Starting cut flowers from seed opens up hundreds of varieties and saves significant money. Here is how to do it successfully in Santa Cruz County.

One planting is never enough for a steady supply of cut flowers. Succession planting keeps blooms coming from spring through fall.

Gboma eggplant is grown primarily for its nutritious leaves, not its fruit. This West African vegetable produces abundant greens all summer and handles Santa Cruz County's mild temperatures well.

Rosemary may be the most forgiving herb you can grow in Santa Cruz County. This aromatic Mediterranean shrub thrives on neglect, produces year-round harvests, and lives for decades with minimal care. Here's everything you need to know about growing rosemary successfully, including important fire safety considerations for mountain properties.

Strawflowers are the ultimate low-maintenance cut flower. They grow easily in Santa Cruz, look stunning fresh, and dry beautifully for arrangements that last months.

Celosia brings bold color and unique texture to summer bouquets. Here is how to grow it successfully in Santa Cruz County's microclimates.

Figs are the easiest fruit tree for Santa Cruz gardens. Learn which varieties thrive in coastal fog and inland heat, plus planting and care tips.

Beans and peas are some of the most rewarding crops for Santa Cruz gardens. They are easy to grow, improve your soil, and produce abundantly with minimal care.

Pole beans climb and produce for months. Bush beans stay compact and harvest all at once. Here is how to choose the right type for your garden.

Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow in Santa Cruz County, perhaps too easy. This vigorous spreader can quickly escape its boundaries and colonize your entire garden if you're not careful. Here's how to enjoy abundant mint harvests while keeping this enthusiastic herb under control.

Every strawberry plant moves through predictable growth stages, from winter dormancy through flowering, fruiting, and runner production. This guide explains each stage as it unfolds in Santa Cruz County gardens, including what to look for, what care each stage needs, and how timing varies by microclimate and variety type.

One planting of bush beans lasts about three weeks. Succession planting every few weeks keeps fresh beans on the table from June through October.

Most strawberry failures come from a handful of predictable mistakes. This guide covers the 12 most common errors new gardeners make when growing strawberries, from planting crowns too deep to ignoring runner management. Each mistake includes a clear fix so you can grow strawberries successfully the first time.