Ask the Experts

Get the dirt on gardening woes and bird habits from the pros

Q What’s the best way to obtain indigo seeds, and do you have advice on how to grow them in a garden? Russ Hutchins SUMMERVILLE, SC Melinda: Many plants go by the common name of indigo and are used to create shades of blue dye. Indigofera tinctoria is commonly known as true indigo and is a member of the pea family. This tropical, evergreen shrub grows up to 4 feet tall and is an annual, biennial or perennial depending on your hardiness zone. It was an important commercial crop in the southeastern United States until synthetic dyes took over the market. It’s naturalized in some milder parts of the country. Several seed retailers sell these seeds that can take 15 to 30 days to germinate. Start the seeds four to eight weeks…

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Birds & Blooms (Digital) - 1 Issue, August/September 2024

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