The best way to determine when to plant your seeds indoors is by subtraction. From the frost-free date in your area, back up by the number of days it takes to raise your plants to the transplant stage. That's the date to plant indoors.

Look up the vegetables, herbs, or flowers you wish to start in the Plant Reference on this site. Need help with seeding and growing? Click on Karen Park Jennings Sow & Grow instructions for detailed information.

Purple Hyacinth Bean vine is one of my favorite annual vines. North or South, East or West, it doesn't take long to get up and grow from seed. It has never failed to put on a show in my garden. When I plant it around the mailbox, it's a traffic stopper. People walking by pause to admire the flowers and take in its sweet fragrance.

Are you new to the neighborhood or have you spent too much time in the back garden? This vine will introduce you to your neighbors as they stop to ask, "What is it?"

The vine has purple stems, lavender-purple flowers, and purple seedpods. Showy flowers and pods shoot out on stiff stems from all areas of the vine. If the vines end up with only seedpods late in the season, cut off most of those stems and it will bloom again. Even better, just keep the beans picked throughout the summer. You can let a few of the seedpods ripen to brown and harvest the seeds when they dry. They are attractive displayed in a glass jar.

Try growing the Purple Hyacinth Bean Vine, Lablab purpurea, in your garden this summer. It doesn't require a heavy or tall support. Site it in sun on a trellis, fencepost, or mailbox. Sit back and wait for the compliments.

--posted by Anne Moore on March 12th--