Protected: Five first-year flowering perennials to sow now

Peas are a cool-weather crop. Sow pea seeds in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked or in late summer. Grow peas so that they come to harvest when the weather is cool. Peas can be classified by how large they grow: dwarf, medium, or tall. The taller the plant grows the larger the yield. Tall varieties require a long growing time; smaller varieties require less growing time. Peas mature in 55 to 70 days depending upon the variety. Peas also can be classified by use.&n

Sowing: Peas are a cool-weather crop; they must mature before the weather gets hot. Sow pea seeds directly in the garden in early spring as soon as the soil can be prepared; sow 8 to 6 weeks before the last frost. For an autumn crop sow seeds about 12 weeks before the first frost date in autumn. Sow seed ½-1” (1.3-2.5 cm) deep in winter for spring harvest; sow seed 1-2” (2.5-5 cm) deep for an autumn crop. Seeds germinate in 5-7 days at 45-75°F (7-24°C). Growing: Sow 2 seeds, 2-

While many perennials are easy to grow, there are some that are especially dependable and trouble-free. All of the plants on this list will tolerate a wide range of soil and weather conditions.Achillea (yarrow)Acontium (monkshood)Aruncus (goatsbeard)Asclepias (butterfly weed)AstilbeBaptisia (false indigo)Dicentra (bleeding heart)Dictamnus (gas plant)Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower)Geranium sanguineum (perennial geranium, cranesbill)Helleborus orientalis (hellebore, lenten rose)Hemerocallis

Here are some of our favorite perennials that tolerate dry conditions. Drought-tolerance varies from one region to the other, so be sure to get advice from good gardeners in your area. For more ideas, check with your local Cooperative Extension office.Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) tolerates dry conditions. Achillea millefolium (yarrow) Anthemis tinctoria (golden marguerite) Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed) Aurinia saxatilis (basket-of-gold) Baptisia (false indigo) Calami