Hort Shorts
- Patio cucumbers don’t get as much press as patio tomatoes, but many dwarf and bush varieties grow and produce well in containers without staking. ‘Spacemaster’, ‘Picklebush’ and ‘Bush Whopper II’ are but a few varieties to look for. A 1-gallon container will comfortably accommodate one plant.
- Some annual flowers are hardy enough to withstand light frost. Get a jump on the season with petunias, stock, sweet alyssum and snapdragons.
- Many annual climbers, such as moonflower, morning glory, black-eyed Susan vine, vining nasturtium and scarlet runner bean, are a cinch to grow from seed and provide fast gratification as they ramble and bloom. To speed germination, nick the outer coating of moonflower and morning glory seeds with a knife or file and soak overnight. Sow directly into the ground.
- Tetanus bacteria lurk in garden soil—all it takes is a cut, scrape or splinter to invite infection. It’s easy to avoid this potentially deadly disease: Make sure you are vaccinated at least every 10 years.