Yea that Bill always has the best ideas. Mr Smartypants...

I do have another idea though!! Since I had the DIEP with reconstructed nipples...I can tape to my DIEP breasts and say it is just my new nipples!! 2 lychee is plenty enough for my aunt to sample!! hahahahaha!!!

Karen, what are you planning on planting to start out?
And it would be great to have everyone over here to see Hawaii and have a good time!!

Have a great day everyone...off to work now!!

yikes,
i am not sure. but i want more organic herbs and some organic vegetables (i don't even know whether it is too early or late for various types!!) and i think that i am going to buy some shade plants (a lot of shade in my backyard).
i hope i don't kill things immediately.
karen

Harrie
I remember well when I lived in Northern California, and would smuggle fruits and veggies from Oregon...the fruit fly police were vicious...you must be clever....are the Lychee like a nut/fruit....the ones the people in Thailand and Vietnam use on their teeth? You being a dental hygenist must know this!!!
Just be glad you are smuggling lychees on your dieps and not coconuts!

Sheila,

Were you talking about 'bin-lang'? A fruit from the coconut tree and people in southeast Asia chew on it and spit out? (red like blood because of the ingredient inserted in it) No, Lychee is a juicy, sweet fruit. It has red, thin, rough skin (when ripe), very, very sweet, juicy white meat wrapping around a nut. It is bigger than a cherry tomato.

In Chinese medicine, Lychee is classified as a 'hot' food. It means that if you eat too much of it, you can get nose bleed. A famous story about lychee says that the most beautiful woman of the emporer's court in the Tang Dynasty liked to eat Lychee. The Emporer would send out runners (on horses) to southern China to bring back fresh Lychee to the palace when it's in season. This was the same princess who would rarely smile. After she had smiled one time when she heard the sound from the accidental tearing up of someone's silk sleeve, the emporer ordered maids around her to tear up silk cloth just so he could see her smile.

So, go out and get some lychee. Enjoy it as the most spoiled princess once did!

Jackie, is that fruit you are talking about from SE Asia what they bcall the beetle nut? It stains the teeth ferociously!! A hygienist's nightmare. TG we hardly see it!
So Sheila, Jackie explained about the lychee, so I won't have to.

GUESS WHAT EVERYONE....I planted my very first crops today...cherry tomatoes and lettuce! Can't wait to see my first crop!!

Maryanne

Spring Gardens
 

Congratulations Maryanne. Let us know how your cherry tomatoes and lettuce grow. What kind of lettuce did you plant? So far my best veggies have been leeks, green onions and chives. I also had some sprouts. I am waiting on the cherry tomatoes, basil and other things I planted. I have enough leeks to share with the neighbors!! Good thing, because they are so expensive in the store. <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Elaine, if you have that many leeks, you should call a plumber.

Okay - so how are the gardens doing?

I harvested all of the remaining swiss chard on the weekend and I (actually my husband) put up a trellis and I (really me0 planted some pole bean seeds. All of the different varieties of tomatoes have set fruit but nothing is ready yet. Almost all of the peppers have fruit. Most turn red or orange when ripe but I picked a bunch of green peppers for last night because I made pepper and onion enchiladas and needed them. I had a couple of small jalapenos too. All the herbs are pickable (parsley, oregano, thyme and basil). We have had about 10 cucumbers too. Still eating greens (probably 2-3 heads of 2 week old romaine that is still good and the chard). We are waiting for the yellow, red and zebra tomatoes though. It is the best garden treat.

The flowers are doing well too. Deadheading to keep everything looking good.

How are your gardens?

Elaine,
The lettuce package just says: Lettuce and under that it says Anuenue. It was packaged by Univ of Hawaii.
Tlhe pic on the pkg looks like Manoa lettuce.

When you say you planted sprouts...do you mean like bean sprouts?

Maryanne

Tomatoes are still green, except plum tomatoes on plant my brother gave me in a pot. They have end rot. Eggplant blossoms dried up and fell off. Celery looks good. Vegetables drive me crazy! I prefer flowers.

Spring Gardens
 

Maryanne
Manoa lettuce sounds good. Yum Yum. I think I will get some seeds later. If the lettuce and other veggies are packed by UH they must be things that will grow well in our climate.

Spring Gardens
 

Hi Bill,
You are funny.

spring gardens
 

Hi Maryanne,
The Anuenue lettuce is Manoa lettuce. I asked my friend who has been growing veggies for years. Where did you get your UH college of tropical agriculture seeds?

Elaine, we got it from Farmer's Exchange. A family-owned gardening shop.
Maryanne

UPDATE on Maryanne's garden:
I have been watering twice a day and yesterday I noticed 5 little spouts from my tomato pot!! They are like 1/2 inch in ht.
Can anyone tell me when I might be able to see my first tomato?
Maryanne

Maybe 60-70 days to maturity. Not sure if maybe it's faster in Paradise, but that's what it takes here. You go girl!

spring gardens
 

Mahalo Maryanne. Farmer's Exchange!! We are all going to be eating healthier food very soon. I am still eating leeks, green onion, sprouts and chives, but no tomatoes yet. I am thankful Bill told us how long they take. I am going to plant the leafy things in the fall when Honolulu is not quite as hot. Your climate is a little different in Hilo, so you will have lettuce before me.

okay, i planted the indian corn i bought last year at the store and have several stalks of it. do i let it dry out like they do when they take the corn out of the fields? or how do i know when it's ready? never planted anything other than tomatoes before, at least as far as food goes. i have all kinds of flowers and inside plants

"...how does your garden grow?"
 

OK, all you Mary, Mary, quite contrarys.
How is the Hawaiian lettuce and other container gardens going??
We heard things were planted - and how about harvests?

A very weird year, weatherwise, here. Lots of baby pears on the tree then they suddenly all fell off and we have nothing. Do have some apples, tho. Scanty number of blueberries and the birds got most of those.

BUT - it is a bumper crop of raspberries! Strawberries were also good. We have never had SO MANY raspberries. We thought we thinned them real well in the spring, but they LIKED that, I guess.

Flowers have been a little late. These ivy geraniums are happily blooming now that I moved them. I get that many raspberries twice a day ... been freezing a bag a day! That being after the birds and squirrels get their share ...

This year it has been hot but rainy. I finally have tomatoes that are ready (and this is late for NJ). I have several red varieties and 2 yellow varieties. The zebra tomato plant has fruit but is not ready. Lots and lots of peppers and finally 2 are yellow and one is orange (the lots and lots are still green so I can use them and I just leave them so they will ripen). Cukes were abundant (21 in one day) but are very slow now. I have 3 acorn squash plants and I think a squash borer got one of them as it is wilting a quick death. This is a common bug disease for me no matter where in NJ I've lived. I have lived here (3rd summer now) and never planted squash here so I guess that's the end of the line for me with it.

The herbs are great (parsley, different kinds of basil and oregano. The thyme was great earlier then flowered and is now back again. Thyme is best in the Spring when the plant comes back from the dead). The flowers and lawn are wonderful. I can't say more about both. I guess the rain is what really did it (and I think it is what really delayed the tomatoes). No pole beans yet but they should come in about 2 weeks. I planted these late. If I really do lose the one (or all 3) acorn squash plants, I will put in a fall crop of lettuce.

Garden's good but I will have late tomatoes (and spaghetti sauce) this year and maybe no squash:(

Mary, Mary, quite contrary???
How hsa my garden grown?
silver bells and cocker shells
but as of yet very bushy tomato plants but no tomatoes
lettuce is maybe 4 inches high...getting there, and I have about 6 or 7 lettuces.
Everyday they seem to grow at least an inch!!
Lots of nice rain and good sunshine.

Steph, your raspberries are sooooo nice!!! I would LOVE to grow that!
Last wk we got our first pineapple and lichee of the season! Both were very sweet and juicy!!
Maryann e

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Those rasberries do look delicious. Too bad we just have to look and can't sample them. Do you have any recipes that include rasberries. Hang in there Maryanne. You will enjoy a nice fresh salad from your garden soon.

Spring Gardens
 

I just saw the post from StephN. I still have leeks :).
I also enjoyed green onions, a few radishes, chives, lots of different kinds of sprouts and even a little baby bok choy. A friend gave me some from her garden and I planted the roots. I have some more green onions to plant today or tomorrow. The arugula didn't make it and I don't have tomatoes yet. I will plant some leafy things in the fall when my location on Oahu has cooler sunny weather. Too bad you can't share the rasberries and ivy geraniums with us. How about some photos? I am sorry to hear some of your things didn't make it. I guess we learn from our gardening experiences.

As you may or may not recall, I just started a veg garden for the first time in my life about 6 mo ago. Well now, we have planted: 2 kinds of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, reg big tomatoes, spinach, snap peas, string beans, bell peppers, grn onions which are looking like chives, bok choy, and I think that's it. Most are still seedlings, but the butter lettuce has really taken off and we are eating that already. I need to get a photo program so I can reduce pics and get them on this site.

That sounds awesome Harriecanarie. It sounds like you definitely have a green thumb!

Spring Gardens
 

I am wondering how many gardeners are left from last year or how many of you have started your spring gardens again?
I took a break over the holidays, but I have started up again with spinach, oregano, rosemary, aloe, leeks,Christmas cactus, lawai fern, and a Hawaiian cactus. I have some bittermelon, chico and other herb seeds to plant. I also want to plant another leafy green vegetable. Any ideas for a sunny location?

Hi Elaine,
I am the school gardener for my youngest grandson's class and we just harvested leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, celery and all the rest of the many lettuces. We're now putting in 10 kinds of tomatos, carrots, beets, peppers, squash, cukes and bok choy. Since my husband and I live in a condo, I have to grow tomatos, squash and cucumbers in big pots out on the back patio. Your garden sounds amazing! Yummmm.....
Love, Vickie

I've spent the last few days out back in the flower garden.
I couldn't do much last year, but am trying to this year.
I've been moving some daylilies to a better spot, and planting more berries. I planted a few strawberries last year and just today I saw the first flower bud on one. I was so thrilled! It doesn't take much to make me happy when it comes to gardening. I have some gold and black raspberry plants, and just added a few reds a couple weeks ago.
I'll take some photos to post later on, for those that enjoy those things.
I also have a new hobby. I started last year and am expanding a little this year. It's beekeeping! It's really neat to harvest your own honey, and I enjoy just sitting outside and watching the young bees take their first flights.

Spring Gardens
 

Vickie and Brenda,
Your gardens sound amazing too. How wonderful that we can grow some different things in different parts of the U. S. I would love to see photos. How did you get into Bee keeping Brenda? I grow my plants in pots, because I live in an apartment. I think I am going to have to add another level under the shelf by the window for more plants. I choose larger plants this year that take up more space.

Beekeeping is something I wanted to do before I got sick.
I wanted to go ahead and try it last spring, and now am adding a new hive. It just goes with the flowers, nature and back to the land thing.

Spring Gardens
 

Fresh honey !! Yum!! I wish I were there.
I just added some beets. I am running out of pots, cuttings, seeds and potting soil, so I have to wait to get some before I plant more.

We are having a garden this year, after not having one the past two years. My "adopted" son from Senegal is going to garden with us. He is into organic, so we'll be learning a lot this year.
Too early to plant much, but will probably do some onion sets this week.

our veg garden pretty much got wiped out by all the rain. For all the month of March, we only had 2 days of no rain.

Hi Gang! I'm getting all geared up for my Connecticut garden. The soil here is rich and I've got some nice sunny spots picked out. Elaine, maybe try some Swiss Chard. It's easy to grow and does well in containers. It looks and tastes rich in nutrients, like a spinach, and as you snip what you need, it re-grows. I tried a basement garden here throughout this past winter, but only greens did well. I didn't want to heat the basement and the temp. down there was around 55 degrees, so I think that was a factor. I looking forward to a nice season of spinach, swiss chard, banana peppers, jalapenos, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, and all kinds of tomatoes. Happy Gardening!

Spring Gardens
 

Your gardening plans sound excellent Bill. I will try some Swiss chard.
I got some more pots yesterday. The things I planted are doing well. I have to get some sticks to hold things straight though. Things are starting to crawl all over the place. Wouldn't be nice if they just crawled into the kitchen? Ha ha. Does anybody know how to take care of a Christmas catus so that is produces flowers? Mine hasn't produced flowers in the 3 years I have had it even though it looks healthy.

Hello Lady Pink! I think maybe this year we should all get together and agree when spring actually starts. I tried to take charge of spring all by myself last year and I seem to recall that it didn't work out too well. Can't remember all the details........

I let spring start when I have more plants coming up than weeds!

Right now the plants have a slight edge, but it is a battle between me and the dandelions. I have some with roots a good 6 to 10" long! Hard to pull those suckers ... I don't use herbacide.