Pepper, Sweet: Jimmy Nardello Italian (Heirloom)
Jimmy Nardello peppers are known best as frying peppers though they are just as flavorful when raw. This variety of pepper was originally from Basilicata, a southern region of Italy. It takes its name from Jimmy Nardello, who inherited it from his parents Guiseppe and Angela Nardello, who brought the seeds from Italy while immigrating to Connecticut in 1887.
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General Information
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Soil Preparation & Start Indoors
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Transplant Outdoors
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Crop Care
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Harvesting & Storage
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Seed Saving
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Culinary & Medicinal
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Companion Planting
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Nutrition & Health Benefits
Ease of Growing: Moderate
Grown as: Annual
Days to Maturity: 80-90 days
Growing Habit: Bush
Hardiness: Very Tender. Very tender, they can't stand cold weather or frost.
Crops: Spring Transplant
Growing Season: Long
Growing Conditions: Warm, Hot. Peppers originated in the tropical highlands of Central and South America and grow best with warm (70 to 80˚ F) days, cool (55 to 65˚ F) nights and high humidity. If the soil gets above 85˚ F you can cool the soil by applying mulch and watering frequently with cold water.
Outdoor Growing Temp: 60°F - 95°F
Min Outdoor Soil Temp: 65°F. The soil must be warm (at least 65° F). If necessary you could use black plastic mulch to hasten warming.
Start Indoors: Yes
Start Outdoors: No
Light: Sun: min. 6 hours daily (Warm, Hot). Full sun. In very hot climates they may benefit from light shade.
Water: Moderate. Pepper plants are somewhat drought tolerant (especially Hot Peppers), but lack of water can affect fruiting, so they should be kept moist for best production. Drip irrigation works well with Peppers. Sweet Peppers are particularly vulnerable to water stress when fruiting, so keep the soil evenly moist. If not given enough water, the fruits can develop a slightly bitter flavor (and may get Blossom End Rot). Don't leave water on the leaves overnight as this encourages disease.
Feeder: Heavy. Low nitrogen. High potassium. High phosphorus. Peppers are fairly hungry plants and require lots of phosphorus and potassium, but not too much nitrogen (which may result in big vigorous plants, but few fruits).
Suitability: Needs summer shade
Small Gardens?: Yes.
Containers?: Yes, but will need a large one, like a half wine barrel. Choose a container at least 16" in diameter. A container with drainage holes is a necessity in order to successfully grow peppers. Cover the holes with weed cloth, newspaper or any other similar material and then fill with potting soil. Peppers love warm weather and will not thrive if temperatures are either too cold or too hot. Place peppers in full sun in warm climates, but be sure they have access to shade in hot temperatures. Keep well-watered. Stake to keep fruit off the ground, mulch for disease and weed control.
Attracts beneficial insects?: No
Maintenance: Low
Plant Height: 20-24"
Spacing: 18"
Sow Depth: 1/4"
Produces: lots of long, thin peppers that get up to 10" long.
Grow Zones: 4-12
Scoville Heat Units: 0
Garden Uses: Bedding, edging, containers, window boxes and houseplants.
Soil Preparation
Soil pH: 5.5-7.0, Ideal 6.0-6.5. Peppers like a deep, loose, moisture retentive soil that is fairly rich in all of the plant nutrients, but especially magnesium. They don't mind acid soils but don't like salt.
Soil Preparation:
Black plastic, 1 layer to warm soil, 1 time: OPTIONAL: The soil must be warm (at least 65˚ F) before these tender plants are set out. If necessary, you could use black plastic mulch to hasten warming. You can also make slits in the plastic for planting and leave the the mulch there to keep the soil warm, moist and weed free while growing the peppers.
Standard Mix, 1 cups per plant, after planting, 1 time: Standard mix will supply additional potassium, phosphorous and other nutrients. It should be incorporated into the the planting hole along with the compost. This is a mix of various amendments intended to supply all of the nutrients plants may require. It is usually incorporated into the soil prior to planting.
The mix consists of:
- 4 parts cottonseed meal (this is high in nitrogen and relatively inexpensive)
- 2 parts colloidal phosphate or bone meal (for phosphorus)
- 2 parts wood ash or 3 parts greensand or granite dust (for potassium)
- 1 part dolomitic limestone (to balance pH and add calcium and magnesium)
- 1 part kelp meal (for trace elements)
Mix these together thoroughly. You can do this all at once, or you can store them separately and mix as needed.
Compost (Nitrogen), 2 cups per plant, after planting, 1 time: Add 2 cups of compost or aged manure into the planting hole (along with the Standard Mix).
Start Indoors
Soil temp for germination: 60°F to 95°F, optimal 65°F to 90°F, optimal 85°F
Total weeks to grow transplant: 10 to 10 (Spring/Summer), (Fall/Winter)
Germinate: 6-8 weeks before last frost date. Peppers need to be started early because they are slow to get going. They are generally one of the last crops to be planted out in late spring, a couple of weeks after Tomatoes (4 weeks after the last frost). Peppers are one of the hardest of the common vegetable crops to raise successfully from seed, as they need quite warm temperatures for fastest growth. Pepper seeds germinate best at a temperature of 85˚ F, which is higher than almost any common crop.
1. Soaking the seed overnight is said to help by removing germination inhibitors and so may speed germination. It is sometimes recommended that before planting you soak the seeds in a 10% bleach solution, for 10 minutes, to kill any disease spores (it should then be rinsed to remove the bleach). It is said that this treatment may also speed germination by several days.
2. Plant the seeds in a flat (they don’t mind transplanting) or in cell packs or soil blocks.
3. It is a good idea to water them with tepid water to avoid cooling them.
Harden Off: 2-3 weeks after last frost date. If you are planting Peppers out in cool spring conditions, they should be hardened off carefully. Do this slowly over a week, by reducing the amount of water they get and by leaving them outside for longer periods each day. This helps them to get accustomed to the somewhat less than ideal conditions to be found outside. In warm summer weather there is no need to harden them off. However you may want to keep them outside in the shade for a few days, so they don’t get sunburned when planted out.
1. Good transplants should be about 6˝ tall when they go outside.
2. The soil must be warm (at least 65˚ F) before these tender plants are set out.
Warm, Hot: Peppers originated in the tropical highlands of Central and South America and grow best with warm (70 to 80˚ F) days, cool (55 to 65˚ F) nights and high humidity. If the soil gets above 85˚ F you can cool the soil by applying mulch and watering frequently with cold water.
When outdoor temp: 60°F to 95°F, optimal temp 70°F to 85°F
When min soil temp: 65°F. The soil must be warm (at least 65° F). If necessary you could use black plastic mulch to hasten warming.
Spacing: 10-12", 1 plants per sq ft. Intensive: Space Peppers 8" apart.
Rows: Space the plants 10 to 12" apart, with 24" between the rows. Depending on the variety of peppers, use the recommended plants per square foot. If you find your plants are too crowded you can transplant while they are still small with additional space between plants.
Support: No. Though staking isn't usually needed, it is sometimes helpful to keep the plants upright and to keep fruit off the ground. If your plants start to lean you should put in a sturdy stake several inches away from stem.
Water Needs: Moderate. Pepper plants are somewhat drought tolerant (especially Hot Peppers), but lack of water can affect fruiting, so they should be kept moist for best production. Drip irrigation works well with Peppers. Sweet Peppers are particularly vulnerable to water stress when fruiting, so keep the soil evenly moist. If not given enough water, the fruits can develop a slightly bitter flavor (and may get Blossom End Rot). Don't leave water on the leaves overnight as this encourages disease.
Fertilizer Needs: Heavy. Low nitrogen. High potassium. High phosphorus. Peppers are fairly hungry plants and require lots of phosphorus and potassium, but not too much nitrogen (which may result in big vigorous plants, but few fruits).
Side Dressing, after transplanting: Compost tea, 2 cup(s) per plant, after transplanting, every 3 weeks. It’s a good idea to feed the plants with compost tea or liquid kelp, after they have recovered from transplanting. After that, give the plants a regular feeding of compost tea every 3 weeks, and be sure to do so when flowering and producing fruit.
Pruning, when 6" tall: when 6" tall, 1 time. Some gardeners pinch out the growing tip when the plant is about 6" tall to encourage bushy, branching growth.
Watering, before flowering: Water, 3 quart(s), before flowering, 2 times a week. The plants should be given all the water they need on a regular basis. This means checking the soil every few days and watering until it is thoroughly moist. Watering also depends on your local weather; don't water if it's raining, or water more frequently if it's dry. Just be sure to keep soil moist for the best crop. The best way to know how much moisture is in your soil is to feel 1" below the soil line. If it's dry, water.
Side Dressing, at flowering: Mulch, 2 inch(es), at flowering, 1 time. Mulch is helpful to conserve moisture and to keep down weeds around these shallow rooted crops. Be aware that mulch insulates the soil, so don’t apply it until the soil is warm (65ºF to depth of 4"). Ideally wait until the plants are flowering.
Watering, after flowering: Water, 3 quart(s), after flowering, 2 times a week. The plants must never be short of water while they are flowering and producing fruit. Make sure the soil is constantly moist, as they have a greater need for water at this time.
Support: No. Though staking isn't usually needed, it is sometimes helpful to keep the plants upright and to keep fruit off the ground. If your plants start to lean you should put in a sturdy stake several inches away from stem.
Harvesting
Harvest early and often: the more you pick the more they will produce.
Always cut, do NOT pull: fruits from plants.
Storage
Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: 35-40°F
Storage Length: 2-3 days
For longer term storage, both sweet and hot Peppers can be chopped and frozen.
Storage Req: Freezer
Storage Temp: 32°F
Storage Length: 180 days
Most Hot peppers can be dried for storage.
Storage Req: Drying
Storage Temp: °F
Storage Length: 360 days
Though Peppers are mostly self-pollinated, they do cross-pollinate to some extent. To ensure purity you should just have one variety flowering at a time, or (if your garden is big enough) you should isolate them by 500 feet. You could also isolate them under row covers. Ideally you should have a minimum of 5 plants to ensure genetic variation.
Dry the seed thoroughly and store in a cool dry place. You must store Pepper seed carefully if it is to remain in good condition, ideally as close to freezing as possible, but not below.
Seed Viability in Years: 2 - 4 years
Germination Percentage: 55%
Culinary
Culinary Uses: Jimmy Nardello peppers are known best as frying peppers though they are just as flavorful when raw. Rinse peppers under cool water and dry before preparing. They can be roasted whole and peeled.
Fruit: raw or cooked. Some varieties are very hot (the chilli and cayenne peppers) and are normally used as a pungent flavoring whilst milder varieties (the sweet peppers) have a very pleasant flavor with a slight sweetness and are often eaten raw in salads etc. The dried fruits of chili and cayenne peppers is ground into a powder and used as a pungent flavoring called paprika. The powder from the dried ground fruit of some cultivars is added to food as a coloring.
Young leaves: are said to be edible but some caution is advised. They are steamed as a potherb or added to soups and stews. The leaves contain about 4 - 6% protein.
Seed: dried, ground into a powder and used as a pepper.
Flowers: raw or cooked.
Known hazards of Capsicum annuum: Pungent-fruited peppers may cause painful irritation when used in excess, or after accidental contact with the eyes. Although no reports have been seen for this species, many plants in this family produce toxins in their leaves. The sap of the plant can cause the skin to blister.
Medicinal
Companion Planting
Enemies: Don't plant them near fennel or kohlrabi. They should also not be grown near apricot trees because a fungus that the pepper is prone to can cause a lot of harm to the apricot tree.
Problems
Aphids
To attract Ladybugs to your garden you will need to grow: Angelica, Calendula, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Cosmos, Dill, Feverfew, Marigold, Statice, Sweet Alyssum, and Yarrow. You may also want to grow decoy crops to keep your ladybugs supplied with aphids to eat such as Early cabbage, Marigold, Nasturtium, and Radish. Without a food source, your ladybugs will be forced to leave which will leave your crops vulnerable.
Soft-winged Flower Beetle or Collops Beetle: Collops beetles are commonly found on Alfalfa and Cotton plants in agricultural fields, landscapes and gardens. The adult eats aphids and the larvae are active predators in the soil. Two abundant species in Utah are the two-spotted melyrid and the soft-winged flower beetle. Collops beetles are not commercially available.
Soldier Beetles: The adult stage of the soldier beetle eats aphids. The larvae live in the soil and help to control soil-borne pests. There are beetles that look similar to soldier beetles such as blister beetles and click beetles, so use care when identifying them. Soldier beetles are not commercially available.
Since Soldiers Beetles lay their eggs in the soil, all you have to do to is grow good nectar or pollen producing plants like Asclepias (milkweed), Solidago (goldenrod), and, while it’s not well understood, they seem particularly attracted to hydrangeas. Soldier Beetles can be found on flowers where they lie and wait for prey. They also feed on nectar and pollen but do not damage the plants.
Long-legged Flies: There are many species of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae), the adults of which are predators of soft-bodied pests such as thrips, aphids, spider mites, flea hoppers, booklice, flies, silverfish, small caterpillars, and a variety of other small insects. They also eat nectar from flowers. The adult is recognized by the long legs and tapered abdomen but also by the metalic green or blue color. Larvae of long-legged flies are maggot-like in appearance and develop in wet or dry soil, rotting vegetation, or under bark. They are not commercially available.
Syrphid, Flower, or Hover Flies: Syrphid flies are about the size of house flies and hover in flight. The adults, which sometimes resemble bees, are not predaceous, but the larvae are aphid predators. The larvae vary in color from green to brown, some with a stripe or two down the back. The body tapers to the mouthparts. Syrphid flies are not commercially available.
To attract Hover Flies to your garden try growing: Fern-leaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina),
Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Carpet bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), Lavender globe lily (Allium tanguticum), Basket of Gold (Alyssum saxatilis), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria), Dwarf alpine aster (Aster alpinus), Masterwort (Astrantia major), Four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), Caraway (Carum carvi), Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium), Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), Cosmos white sensation (Cosmos bipinnatus), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum CA), English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Poached egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii), Statice (Limonium latifolium), Butter and eggs (Linaria vulgaris),
Edging lobelia (Lobelia erinus), Sweet alyssum white (Lobularia maritima), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Rocky Mountain penstemon (Penstemon strictus), Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), Sulfur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta ‘warrenii’), Alpine cinquefoil (Potentilla villosa), Gloriosa daisy (Rudbeckia fulgida), Orange stonecrop (Sedum kamtschaticum), Stonecrops (Sedum spurium), Peter Pan goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), Wood betony (Stachys officinalis), Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia), Crimson thyme (Thymus serpylum coccineus), Spike speedwell (Veronica spicata), Zinnia "liliput" (Zinnia elegans).
Predaceous Midges: The larvae of these flies are very small (~1/10 inch long), but are generalist predators of mites, aphids and other soft-bodied insects. The larvae are yellow to orange in color. The adults are not predatory. Predaceous midges are commercially available.
Damsel Bugs: These true bugs are very common and abundant in farms, gardens and landscapes. They are generalist predators and both the adults and nymphs eat aphids, caterpillar eggs, small larvae, fleahoppers, lygus bugs, leafhoppers, treehoppers, spider mites, and other soft-bodied insects, especially on shorter growing plants. They are common in agricultural habitats, such as soybean, corn, and alfalfa. Damsel bugs are greyish brown in color and have grasping front legs. They are not commercially available.
To attract Damsel Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Big-eyed Bugs: Big-eyed bugs are small (~3/16 inch long), fast moving true bugs. They are generalist predators and are most commonly seen on the ground or in shorter growing plants. They prey on aphids, small caterpillars and caterpillar eggs, fleahoppers, lygus bugs, mites, thrips, whiteflies. They are distinguished by their very large eyes which are as broad as the width of their body. Big-eyed bugs are not available commercially.
To attract Big-eyed bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Minute Pirate Bugs: Minute pirate bugs are very small (~1/12 inch long) predators that are difficult to see without a hand lens or jeweler’s loupe. They are generalist predators that feed on small insect prey. Both the nymphs and adults are predaceous. The adults are identified by the black and white color and an X pattern across the back. The nymphs are tiny and red to orange in color. Minute pirate bugs are commercially available.
To attract Minute Pirate Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Lacewings: Green lacewings are common generalist predators that feed on aphids. Brown lacewings are slightly smaller. Some species of adult lacewings are predaceous while the larvae are very active predators that feed on soft-bodied prey such as mites, aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, whiteflies, and pest eggs. Lacewings in nearly all life stages are commercially available.
To attract Lacewings to your garden you will need to grow: Fern-leaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Angelica (Angelica gigas), Golden marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria), Four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), Caraway (Carum carvi), Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), Cosmos white sensation (Cosmos bipinnatus), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), Prairie sunflower (Helianthus maximilianii), Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).
Parasitic Wasps: There are several species of parasitoid wasps that parasitize aphids specifically. Parasitic wasps that specialize on aphids are very small (~1/8 inch long) and female wasps have a modified stinger for depositing eggs. The egg is injected into an aphid where the larva develops inside. Parasitized aphids are a light tan to gold color and have a bulbous look. A circular cut out on the rearend of the aphid indicates adult wasp emergence. Parasitic wasps are commercially available but there are abundant populations in the environment.
Hornets, Paper Wasps, Yellow Jackets: Although hornets, paper wasps and yellow jackets are often considered a nuisance, they are predators of soft-bodied insects. They do not typically sting humans unless they are disturbed. If their nests are not in an area likely to be disturbed by people then it is not a bad idea to leave them alone.
Whiteflies
To attract Ladybugs to your garden you will need to grow: Angelica, Calendula, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Cosmos, Dill, Feverfew, Marigold, Statice, Sweet Alyssum, and Yarrow. You may also want to grow decoy crops to keep your ladybugs supplied with aphids to eat such as Early cabbage, Marigold, Nasturtium, and Radish. Without a food source, your ladybugs will be forced to leave which will leave your crops vulnerable.
Lacewings: Green lacewings are common generalist predators that feed on aphids. Brown lacewings are slightly smaller. Some species of adult lacewings are predaceous while the larvae are very active predators that feed on soft-bodied prey such as mites, aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, whiteflies, and pest eggs. Lacewings in nearly all life stages are commercially available.
To attract Lacewings to your garden you will need to grow: Fern-leaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Angelica (Angelica gigas), Golden marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria), Four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), Caraway (Carum carvi), Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), Cosmos white sensation (Cosmos bipinnatus), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), Prairie sunflower (Helianthus maximilianii), Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).
Spiders: Prey on a wide range including bed bugs, aphids, roaches, grasshoppers, cabbage looper, and fruit flies.
To attract Spiders to your garden you will need to grow: tall plants for weaving spiders, mulch for predatory spiders.
Damsel Bugs: Prey on Caterpillars, Mites, Aphids, Potato Beetles, and Cabbage Worms.
To attract Damsel Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Dragonflies: Prey on Midges, Mosquitoes, Flies, Beetles, Moths, Whiteflies and other flying insects.
To attract Dragonflies to your garden you will need a small body of water and aquatic plants such as: eelgrass, fanwort, baby pondweed and sago pondweed.
Cutworms
To attract Ground Beetles to your garden you will need to grow: evening primrose, amaranthus, and clover.
Tachinid Flies: Prey on Cabbageworms, Gypsy Moths, Japanese Beetles, Mexican Bean Beetle, Cutworms, and Squash Bugs.
To attract Tachinid Flies to your garden you will need to grow: carrots, dill, coriander, and buckwheat.
Braconid Wasps: Prey on Tobacco Hornworm, Tomato Hornworm, Caterpillars, Aphids, Flea Beetles, and Mexican Bean Beetles.
To attract Braconid Wasps to your garden you will need to grow: Fern-leaf Yarrow, Common Yarrow, Dill, Lemon Balm, and Parsley.
Spiders: Prey on a wide range including bed bugs, aphids, roaches, grasshoppers, cabbage looper, and fruit flies.
To attract Spiders to your garden you will need to grow: tall plants for weaving spiders, mulch for predatory spiders.
Minute Pirate Bugs: Preys on spider mites, cabbage looper, insect eggs, caterpillars, aphids, thrips
To attract Minute Pirate Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Damsel Bugs: These true bugs are very common and abundant in farms, gardens and landscapes. They are generalist predators and both the adults and nymphs eat aphids, caterpillar eggs, small larvae, fleahoppers, lygus bugs, leafhoppers, treehoppers, spider mites, and other soft-bodied insects, especially on shorter growing plants. They are common in agricultural habitats, such as soybean, corn, and alfalfa. Damsel bugs are greyish brown in color and have grasping front legs. They are not commercially available.
To attract Damsel Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Lacewings: Green lacewings are common generalist predators that feed on aphids. Brown lacewings are slightly smaller. Some species of adult lacewings are predaceous while the larvae are very active predators that feed on soft-bodied prey such as mites, aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, whiteflies, and pest eggs. Lacewings in nearly all life stages are commercially available.
To attract Lacewings to your garden you will need to grow: Fern-leaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Angelica (Angelica gigas), Golden marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria), Four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), Caraway (Carum carvi), Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), Cosmos white sensation (Cosmos bipinnatus), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), Prairie sunflower (Helianthus maximilianii), Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).
Colorado Potato Beetles
To attract Ladybugs to your garden you will need to grow: Angelica, Calendula, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Cosmos, Dill, Feverfew, Marigold, Statice, Sweet Alyssum, and Yarrow. You may also want to grow decoy crops to keep your ladybugs supplied with aphids to eat such as Early cabbage, Marigold, Nasturtium, and Radish. Without a food source, your ladybugs will be forced to leave which will leave your crops vulnerable.
Ground Beetles: Prey on Snails, Slugs, Ants, Maggots, Earthworms, Caterpillars, Armyworms, Grubs, Colorado potato beetles, and Cutworms.
To attract Ground Beetles to your garden you will need to grow: evening primrose, amaranthus, and clover.
Braconid Wasps: Prey on Tobacco Hornworm, Tomato Hornworm, Caterpillars, Aphids, Flea Beetles, and Mexican Bean Beetles.
To attract Braconid Wasps to your garden you will need to grow: Fern-leaf Yarrow, Common Yarrow, Dill, Lemon Balm, and Parsley.
Hornets, Paper Wasps, Yellow Jackets: Although hornets, paper wasps and yellow jackets are often considered a nuisance, they are predators of soft-bodied insects. They do not typically sting humans unless they are disturbed. If their nests are not in an area likely to be disturbed by people then it is not a bad idea to leave them alone.
Nutrition
The Health Benefits of Peppers
Control cholesterol: Another benefit of capsaicin: A study in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that adding hot chilis to daily meals may protect against the buildup of cholesterol in the blood compared with eating a bland diet. (The hotter the chili, the more capsaicin.)
Keep arthritis at bay: Half a cup (125 mL) of chopped red or yellow sweet peppers has almost double your daily needs of vitamin C (green ones also contain lots). That’s a crucial nutrient: Researchers at the University of Manchester in England found that study participants who were in the lowest category of vitamin C intake had more than a three-fold increased risk of inflammatory arthritis compared to those with the highest intake.
Lower your risk of breast cancer: Toss a sliced red pepper into a salad for about a third of your daily carotenoid needs. Research reported in the International Journal of Cancer in 2009 found that premenopausal women who ate two or more servings of foods rich in carotenoids each day reduced their risk of breast cancer by 17 percent. Why? Carotenoids can interfere with estrogen’s signalling ability.
Love your heart and prevent stroke: Whether you like them hot or sweet, peppers contain lots of B vitamins. One cup (250 mL) of chopped banana pepper has 36 percent of your daily vitamin B6 and 10 percent of folate (also a B vitamin); red peppers contain 35 and seven percent, respectively; and yellow peppers, 20 and 10 percent. A Japanese study published this year looked at more than 35,000 women, age 40 to 79 years, who had completed a food-frequency questionnaire. Researchers found that the higher the dietary intakes of both folate and B6, the lower the risk of death from stroke, coronary heart disease and total cardiovascular disease for women.
Suggested Varieties
Amaranth: Love Lies Bleeding (Heirloom) (Amaranthus caudatus)
Amaranth: Red Garnet (Heirloom) (Amaranthus tricolor)
Balm: Lemon (Melissa officinalis)
Basil: Clove Scented (Ocimum basilicum)
Basil: Italian Large Leaf (Ocimum basilicum)
Basil: Lemon (Ocimum basilicum)
Basil: Purple Ruffles (Ocimum basilicum)
Basil: Spicy Bush (Ocimum basilicum var. minimum)
Basil: Sweet (Ocimum basilicum)
Bergamot: Wild (Monarda fistulosa)
Cabbage: Early Jersey Wakefield (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
Only a few left!
Caraway (Carum carvi)
Carrots: Chantenay Red Cored (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Carrots: Cosmic Purple (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Carrots: Danvers (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Carrots: Rainbow Blend (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Carrots: Scarlet Nantes (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Carrots: Tendersweet (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Chives: Garlic (Allium tuberosum)
Chives: Onion (Allium schoenoprasum var. album)
Clover: Crimson (Trifolium incarnatum)
Coriander: Leisure (Coriandrum sativum)
Cosmos: Bright Lights (Cosmos sulphureus)
Cosmos: Candy Stripe (Cosmos bipinnatus)
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Cosmos: Radiance (Cosmos bipinnatus)
Dill: Dukat (Anethum graveolens)
English Marigold (Calendula officinalis)
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Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
Marigolds: Naughty Marietta (Tagetes patula)
Marigolds: Sparky Mix French (Tagetes patula)
Marigold: White (Tagetes Erecta 'Kilimanjaro')
Commonly called African marigold, Aztec marigold, American marigold or big marigold, is native to Mexico and Central America. Big marigold may be the best descriptive name because plants are noted for their large flowerheads. They typically grow from 1-4’ tall and feature huge, mostly double-globular flowers (2-4” diameter) in various shades of yellow, orange, and whitish. This variety is unaffected by high summer heat and generally blooms throughout the summer.
Marjoram: Sweet (Origanum majorana)
Mint: Pennyroyal (Mentha Pulegium)
Mint: Spear (Mentha spicata)
Nasturtiums: Empress of India (Tropaeolum minus)
Nasturtiums: Jewel Mix (Tropaeolum minus)
Okra: Clemson Spineless (Heirloom) (Abelmoschus esculentus)
Okra: Red Burgundy (Heirloom) (Abelmoschus esculentus)
Onions: Evergreen White Bunching (Heirlooms) (Allium fistulosum)
Onions: Ruby Red (Heirloom) (Allium cepa)
Onions: Sweet Spanish White (Heirloom) (Allium cepa)
Onion: Sweet Spanish Yellow (Heirloom) (Allium cepa)
Parsley: Italian Giant (Heirloom) (Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum)
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Penstemon: Rocky Mountain (Penstemon strictus)
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Petunia: Shanin Wild (Petunia violacea)
Poached Egg Plant (Limnanthes douglasii)
This native species was first discovered by David Douglas, a Scottish botanist commissioned to collect native American plants suitable for the gardens of Great Britain. The species name "douglasii" honors his discovery, while the genus name "Limnanthes" means "marsh flower" because of this plant's preference for moist soil. This fragrant butterfly magnet has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's prestigious Award of Garden Merit.
Radish: Early Scarlet Globe (Heirloom) (Raphanus sativus)
Radish: German Giant (Heirloom) (Raphanus sativus)
Radish: Watermelon (Heirloom) (Raphanus sativus)
The Watermelon radish is a type of Japanese winter radish also known as a "daikon," which simply means "large root" in Japanese. Daikon radishes account for the largest percentage of any cultivated vegetable in Japan, and can be found in some form in nearly every meal of that country. Watermelon radishes, which orginated in north China near Beijing, are often served sweetened there as a dessert or fruit.
Radish: White Spear Sprouting (Heirloom) (Raphanus sativus)
Tomato: Beefsteak (Heirloom) (Lycopersicon lycopersicum)
Tomato: Green Zebra (Heirloom) (Lycopersicon lycopersicum)
Tomato: Hillbilly (Heirloom) (Lycopersicon lycopersicum)
Tomato: Purple Cherokee (Heirloom) (Lycopersicon lycopersicum)
Tomato: Sweetie Cherry (Heirloom) (Lycopersicon lycopersicum)
Tomato: Yellow Pear (Heirloom) (Lycopersicon lycopersicum)
Yarrow: Red (Achillea millefolium rubra)
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