Master Gardeners – Fruition

January 15, 2026Anneke Larrance

Kick-off event for NoCo Seed library in Canton

I find joy in growing two or three new-to-me plants each season. Not only do I learn about varieties this way, but I’m excited to see whether or not a plant I try out will thrive and produce fruit, flowers or spectacular foliage here. For example, I couldn’t get jicama vines to produce a tuber worth cleaning and eating, but I had fun trying! I also like to grow my favorite, dependable varieties of veggies and herbs and relish the fresh, bright taste of garden-to-table food. That’s why I’ve spearheaded a new Master Gardener Volunteer project: a free seed library for our county’s growers.

Together with the Canton Free Library, our volunteers are planning a free event called “Swap it – Seed it,” a seed exchange and seed starting demonstration. This event will draw attention to, and expand the offerings of, the new NoCo Seed Library which will be located within the Canton Free Library. Available year round, the NoCo Seed Library will house free seeds and information for gardeners. We hope to also bring it to some local farmers markets in the spring.

Whether you are excited to join me in growing some new varieties, like Siamese Bitter Melon or Bloody Butcher Corn, or you’re simply looking for some reliable green beans and cucumbers for this summer, come join us for the “Swap it – Seed it” Seed Exchange on Saturday, February 21 from 10:30-11:30 at the Canton Free Library. A diversity of seeds – whether heirloom, organic, commercial, or locally saved – will be available at the event and beyond. All seeds are free and donations of saved seeds are welcome!

Sunflower seeds in a mature sunflower flower — A local grower collected these Giant Onondaga sunflower seeds to plant in spring.

Whether your goal is a beautiful landscape, a new learning opportunity, increased food security, or an activity to do with youth, growing your own plants has many benefits. And CCE Master Gardener Volunteers are ready to support you along the way by answering any questions that come up.

Special thanks to local growers for the seed donations as well as Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Cornell Garden-Based Learning, High Mowing Seeds, and Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

Check out CCE’s extensive gardening resources at our Gardens and Grounds page.

A Master Gardener since 2013, Anneke Larrance loves to grow perennials, annuals, vegetables, fruit, water lilies, and houseplants. She experiments each summer, cultivating at least one plant she’s never grown before. She led the CCE creation of a living barn quilt, enjoys judging 4-H horticulture exhibits at the county fair, and writes and presents about gardening.

January 8, 2026Jenn Whittaker

Growing Artichokes in the North Country

When I was a young child, my favorite food was artichokes. The problem was, they were a rare treat in our house, available only during a short window, and very expensive compared to other vegetables that were available during the 1980s.

As an adult, artichokes are still my favorite food. Now, they are available at the grocery store for most of the year. Unfortunately, they continue to be quite expensive, so imagine my delight when I learned I could grow artichokes in my own garden!

Historically, artichokes have been a perennial plant that grows in warmer climates, usually Zone 6-11 (Cornell Growing Guide). Newer hybrids, though, can be grown in northern climates as annuals, however they do need a little extra care to get them started.

Varieties

Two varieties that I have had success with in the Canton/Potsdam area are Imperial Star and Tavor. Colorado Star is an additional variety that should grow well here, and the have a fun purple color!

Timing

I order my seeds in December-January from Johnny’s Selected Seeds in Maine. Artichokes take a long time to grow, so I sow the artichoke seeds indoors 8-12 weeks before the last frost date. For me, that’s usually around early March. I use soil blocks to start, but a small 2-inch pot could work too. Once the seedlings get big enough, I repot them into a larger pot, around 6 inches.

Stratification

Growing artichokes as annuals in northern NY means that there will be no overwintering. Instead, we need to trick the plant into thinking it’s gone through the winter. The newer hybrids have a shorter window for overwintering than older varieties. According to Johnny’s Selected Seeds, “Artichokes need 10 days of 45–50°F (7.2–10°C) temperatures to induce budding.” In the North Country, I’ve been able to do this by carefully putting my seedlings out on cold, but not freezing days and nights.

I transplant outside once any danger of frost has passed, usually around Memorial Day. The spacing is 2–3′ apart in rows 3–6′ apart.

August 1, 2025Amalia Kanitz

Joe Pye Weed – Native Plant of the Week

Here’s the final installment of our weekly summer highlight of native plants. Thanks to our intern Amalia for her passion on this important topic! -Erica, Horticulture Educator

If you’ve ever seen hazy-pink flowers on a tall stem beside a North Country road or stream around this time of year, chances are that it was Joe Pye weed or a close relative. While often thought of as a wetland plant, several species are highly heat and drought tolerant, making them suitable for a variety of landscapes. Joe Pye weeds are scientifically known as the genus Eutrochium, which consists of five species, all native to North America. Its often-confused sister genus, Eupatorium, by contrast, encompasses hundreds of species across multiple continents. Let’s explore the distinction between these two genera, and what makes Joe Pye weed special!

First some history: Once upon a time, all these plants were lumped together under the genus Eupatorium, and commonly as the bonesets, thoroughworts, snakeroots, and more. Most of these plants have white flowers and leaves that occur in opposite pairs, while the Joe Pye weeds have pink or purplish blooms and grow whorls of three to six leaves along their stems.

The name Joe Pye weed is thought to come from a prominent Mohican leader, Joseph Shauquethqueat, often referenced in historical documentation with the surname Pye, who lived in colonial-era New England. He, or others using the name ‘Joe Pye’ (with various spellings) have sometimes been attributed with using the plant in question to treat typhoid fever and other ailments, though there is very little specific evidence for this.

In the early 19th century, the eccentric but instrumental French-American naturalist Constantine Samuel Rafinesque was the first to propose separating Joe Pye weeds, scientifically speaking, from other members of Eupatorium, and gave them the name Eutrochium. This did not catch on, however, and in 1970, research botanists Robert M. King and Harold Robinson, unaware of Rafinesque’s proposal, suggested the same grouping change but gave their new genus the name Eupatoriadelphus. That name was then widely accepted and started gaining popular usage. In 1987, though, King and Robinson acknowledged their Eupatoriadelphus to be the same group that Rafinesque had described, but nonetheless decided to regroup them under Eupatorium. Following further research published in 1999 and 2004, including DNA analysis, the Joe Pye weeds were once again split off from Eupatorium, and the small genus finally became formally known as Eutrochium.

To keep things muddled, some nurseries and informational sources continue to use any of the three genus names to refer to Joe Pye weed, as well as perpetuating confusion between a few of its species. You may therefore still find Joe Pye weed advertised or discussed with the name Eupatorium or Eupatoriadelphus; just be aware that Eutrochium is the most current and accurate name for it.

Four of the five Eutrochium species are popular landscape plants throughout North America and Western Europe. The exception is E. steelei or Steele’s Joe Pye weed, which grows almost exclusively in the Southern Appalachian region at a specific elevation.

Coastal plain Joe Pye weed, E. dubium, also has a fairly narrow native range along the eastern U.S. coast, but has become widely popular as a landscape plant due to its relatively smaller size (typically less than 5 feet tall), very good heat and drought tolerance, and moderate salt resistance.

Pink flowers, like others featured but more compact — *Eutrochium dubium* (photograph by David J. Stang, distributed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license)

Eutrochium dubium and the other three species not yet mentioned are all native to various parts of New York State, but only two are present in St. Lawrence County – Eutrochium maculatum or spotted Joe Pye weed, and Eutrochium purpureum or purple Joe Pye weed. The other is E. fistulosum, with common names trumpetweed or hollow Joe Pye weed. In the wild, E. fistulosum is a generalist wetland plant, and can grow to a gigantic 6 to 10 feet in height. In a garden setting, though, it will typically stay a more manageable size, and is very heat and drought tolerant. It’s native to a few counties scattered across New York State, but is not recorded as present here in St. Lawrence County. Read more Joe Pye Weed – Native Plant of the Week