When I came across “Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed” lettuce, I knew I had to find out the story behind that name.
That started me thinking about all the other weird and wacky names bestowed on heirloom vegetables, those older and sometimes historic varieties that gardeners have passed down through time.
One of the most famous is “Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter” tomato. The story goes that Charlie owned a radiator repair shop in West Virginia during the Depression (I mean the last depression—the one in the 1930s). He serviced heavy trucks that hauled coal and timber. Climbing those long, steep hills sometimes proved too much for the radiators. Fortunately, Charlie’s repair shop was nearby. Smart cookie Charlie located his shop at the bottom of a hill, and the disabled trucks coasted right to him.
But back to the tomato. In his spare time, Charlie gardened. One of his favorite tomatoes was “German Johnson,” a big beefsteak type. He crossed “German Johnson” with three other tomatoes until he created a high-performing plant that pumped out lots of huge, delicious one-pound tomatoes. Charlie sold those plants for $1 a piece– big money in those days. With the profit, he paid off his $6,000 mortgage.
Other heirlooms carry the name of the family or person who bred or discovered it. For example, there’s “Aker’s Plum” tomato from the—you guessed it—Aker family in Pennsylvania. Pretty straightforward. Others, not so much. Take the “Paul Robeson”– a dark, deeply flavorful Russian tomato named after an African-American opera star. Why in the world was some tomato breeder in the Ukraine thinking about—and most likely listening to—an American opera star? There’s a story in every name.
Some heirlooms, such as the “Cherokee Trail of Tears” bean, recall an historic event. In the winter of 1838, the U.S. Army forced the Cherokee people over the Smoky Mountains and relocated them in Oklahoma. Tucked into the packs of the weary travelers was a small symbol of hope, home and future: their favorite bean. Along the way, they buried 4,000 men, women, and children, and so the journey became known as the Trail of Tears.
Other names are simply charming. Who wouldn’t want to eat a “Moon and Stars” watermelon? The name describes the small yellow dots (stars) and crescents (moon) on the dark green firmament of the sturdy watermelon rind.
Unfortunately, the origins of “Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed” lettuce have so far escaped me. So I guess I’ll just have to make up my own story.

I was never all that fond of beets until I had trouble growing them in my little raised bed garden. Then I wanted them passionately.
I tried seeds. Nice, big, easy-to-handle seeds, properly spaced and watered. The green tops came up perkily enough and then stopped at four inches. When I finally plucked them, there was no beet below. I tried transplants. Same story.
Could it be lack of sun? I stuck seeds in a pot and put it in full sun. And now I have beets…plus plans to put a raised bed in that sunny spot.
When growing vegetables, don’t underestimate the power of the sun. Heat-lovers such as tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, cucumbers and zucchini need at least six hours of full sun– preferably more.
But there are a few ways to cheat. Planted next to a white wall, vegetables bask in extra reflected heat and radiance and can get by with less direct sun. And then there are some tomatoes– Stupice, Oregon Spring, Siletz, Black Plum, and almost any tomato with a Russian name– that will bear fruit in lower light conditions. Not shade, mind you, but a little less than six hours of direct sun.
Got partial shade? Grow leafy vegetables and some herbs. Lettuce, Swiss chard, kale, collards, Asian greens like bok choy, plus parsley and mint will all manage in dappled sun.
If you’re confused by terms like “dappled” or “partial” sun/shade, you’re not alone. To find out just how much sun you’re getting, consider a SunCalc. Stick this little device in the ground, and it tells you if you’ve got full or partial sun or full or partial shade. You’ll find it on suncalc.net and amazon.com.
The Wrigley Garden brought food and community to a formerly blighted area of Long Beach (1950 and 1960 Henderson Avenue) but must now make way for a Habitat for Humanity building project. Help garden director Sasha Kanno tidy up on Fridays and Saturdays from 9am to noon June 3 to June 18.
Wondering about that cute little structure near the intersection of Spring Street and Long Beach Boulevard? It’s a convenient little farmers market in the heart of the city! The Spring Street Produce Stand actually sits on Elm about a block east of Long Beach Boulevard. Open Tuesday to Friday afternoons from noon to 7pm and Saturdays from 9am to 3pm, it’s brimming with mouthwatering strawberries and an abundance of fresh, affordable vegetables. It’s part of the Green Jobs Program sponsored by Long Beach Community Action Partnership (LBCAP).

Sunday is my favorite day in the garden. Okay, some weeks it’s my only day in the garden. After a quick look at the paper, I put the world’s problems behind me and set out for the front yard.
Until last fall, I had always gardened in the back or along the driveway. It was solitary, contemplative, a little Zen, very enjoyable.
Then I dug up the front lawn, tossed the grass and went drought tolerant– and public. Now my gardening successes and failures– and my gardening outfit, complete with holey rubber boots– are out there for all to see.
And it’s a blast.
I’ve made some great new friends. Since I’m usually at ground level– crouching, kneeling or sitting– I’ve forged nose-to-nose relationships with neighbors like Sparky the Wonder Dog. Cats are another story. Who knew cats were naturally attracted to ornamental grass? Mexican feather grass works as bed or camouflage, according to Snap and Crackle, my feline gardening companions.
There are some outstanding humans, too: my perennially cheerful neighbor Art, waving from across the street as he tackles his own front-yard projects; Patrick, an architect who lives next door, patiently crafting a drought-tolerant landscape that will certainly be a showstopper; and down-the-street neighbor Selene, who kindly brought me a jar of the most awesome honey after we talked a bit about the Long Beach Lawn-to-Garden program. Seems her husband is a local beekeeper.
I discover something new every time I go out. For example, poppies are amazing multi-purpose plants. They make people happy, fill in gaps, grow without effort and make the whole yard glow with light. I’ve learned that even though we’re several miles from the ocean, we still get an ongoing sea breeze that bends everything from trees to fescue toward the north. And I’ve learned that the plants I put in what I thought was a sorta sunny area will not survive in what is actually shade. Oops.
Thinking about growing a garden you can eat? Come to my book-signing party for Edible Gardening for California on Saturday, May 14 at 2pm at Gatsby Books, 5535 E. Spring St. We’ll talk about how to fill your salad bowl year-round, how to mix flowers and edibles together, and lots more. See you there.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California and Edible Gardening for California.

Every gardener is getting itchy to go out and play. Following are a few tips and tricks to help you welcome spring and get more out of your garden all year.

How to plant a tomato: Pop it out of the little nursery container and plant as deep as possible. Under the soil, the tomato will send out roots all along the stem, improving strength and vigor. I know, you hate to bury all those lovely tomato leaves. Do it anyway and pat yourself on the back when you get a great crop. Above ground, trim off any leaves that touch the soil. This discourages disease.

How to orient your garden: Place tall plants on the north side so they don’t cast shadows and hamper the growth of their neighbors. Sun shines from a southern angle.

Know your plant’s habit: In plant lingo, habit describes a characteristic mode of growth. Does it stand up straight? Will it spread? Will it spill over the side? If you’re lucky, you’ll find this information on the plastic plant tag. Keep in mind that one plant variety can have many different habits. Take the African daisy– it’s tall, it’s short, it mounds, it cascades….make sure you pick the right variety for your landscape.

When to water drought-tolerant plants: Individual species vary as to water needs, but as a general rule of thumb, give these plants regular water for their first year in the ground. Don’t skimp! By that time, they should be established with sturdy root systems that will help them retain water.

How to choose a nursery plant: Don’t be seduced by those perky flowers or itty-bitty tomatoes. What you really want is a sturdy plant that will put energy into growing a healthy root system. Pick the plant with closed buds. You’ll be happy later.

What to do with those empty nursery pots: Take them to Lowe’s for recycling.

Best vegetables to plant now: Lettuce, beans, peas, radishes, Swiss chard, turnip.

Best vegetables to plant in April/May: Tomatoes, beets, corn, cucumber, melon, pepper, eggplant.

Best instant garden: Get a big pot– 20 inches or more. Make sure it has drainage. Place it in the sun. Throw in a bag of potting soil. Throw in your favorites. Water. Voila!

Best plants to attract pollinators: Borage, lavender, marigolds, rosemary, zinnia. Mix them into your vegetable garden or place them in pots nearby.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.

Lust for America’s favorite garden edible struck early this year.
At the end of February, people started asking if it was time to plant tomatoes. The answer is no, not until days and nights are consistently warm. Mid-April, perhaps. Drool all you want at displays at big box stores and local nurseries. Buy those seductive little plants if you must. Just don’t expect them to grow. And don’t be heartbroken if those hopeful little yellow flowers fall off due to cold or lack of pollination.
While you’re waiting, how about some tomato fantasy?
Start thinking about what you want. My suggestion? At least one cherry tomato for tossing in salads and eating off the vine. One medium, reliable slicer that will carry you through when everything else gets a virus. One plum for homemade sauce. And one large heirloom that will delight your taste buds if it doesn’t succumb to blight, insects or other unknown malady.
I’m intrigued by a new offering from Territorial Seed (territorialseed.com). They’ve grafted two different tomatoes onto one sturdy rootstock. As they explain on their website, “Grafted vegetables are created when the top part of one plant (the scion) is attached to the root system of another plant (the rootstock). The rootstock contributes vigor and disease resistance while the scion is chosen for fruit flavor and quality.” The Sungold/Sweet Million cherry combo won my heart. It’s sold out till the last half of April– a perfect time to plant!
Looking for something unusual, but local? How about Lomita? That’s where you’ll find Laurel’s Heirloom Tomato Plants (heirloomtomatoplants.com). Laurel’s operation is strictly mail order, but she does have occasional on-site sales. The first will probably be the first week in April if the weather is warm enough, and she posts the sale dates in March. Cash only, $5 per plant.
You’re thinking, “I would never pay that much for a tomato plant!” Obviously, you are not firmly in the grip of tomato passion. Where else can you get Black Prince, described as “one of the most intensely tomato-y flavored heirlooms, rich and juicy, easy to grow” or Blondkopfchen, “easily the finest tasting cherry tomato in existence?” Wherever you shop, look for sturdy plants without fruit. You read that correctly: No fruit. I know, I’m breakin’ your heart. That’s because you’re going to plant most of it below ground so it can develop a sturdy root system. Delayed passion is so much sweeter.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.

According to my grab-bag of flower seed packets, it’s time to plant. Wildflowers, poppies, nasturtiums– let’s go!
True, I should have gotten them in before the rains. And I wish I had planted more in the fall, another ideal time to scatter seeds in our Mediterranean climate. But my inner New Jerseyan now hears the siren call of spring, and I’m poised to plant.
Many gardening gurus say simply tossing seeds casually over your shoulder reaps beautiful, easy-care blossoms. I tried that, and it doesn’t work. My wildflower seeds got washed away and are now blooming in some happy person’s yard who thinks gossamer-light Shirley poppies and cheerful clarkia just spring up out of nowhere.
There are three places in our little yard crying out for color– front yard, driveway borders, and back yard near the vegetable garden. The perfect solution for all? Annual seeds.
My newly planted front lawn may be drought-tolerant, but it looks sparse. Annual wildflowers, poppies and nasturtiums will fill gaps in temporarily. Our driveway borders are too narrow for most shrubs, but not for wildflowers. In back near the vegetables, they’ll attract beneficial pollinators.
Wildflower and poppy seeds are tiny, making them tricky to scatter effectively. Mix them with sand and they have more substance. Once the seed-and-sand mixture is in place, walk over them gently. This will help them adhere and take root.
Nasturtiums demand a different trick. They’re large seeds, easily sown. Yet their tough outer coating sometimes hampers germination. Nicking seeds slightly with nail clippers increases success.
Okay, now the fun part: What to plant? And why stick to traditional orange poppies and nasturtiums? At OSH, I picked up Mission Bells California Poppies in mixed colors. For more fantastic poppy selections, check out reneesgarden.com. There’s an article about growing all different kinds (sorry, no opium varieties) of poppies, including Shirley in pink, salmon and white; peony-like French Flounce; pale pink Hungarian Breadseed; and vivid Heirloom Pepperbox.
For nasturtiums, I’ve chosen “Whirlybird Mix” mix, also from Renee’s Garden, in “seven warm shades: cherry rose, creamy yellow, soft peach, tangerine, mahogany, scarlet and rich gold.” For my hanging baskets, it’s “Amazon Jewel,” a climbing variety– the “unusual variegated vining foliage and brilliant spurred blossoms in exotic and unusual shades of pumpkin, painted peachy-rose, ruby, gold and pale lemon” will cascade down the sides. For a couple of bucks, that’s a lot of joy.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.

To everything, there is a season, and this is the season for checking out garden trends and products to find out what will play well in our local garden landscapes.
At 9.42 inches, December’s rainfall was the wettest in 121 years. The Sierra snowpack containing next spring’s water is nearly double normal size. Despite these inconvenient truths, I’m sure that governments, utilities and nurseries will still urge us to choose drought-tolerant plants. They spent too much money and effort getting out the drought messaging to go back on it now. And who knows what next year will bring?
Fortunately, there are plenty of good-looking low-water groundcovers, flowers, shrubs and trees; you don’t have to sacrifice beauty to conserve water. For ideas and inspiration, check out bewaterwise.com and lacoastalgardens.com.
Edible gardening will continue to be popular. People are discovering that back-breaking labor isn’t necessary to grow a tomato, lettuce or bunch of herbs. Container gardens in the form of pots or raised beds reduce the work and produce abundant yields.
In response to the backyard “grow your own” movement, new varieties pack increased flavor and disease resistance into compact forms. The new “Lizzano” tomato, for example, is the first late-blight tolerant cherry semi-determinate tomato on the market. That’s good, because late blight is one of those grey creeping-crud diseases that usually disfigures or kills plants. Panamerican Seed Co. offers easy-to-grow-anywhere pellets combining lettuce and greens. Just toss ‘em in a pot and get ready for salad. Like hot peppers? Try “Basket of Fire,” billed as the first true pepper for hanging baskets. If you’ve stayed away from pumpkins because you fear they’ll take over your backyard, try “Hijinks,” a new variety weighing seven to nine pounds with 15-foot vines.
As for color, design guru Pantone named honeysuckle as its color of the year. Had they asked me, I would have told them that honeysuckle is a tough color to work with. The shade Pantone chose– described as a “festive reddish pink”– reminds of puce. My fellow historical novel readers– and you know who you are– will recall that women wearing puce gowns were never popular.
If honeysuckle strikes your fancy, try growing a honeysuckle vine for fragrance as well as color. Since it’s also drought-tolerant once established, you’ll get two trends for the price of one. Look for honeysuckle color in certain bougainvillea and some calibrachoa, those petunia-like plants also known as million bells and superbells from plant propagator and marketer Proven Winners.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.

For 2011, gardening is the new black. It’s the trendy thing, the must-have skill, the proven conversation-starter. Gardening combines frugality with style, community with individuality, creativity with tradition.
And it goes with everything.
It seems that every new project includes a community garden, green roof or vertical planting on walls and fences. In front of offices and shops, skyscrapers and modest homes, no square footage is allowed to remain vacant. We festoon with pots, hanging containers, vines and groundcover.
So what’s this all mean to you?
Well, if you want to be a trendsetter, you can let everyone know you’re “in the know” by tossing around the vernacular. Instead of saying, “I planted a yellow flax in my parkway,” you’d comment, “Why yes– that is a Phormium Yellow Wave from Monrovia Plants.” If gardening is the new black, you’ll want everyone to know you’ve invested in the designer label.
But let’s take it in another direction. Embraceable trends trickle down and become affordable, available and accessible. Like the designer knock-off at Ross or Marshalls, world-class gardening products and knowledge are within our collective grasp.
We see it in the availability of items like the 4’x4’ raised bed gardening kit online at Home Depot for about $70. Less than two years ago, big box retailers didn’t carry such things. You had to build them yourself.
We see it in the accessibility of garden knowledge. Say, for example, that you want to learn how to design your landscape. Believe me when I tell you that you can spend lots of time and money on this and still not be happy with the result. But thanks to the popularity of gardening and the Long Beach Water Department, you can take a class in this– for free. Or perhaps all this brouhaha about saving water has you lusting for succulents. There’s a class for that, too. Just visit lbwater.org and click on “My H20.” From there, click on “Conservation Programs.” On the next screen, you’ll see a section on landscape classes.
We see it in the accessibility of good gardening practices. Thanks to the Los Angeles Department of Public Works, you can take a free class on composting and purchase bins at a discount. Our closest workshop site is Birney Elementary School in Wrigley at 710 W. Spring St. Check out smartgardening.com and click on “Workshops” to learn more.
Gardening is the new black. Wear it well.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.

Got a gardener on your gift list? Lucky you! Shopping is a cinch. Following are some of my suggestions for gardener-friendly presents at pocket-friendly prices:
Stocking stuffers abound. Your gardening friend can have a delightful time with a simple packet of wildflower seeds. For best results, look for one mixed specifically for California. You’ll find them at OSH, Home Depot, Lowe’s and on the Web. I threw some wildflower seeds on the edge of my vegetable garden last year. Great pollinators, they also make wonderful cut flowers.
No gardener can have too many hand tools. I paid a buck apiece for several dark-green trowels at OSH and use them constantly to pop the weeds out of the front garden.
Gardeners Supply (gardeners.com) is offering nitrile gloves for $6.95 (two or more, $6). Nitrile is “an extremely tough yet thin and flexible material that can withstand punctures or even small thorns.” I’ve never used them, but I like the bright colors (violet, teal, pink, and more).
Since I’m always sticking and nicking my hands (perhaps I should be wearing nitrile gloves), I swear by tea tree oil to prevent infection. You’ll find it at Vitamin City on Spring and Palos Verde and also on the Web. Keep it away from your cats– it doesn’t agree with them.
When I’m not gardening, I like to read about it. Perhaps the gardener in your life feels the same. This year, having spent so much time out front pulling up grass and installing unthirsty plants, I’ve developed a slight obsession about what others are doing with that space. Author Rosalind Creasy gardens in northern California and pioneered the modern version of interplanting edibles with ornamentals. Just out, her new book is called, appropriately, Edible Landscaping. It features drool-worthy pictures of her frontyard garden, full of technicolor vegetables and flowers that have never seen a bug or pesticide. Sigh. I so want my plantings to look like hers, but I’m under no illusions. Of course, Ros Creasy has staff to manicure, hover, move, plant and replant, and I have Snap and Crackle, the wonder cats. But I still want the book.
Other ideas: Membership in a local gardening club delivers year-long enjoyment for a paltry $20 or so. And Sloggers waterproof rain boots in garden prints ($35; sloggers.com) will cheer your gardening pal even if the beets don’t sprout and slugs have had their way with the strawberries.

Jennifer E. Beaver, a Wrigley resident, is a master gardener and author of Container Gardening for California.

I don’t have patience with fussy plants. If a plant needs coddling– something outside of appropriate sunlight and water and occasional fertilizer– it doesn’t last long in my yard. I make two exceptions: tomatoes, because I love them; and geraniums, because they remind me of my mother. But I also recall her saying, “I got rid of the geraniums because of those damn caterpillars.”
Here are proven plants that perform well for me time and time again. Many tolerate drought and do well in containers and in the ground.

1. Lantana: People either love or hate lantana, but you can’t beat it as a garden workhorse. It flowers cheerfully through rain, heat and neglect, and bugs leave it alone. You’ll find it in purple, yellow, and a radiant mix of carnival colors. Just remember to read the plant tag and choose varieties based on how you want the lantana to perform. Some grow into huge shrubs; others trail into sturdy groundcovers.

2. Mandevilla: Want to attract attention? Put this adaptable shrub with its hot-colored trumpet-shaped flowers in your front yard. Everyone who sees the vibrant crimson or pink flowers beckoning from a trellis or cascading fetchingly over the side of a container wants a mandevilla of their very own. A Brazilian native, mandevilla blooms through the year, most heavily in spring and summer.

3. Pittosporum: There are many kinds, but my favorite is a tall shrub with the Latin moniker Pittosporum tenuifolium. Silver Sheen, one favorite variety, grows to 20 feet with an open, airy form and tiny shimmering leaves that contrast beautifully with its thin black branches. Happy in sun or part shade, Silver Sheen is great as a border plant or used for height in a landscape.

4. Purple fountain grass: This carefree grass adds welcome height and movement to borders and large containers. Plumes sway and dance in the breeze; arching seed heads make every garden look graceful. In most locales, warm-season grasses such as this one go brown in the winter. Here, it looks good nearly year-round. To revitalize, trim it back to a few inches. It will grow back better than ever.

5. Sweet pea bush: This undemanding shrub has perky spring-green leaves that look good all year. Frequently in flower, it has lovely lavender/pink and white blossoms that resemble sweet pea flowers. There are two sizes. Full-size Polygala x dalmaisiana can grow five feet tall and wide and is bare at the base. I prefer the smaller Polygala fruticosa, which is more manageable at 3×3 feet.