November Wrap Up

November has been a busy month around these parts.  A couple of ongoing projects keeping me busy.  House guests, yet another tumble.  Holidays.  You know, the usual.    I was a bit bummed early November as a lot of the seedlings and seeds planted out in October drowned in the heavy rains.  Then November comes along and it is both hotter and dryer than normal. 

Pictured left is a perennial Mountain Marigold Tagetes lemmonii.  It is a fun airy sprawling bush that has the most wonderful smell when you brush by it on the walkway.  And then in fall it burst into yellow glory.

I'm also growing Tagetes lucida, which goes by many common names (Mexican Marigold, Texas Tarragon, Florida Tarragon) as it is grown in hotter areas as a tarragon substitute.  It is not as prolific a grower or bloomer as the Mountain Marigold.  I suppose I should start some cuttings and try it growing in different parts of the yard. Interesting Tagetes information.

Pictured right is the bloom of Okinawa Spinach.  It's a pretty little bloom that I should take care to not let go to seed.  Apparently it will not grow up to be green on top purple on bottom from seed.

I've really developed a taste for freshly harvested Okinawa Spinach.  I've only served it with salads or slightly wilted with quinoa.  I've been sticking the stalks randomly into the ground, or a glass of water after I harvest the leaves.  We've got quite the ground cover going.  Can't beat edible and ornamental ground cover!

Okinawa Spinach

Gynura crepioides
Okinawa spinach forms a dense, non-vining, edible ground cover that grows well in full sun or partial shade. Grown commercially in China, the plant is a vigorous, perennial vegetable that is adaptable to a variety of tropical climates and requires little if any additional input. Okinawa spinach has attractive pointed leaves that are green on the top side and purple underneath. Young leaves and shoots can be eaten raw or cooked; at ECHO we use them as a colorful and nutritious addition to our salads. source

The garbage dump garden around the peach tree is coming along nicely.  The celery is doing fantastic, and the broccoli and lettuce is not too shabby either.

One of my better ideas - planting collard green seedlings out into the 'ornamental' garden spaces in late May.  They have grown along to look quite nice mixed in with the non-edibles.

And it was super lovely to have a complete head of one of these for Thanksgiving dinner.

 These little Dahlia's have bloomed and bloomed all year long.  I'm sure my neighbor hates me.  They don't get any kind of special treatment.  They just hang out and look pretty.  Of course, now that the temperatures are cooling down, they are looking more spectacular than ever.  They go dormant sometime late fall, and I will see if I can divide the tubers.  Think they will look very nice spread around the entire border of the apple tree bed.  This is Dahlia HS Party.

Also growing in the apple tree bed is Seminole Squash.  Given that I can not grow any other kind of squash successfully, I'm thrilled beyond belief to have not one, but FIVE squash growing right now.

Raspberry soon - I hope.  This is Mysore.  I'm hoping they mature before we get a freeze.  I've lots of canes growing gangbusters on this plant, and I've planted another plant a few feet along the property line.  If I continue to have issues with the thieving little pluckers stealing my citrus I might just plant a whole fence of these along the property line.

Sorrel punch - yummy!  Hot home made red zinger tea!  sigh .....  I think I've got plenty this year to do something with.  I'm thinking to try and dry them. 

Roselle (Sorrel)

Hibiscus sabdariffa
Also called 'Florida Cranberry' and 'Jamaican Sorrel', this drought tolerant woody shrub may grow to 10 ft. high. An attractive annual that produces several hibiscus-type flowers that are pale yellow with a deep wine center. Roselle forms flowers and then seedpods when the days become short, usually during September and October. The edible calyxes, which grow around the seedpod in winter, are used in Jamaica to make a traditional Christmas drink called sorrel. The fleshy red calyx should be picked when about 1" long and can be used in jellies, sauces, and herb teas and punches. Although the leaves and stems are sour, they are high in Vitamin A and may be eaten raw, cooked or dried. Roselle is nematode and frost sensitive. source

The Path to Good Eats

 

Right after taking this photo, I picked this mini head and hubs and I ate it for breakfast.  Flowers and all.  Yummy.  I need to start some more.

From Johnny's, a F1 hybrid - Happy Rich.  Early and heat tolerant in our November garden. 

Mountain Magic - growing in an earthbox.  My hide a tomato in plain site up against the starkly pruned shrub continues to impress me.  This idea is a keeper.  And, once the Mountain Magic plant got going, it is also impressing me with it's output.  It was just a bit slow to start and I lost a few to dampening off in the August rains.

The very healthy happy and not bolting semi-heading lettuce right 'thar?  Anuenue - developed by Univ of Hawaii and recommended in Hawaii for elevations of 0-3000 ft.  Heat tolerant, will germinate at warmer temps.  And it taste good! A keeper.

Moved an unhappy hybrid hibiscus into the neighbors yard and replaced it with Brunfelsia pauciflora Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow.  It is just getting onto blooming size and looks great in bloom and just fine out of bloom.  And it will not freeze.

It is that time of year that I look around at all the beautiful coleus that will soon be toast and think to myself that I should go start more kale and chard.

Totally enjoying the ongoing heat is Orlando eggplant, Black Jungle Lima beans, peppers (hot, bell, and sweet) and most of the basil.  We have 4 Orlando eggplant plants and they are completely loaded right now.  I've been giving some away and still not sure what I'm going to do with it all.  Well, make a big huge batch of Eggplant Lasagna soon!