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Plant these vegetables and herbs now, plus flower misconceptions

May 1, 2026

5 things to do in the garden this week:

Fruit. I have seen only a few flowers and fruit on my apricot and plum trees this spring, so I called Otto & Sons Nursery, where I had purchased them, and asked why. I learned that this was an extremely warm winter, not even cold enough to produce flowers on low-chill apricot and plum varieties. Where you do not have flowers, of course, you cannot have fruit. I can report, however, that our warm winter didn’t prevent my Ein Shemer and Anna apple trees from putting forth respectable crops. These two varieties were developed in Israel and pollinate each other. I planted mine together in the same hole to save space and ensure maximum pollination.

Vegetables. Plant beets now and harvest them in 50-70 days. They prefer cool weather, although, as root crops, they can handle more heat than other cool-season vegetables. The seeds of nearly all beet cultivars produce 2-5 plants per seed since individual seeds are actually seed clusters, a result of fused flower petals. These multiple seedlings must be thinned. This is easily accomplished by snipping the smaller ones (when a few inches tall) beneath the soil line instead of uprooting them, which could disturb the roots of the single seedling in each cluster. A solution to this garden task is to plant monogerm beet seeds, from which single seedlings emerge. Moneta and Alvro Mono are two monogerm beets that are widely available through Internet seed vendors. Swiss chard, a relative of beets, is characterized by the same multi-seed clusters. Prius, however, is a monogerm chard variety.

Herbs. Black cumin (Nigella sativa) seeds may be planted now. The seeds of love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) are not as pungent as those of black cumin, but its parasol flowers are more ornamental, appearing mostly in baby blue but also in royal blue, rose, and white. Its diaphanous seed capsules resemble globe-shaped paper lanterns, and its seeds self-sow. Seeds of both species, when heated, render a nutty, peppery flavor resembling that of oregano and are used in the Middle East (where they are native) for spicing up salads, vegetables, bread, and fish.

Flowers. There is no more spectacular flower this time of year — or any other time — than amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrids). Amaryllis is underutilized, no doubt, because of a misconception as to its hardiness. On account of its voluptuous flowers, it has an unjustified reputation for being finicky and temperamental. Furthermore, it is never sold in nurseries except as a gift plant. Its bulbs must be ordered from Internet vendors during the fall. The trumpet blooms of amaryllis flare out as much as eight inches across and are most commonly available in salmon, every version of orange, red, and white with maroon streaks.

Activate your sprinkler system and check for leaks. Consider a drip system for your vegetable garden, your ornamental plants, or your containers. If you plan to spend time away this summer, a drip system for your containers could be vital for the survival of the plants growing in them. It’s a good idea to have a friend come by once a week to activate your drip system, since this kind of system, although water-saving, is especially prone to leaks.

Orange County Register

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Plant these vegetables and herbs now, plus flower misconceptions

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