On 3/29/2015 11:18 AM, Derald wrote:
George Shirley wrote:

Our greens are still producing, including lettuce, spinach, etc. The
Swiss chard was planted two years ago and is still producing. It's in
full shade after high noon and I suspect that's what keeps it producing.
Could be (chard in shade). I'm certain that collards may be grown
as perennials in open shade and that the perennial herbs we grow do best
when protected from direct sunlight, past mid-morning, during the hot
months. We don't grow any "leaf" lettuce and—although, I try almost
every year—we don't have enough consistently cool weather for even
so-called "summertime" crisphead lettuce to thrive. In the fall, once
the beds are reliably cool, I begin planting lettuce weekly and carrots
bi-weekly. Most years, the cool periods aren't sufficiently long for
heading lettuce to do much besides blossom; at least, they're pretty and
the butterflies like'em. Carrots are far more tolerant of warm winters
and I can plant them 'til March with some expectation of fresh carrots
for the kitchen.

We planted Truckers Favorite corn Friday afternoon and when it gets
about six inches high we will plant brown crowder peas alongside. After
that we will plant squash around the peas. The old Native American
"Three Sisters." We plant every square inch we can with stuff to eat or
cook with or is just pretty.
No corn (maize) here. This year, I'm contemplating transplanting
tomatoes or eggplant (aubergine) into the yellow squash. I can follow
the squash with peanuts (for example). OTOH, I have containers enough
for three tomato plants, more than enough, and I can direct-seed them
with no fiddling around. Eggplant, it shall be, then.

Going to middle grandson's place tomorrow and help him build some more
raised beds. He, our son, and our daughter all are gardeners. The other
four grandkids haunt the grocery stores.
DW&I don't see enough of our respective families to know whether
any of them gardens. The nearest neighbor who cooks takes fresh herbs
from time to time and behaved as if he liked the ginger. Despite my
offers, he doesn't seem interested in growing his own seasonings so...

We live in a subdivision in between Tomball, TX and The Woodlands, TX.
290 homes here, I only know of three of us that actually garden. I
posted on the web site that I would teach vegetable and herb gardening
practices and also how to preserve the food you grow. No one was
interested. At least it seemed so, no one bothered to reply. Most of the
neighbors just grow grass and whatever the builder put in for plantings.
One thing builders plant around here is Pineapple guava, neighbor across
the street was originally from Puerto Rico and she didn't even recognize
the plants. I will be watching the fruit this year as last year we had a
late freeze that dropped the fruit and ruined it. I'm thinking maybe
guava wine or just jellies and jams.

Spotted some big turtles in the retention pond, required in this part of
Texas. I know there's no firearm use here but I need to ask if air guns
are considered firearms by the idiots that run the subdivision. If not,
we may have turtle stew or soup or both on the menu before long. Also
spotted a family of nutria rats there, they're not protected so are easy
prey. The hides are worth a couple of bucks and I need to research the
tail bounty. In Louisiana you got five bucks for every nutria tail
brought in. Cajuns got a large amount of the rats out of the wetlands
there. Plus I've eaten nutria meat before and it is no worse than
muskrat or squirrel. I need to put the scope on my 1100 fps air rifle.

Dewberries we are cultivating are blooming still and the early blooms
have set fruit. Have to watch the dog or she will be nipping the berries
off the vines.