Basil is a tender, annual, aromatic herb that grows from a single stem. The culinary herb has fragrant leaves that are used extensively as a condiment, paired with tomatoes, and also as a drink flavoring. To help basil produce as many leaves as possible, learning how to prune the plant is key. Pruning basil increases both stem and leaf growth. Sweet basil, the variety grown most often, can be shaped into a rounded bush 18 to 24 inches tall and wide. Grow basil easily from seed, but it will need warm soil to germinate. It is sensitive to temperatures below 45°F and grows best in temperatures of 80°F and above. In northern climates, basil has a relatively short growing season. In more southern climates, the growing season may last a little longer, however, constant warm temperatures encourage flowering. Tip Basil flowers attract pollinators and are also edible, but allowing the herb to flower can cause the leaves to turn bitter. Flowering also leaves a terminal bud that will halt the growth of new leaves, which results in a lack of harvestable basil. For the best harvest, pruning should begin early to get the plant started right with a branching habit. Each time you cut back a stem, two new stems will branch out from that cut, so consistent trimming is important to help the plant reach its most productive form. Follow these instructions for growing your basil into a full, bushy plant with plenty of delicious leaves. When to Prune Basil Basil is a plant that starts with one central stem, so you want to begin pruning fairly early, when it is 6 to 8 inches tall and has three to four sets of opposite leaves. It can be tempting to harvest those early green leaves, but pruning too early can rob the plant of the energy it needs to grow. Snipping or pinching back the central stem to 1/4 inch above the first set of leaves will create two new branches. As the plant begins to bush out with multiple stems, you can prune up to half of each stem. Be sure to always pinch or cut just above a set of leaves. Harvest any leaves on the portion of the stem you have pruned off. To encourage additional branching and more leaves, you will need to prune your basil regularly throughout the growing season. This herb will grow quickly during warm weather and should be checked daily when temperatures approach 80°F. When grown from seed, sweet basil will reach maturity at 65 to 70 days, and flowering will increase. Pinch back flower buds as they form as part of your pruning regimen. The best time to harvest most aromatic herbs, which include basil, is in the morning after the dew has dried or in the early evening before the dew has fallen. The essential oils that give the herb fragrance and flavor are at their peak concentration during these times.

One of the hottest peppers in the world, ghost peppers bring excitement to the edible landscape and the plate. The Indian cultivar represents centuries of foodways making their way to our home garden. Gardening expert Katherine Rowe explores how to grow the easy peppers if you’re up for their sensational heat. At over one million Scoville units on the universal heat scale, ghost peppers are among the hottest naturally occurring peppers. They’re over 400 times hotter than a jalapeno and were the first to break one million on the index. The former world record holder remains a favorite among hot pepper enthusiasts and a staple in the fieriest of hot sauces and chile powders. More than just commodified heat, the cultivar, also called bhut jolokia, is from India and infuses regional cuisine, whether sliced fresh, dried, ground, pounded, or pickled. Layers of flavor and spice are discernible to those with a honed palate, and they change depending on how the chile is used. An important part of cultural foodways, the pepper travels to our home gardens to delight and intrigue with novel, awe-inducing spice. Peppers are an easy-to-grow summertime reward, and each plant produces numerous fruits as temperatures warm. From sweet and mild to robust and fiery, the nightshades run the gamut of flavor and spice. Ghost peppers aren’t for the faint of heart. Whether incorporating them fresh, dried, or in homemade hot sauces, the pleasure-and-pain spice comes with its own plant defensive warning; the king pepper is hot. What Are Ghost Peppers? Ghost peppers are a type of chile pepper that belongs to the same species, Capsicum chinense, as habaneros and Scotch bonnets. The heat- and sun-loving nightshades have a slow-burning, slightly fruity, ultra-intense heat to those who can pick up on the nuances. The heat within peppers comes from the compound capsaicin, a well-adapted plant defense that’s an irritant to pests that may graze the fruits. The heat index used to measure peppers is the Scoville Scale, although climate, temperature, soil type, and growing location all have an impact on the heat of an individual pepper. Scoville heat units (SHU) measure the capsaicin in a pepper. Invented by Wilbur Scoville in 1912, it’s a range measure of how hot a pepper tastes. The Carolina Reaper and Pepper X, among others, have bested ghost in terms of record-setting heat units, but that doesn’t detract from the pioneering chile. In addition to its role in cuisine, the Indian military used it to make tear-gas-like hand grenades to defuse incidents. An ecological study found success in coating native plant seeds with bhut jolokia powder to deter browsing mice in America’s grasslands. Characteristics The showy peppers measure two and a half to three inches long and ripen from bright green to bright orange-red to deep red. The scarlet tones and bumpy texture are external signs of the internal heat warning. Fruits mature at around 100 days from transplanting. The leafy annuals can reach heights of several feet and widths of two feet. They’re prolific producers, and heat aplenty will come from the fruits of a single plant. Handle the hot peppers and plants with care during harvest and preparation to avoid skin and eye irritation. Wear gloves when harvesting and pruning. Make sure to label them in the garden so you know what you’re working with, and keep them out of the reach of young children. Native Area Bhut jolokia is a hybrid C. chinense that originates in Northeast India. The cultivar is heat-tolerant and grows in frost-free climates. The species and other chile peppers trace their heritage to the lowlands of Brazil. The wild species with fruits the size of small cherries grew extensively in South and Central America and underwent cultivation by indigenous cultures. Explorers from Spain, including Christopher Columbus, brought the peppers to Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. The nightshades, along with fellow family members the tomato, slowly made their way into cuisine. Planting Chilis are frost-sensitive and rely on warm air and soil temperatures for best growth. They grow easily from seed, soaking up summer sun for the plentiful, long-developing fruits. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart for good air circulation to reduce the likelihood of diseases. Space rows two to three feet apart. Crops in the nightshade family benefit from rotation yearly because they easily transmit pests and diseases. If you’re growing bhut jolokia in the ground, choose a spot where you haven’t grown other nightshades (eggplants, tomatoes, tomatillos, potatoes, and other peppers) in the past year for a clean plot. The adaptable, compact crops grow well in containers and raised beds, making them good solutions for small spaces, and if soils lack nutrition or adequate drainage. How to Grow Pepper plants are easy, forgiving crops with average cultural requirements for prolific fruiting. Ghost will want plenty of sun, moisture, warmth, and airflow for the best performance. Maintenance Mulch ghost peppers with a layer of clean straw, chopped leaves, or aged wood chips to provide insulation. Don’t crowd stems with mulch, as this can cause rot; instead, topdress the surrounding area to protect the roots. Initially, let the sun warm plant roots for growth without mulch. When stems reach 18 inches tall, layer two to three inches of weed-free straw around plants. Mulch aids moisture retention, weed suppression, and soil temperature regulation. While peppers are frost-sensitive, consider overwintering your specialty bhut jolokia. Mature specimens have established roots for earlier production and vigor—there’s no need to toss viable plants into the compost pile if you’re in a position to overwinter them. To overwinter pepper plants, cut them back by two-thirds in the fall as temperatures cool but before frost. The thick, woody stems will produce new growth in the spring. In frost-free climates, peppers survive winter outdoors. Move them to a protected spot away from drying winds. In cold climates, move plants indoors to a location with minimal light, like an unheated garage or basement. The goal is to keep the soil and roots from freezing temperatures. Water minimally and only when the soil feels dry to a depth of one inch.

Tasty, tropical guava is a farmer’s market favorite in warm climate zones. Learn how to grow this treat of a tree with Florida gardener Melissa Strauss. If you want a tropical fruit tree that matures quickly and produces lots of sweet, juicy fruit, ‘Barbie Pink’ guava fits the bill. Maturing in as few as eight years, this fruit tree can live for 40 years or more. These long-lived trees are great for growing in the ground in warm climates, but they also thrive in containers. Let’s learn how to grow these attractive, tasty fruits. What Is It? Legend has it that guavas were once considered an inedible fruit. A kind young boy who wanted to feed a beggar prayed to the gods to make the fruit edible. The gods, impressed by his kindness, transformed the fruit into the sweet, tart, and tangy delicacy we know and love today. ‘Barbie Pink’ is a beautiful, evergreen variety of guava tree that produces sweet and tangy fruits with vibrant, pink flesh. It grows beautifully in warm climate gardens. In cooler climates, you can also keep this tree in a large container as a patio tree. It’s a low-maintenance, sturdy tree that will bear fruit early, and plentifully. Cultivated for as long as 5,000 years, guavas were first domesticated in Peru. Impressed with the delicious fruits, explorers from Spain and Portugal brought the tree to the West Indies and Florida. They traveled across the ocean with their tropical treasure, which led to its introduction in Asia and India. Growing up in South Florida, I can scarcely remember a trip to Miami that didn’t include a Cuban coffee and a guava and cream cheese pastry. If you’ve never tasted one, they are as delicious as they sound and worth every calorie. Characteristics This evergreen tree is popular in tropical climates as an attractive member of ornamental landscapes. However, delicious fruits are the main reason for planting them. Guava trees can grow up to 20 feet tall, but generally, we prune them to keep them compact and easier to harvest from. Prune them to 10-15 feet, and they will spread nearly as wide as they are tall. Light brown, mottled bark covers the sturdy trunk of this shrubby evergreen. The leaves are large, ovate, and deep, glossy green. In spring, attractive white blossoms have a scent similar to the fruits. The guavas mature from green to yellow when ripe, and have a strong, wonderful aroma. Inside is the prettiest pink flesh dotted with tender, edible seeds. The fruit is a rich source of nutrients, including fiber, potassium, folate, and B vitamins, but packs the greatest punch of vitamin C. The seeds are also fiber-rich and full of antioxidants, making them a digestive powerhouse. Native Area Pink and red guavas are native predominantly to Mexico and tropical America. ‘Barbie Pink’ is a variety bred in Florida. These plants make the invasive list in South Florida but are perfectly fine to grow in Central Florida. Elsewhere, they are not invasive. Grow in Florida with care, and make sure to harvest the fruit. Do not allow it to re-seed. Planting The ideal time to plant your guava is in summer. June or July are the best months. To grow it in a container, timing is not important, just make sure to bring it indoors for the winter. Guava trees like loose soil in which to establish their roots. To plant this tree, dig a hole that is three to four times the diameter of the root ball and three times as deep. This may seem excessive, but it will pay off. Loosening the soil this way will allow for fast and healthy root development. Backfill the hole so that when you position your plant, the root ball is level with the surrounding earth. Position the plant in the hole and backfill around it. No need to amend the soil in most cases. Tap down the soil and water your tree thoroughly. Guava trees have roots that can be aggressive and extend beyond the drip line. They can send up shoots farther than you might expect when planted in loose soil. Make sure to plant far enough away from any buildings or structures, and give them space from other trees, as well.