Bachelor Button - Black Magic
The Bachelor Button Black Magic, 'Centaurea cyanus', has a black (deep maroon) flower that will combine magically with 'Blue Boy' Bachelor Boby or tall Cosmos. The Bachelor Button Black Magic, also known as Cornflower, has other admirable traits including drought tolerance. Bachelor Button will "naturalize" the seed that the plant drops. It readily comes back the next year to produce another crop of blue flowers. The flower size ranges from 1/2 to 1 inch wide with a sky blue color. Black Magics bloom 10 to 12 weeks after seeding. Bachelor Button prefers full sun but will withstand some shade. They will perform admirably in poor soils and they do well in dry soils. Plant in early spring, 1 to 2 weeks before the last frost. In warm climates, plant in summer to early fall for winter bloom. Remove spent flowers to extend the bloom season and increase the flower size. ... additional information
Mizuna Mustard The Mustard Mizuna Siu Cai, Xiu Cai, 'Brassica rapa', is the perfect mustard green with its mild, sweet, earthy, mustardy flavor that tolerates cold and heat. Commonly used as a graceful bedding plant that "floats" in the flower beds and as a sweet, mild mustard green that is ready to harvest in 3 weeks. It is a common mixture in Mesclun salads and it is also steamed and stir-fried. Plant as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. Successive plantings every 3 weeks will provide for continuous harvest. In mild climates, plant in the late fall for winter harvest. Mizuna prefers light, moist, loamy soils with lots of organic matter. You can harvest a few leaves from each plant anytime after germination.
