind saffron and vanilla.1 There is a long history of trade and consumption for more than 1,000 years. In the early 1900s, German coffee planter Oscar Majus Kloeffer introduced cardamom to Guatemala. Until about 1980, India was the largest producer and exporter of cardamom until Guatemala took the lead. While cardamom is used around the globe, some of the main consumers are Middle Eastern countries, where the spice is often added to warm beverages, and Scandinavian countries, where it is often added as flavoring to cookies and cakes. As the primary ingredient in curry powder, cardamom can flavor rice, meat, vegetables, liquors, and ice cream. Guatemala and Mexico now use it to flavor chewing gum. In addition to culinary uses, cardamom is also used in cosmetics and perfumery. When storing cardamom, prevent air and oxygen exposure by keeping it in airtight containers, such as tight-fitting lids or vacuum-sealed bags. These methods preserve the freshness and potency of cardamom longer. Also, keep cardamom cool and dry, away from sunlight or heat sources. How to Grow Cardamom in Pots Cardamom grows well in pots. Start seeds with very moist soil. Plant them at least 1 inch apart. Each plant needs a pot at least 1 foot deep and 6 inches wide. If you plant multiple seeds in each 6-inch pot, only keep the strongest seedling and remove the others. Since this plant gets stressed during transplanting, it's best to grow it in a pot that is 12 to 14 inches wide to accommodate its full growth indoors. Ensure the container has ample drainage holes. If you live in a climate that gets wintery cold weather, bring the plant inside when temperatures drop to the 60s F. Most people grow the plant in the most humid part of the house, often the bathroom. When grown indoors, the plant rarely grows past 4 feet tall unless grown in a greenhouse. Pruning Cardamom doesn't need pruning, although removing dead or damaged leaves is fine by cutting the withered or old flower stems. Also, if the plant is growing larger than you like, trim it down to a size you prefer. Propagating Cardamom Propagate by dividing the rhizome root structure or by sowing seed. Consider dividing every three years so the rhizome does not overgrow its container or plot. To divide, here's how: Loosen the soil around the parent plant using a trowel and hand rake. Lift the rhizomatous roots from the ground. Use a sharp knife or a root saw to separate or split off a rhizome segment with at least four to five leaf shoots. Plant the segment elsewhere and replant the parent plant where it was. How to Grow Cardamom From Seed Purchase cardamom designed explicitly for planting, or if you have a mature plant that produces seeds, let the seed pods dry on the plant, then break them open to collect the seeds. Sow them as soon as you collect them from the plant. Presoak cardamom seeds overnight before planting. Plant the seeds in a warm, partially shady spot in loamy, rich soil. Expect germination to take about 30 to 40 days. Potting and Repotting Cardamom Cardamom gets stressed from transplanting, so it's best to grow cardamom in the container it will mature in. However, cardamom grows from a rhizome that can grow large and be divided after three to four years. To transplant a segment of the cardamom rhizome, get a similarly sized container and use moist, loamy soil to repot a piece of the cardamom with several leaf sheathes. Overwintering If your plant is kept outdoors during the warm summer temperatures, bring the plant indoors when the temperatures drop between 60 to 70 F. The plant gets stressed in cold temperatures and will die. Bring cardamom plants indoors during the late fall, winter, and early spring, and keep the plants in the most humid part of the house with filtered light. Bathrooms are one of the best spots for cardamom plants. In the colder months, from October to March, withhold fertilizer—also, water only when the soil is dry. The plant requires humidity, so keep the plant moist by misting, if necessary. Common Pests and Diseases While the cardamom plant is generally free from pests and disease, it may be affected by thrips or cardamom mosaic virus. Aphids spread the virus, so prevent the virus by keeping aphids away with a forceful water spray, insecticidal soap, or neem oil.