most unusual produce

[SewingDiva]

How late (for heat) in the season can it be harvested?

I just looked at my notes from last year, and by May 17 (about 1 week prior to our official last frost date) our broccoli raab was caput. Sessantina really is a cool season variety; it grows fast,and it goes fast, in our garden when the daytime temps are reliabley over 45-50 degrees it will be history.

You may do even better with it than we do because I suspect you have longer days than we do in early spring because you're much further south than Mass. This is a plant that can take a light frost or two no problem.

Enjoy!
Phyllis

You make it sound like I may start having to plant this end of feburary beginning of March! Does it really dislike temps over 50? I have some of this I'm dying to try and I don't want it to fail. (Sounds like it will be nice to do with my raddishes and lettuce in October though)

It does - it bolts really fast. But Y'know I just looked at that handy dandy link you provided for planting times, and in NC (zone 7 right?) it recommends transplanting broccoli Feb 15, and I'm positive Sessantina would do just fine for you transplanted at that date.

Also - Sessantina does not need a lot of light, I think we are getting only 4-6 hours when I transplant here in Mass.

Feb 15 only 5 weeks away you know - better get your seeds going! :rainbow-sun

Phyllis

 

[Arklady]

You make it sound like I may start having to plant this end of feburary beginning of March! Does it really dislike temps over 50? I have some of this I'm dying to try and I don't want it to fail. (Sounds like it will be nice to do with my radishes and lettuce in October though)

I think that's what I do. I think I plant too late, Like I start my tomatoes when the plants come out and then I don't get many. Possibly I need to start them earlier? More like all of my plants earlier including my flowers and everything else.

Perhaps that has been my problem all along! Hmmmm

Arklady

 

[Sarah_Mom2Four]

I just bought them from Baker Creek, but I am scared to plant them.

They look just like Deadly Nightshade which occasionally springs up on our property.

I wouldn't want my two girls to mistakenly confuse the two of them.

If you want, I'll mail you my unopened seed packet for Wonderberries...

I was reading about wonderberries earlier and it said that the berry on them is posionous before it ripens. I was excited to try it until I heard that, with a 4year old, 2 year old, 1 year old and 3 month old it'sa little to dangerous for our yard.

 

[vfem]

I'm going to start my brocolli Rabe inside in another week, and I'm going to directly sow some spinach the first week of feb. I'm glad I found that zone link with planting dates!

 

[me&thegals]

Ooh, ooh! I just got a fruit catalogue from Miller Nursery and am ready to drop about $500 on unusual fruit trees and bushes!!! Not really, but it is so tempting. Until I get piles of fruit come May and wonder how on earth I will find the time to properly tend to them all.

Anyway, I would like to get more hardy kiwis to vine along my front porch railing. The 2 I got 4-5 years ago have climbed about 15 feet and really look awesome. They should fruit any year now...

I would also like to try paw-paws again. I mean, "banana custard?" Who could resist that flavor?

 

[homesteadmom]

I grow okra here in the desert & it is not sold here in the stores except for in the frozen section of some stores. This yr I got seeds for a charentais melon(never heard of it before) & we will see if it is any good, the package says they are sweet, thin skinned & fragile so they do not make it to the stores. They are french it says. Trying kohlrabi this yr too.

 

[me&thegals]

Homesteadmom--I got charentais seeds this year, too. It will be fun to see if they are as incredibly delicious as promised It's great trying these varieties that never make it to the grocery stores because of shippability, storage, lack of uniformity.

 

[homesteadmom]

This will be my experiment plant this yr!! I am hoping they are as good as promised. Keep me posted on your progress & I will keep you posted on mine.

 

[Greenthumb18]

i tried charentais melons last year, the powdery mildew end up killing it, every year i get disease problems with melons ,have yet to have any melons harvested .

 

[me&thegals]

This will be my experiment plant this yr!! I am hoping they are as good as promised. Keep me posted on your progress & I will keep you posted on mine.

Sounds good, but I'm betting you will have better luck with your sun and warmth. On the other hand, if my memory serves me, they are a shorter grower, right? So maybe they don't need as much as some melons. I figure if the French foodies love them, I will be in for a treat!