Friday, December 18, 2020

Garden Ideas and Haiti Tours by Cory

Here are a few fruits and vegetables that could be grown much more in parts of the USA, including Michigan, or other areas with a mild climate.






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Florida Cranberry Hibiscus: An annual easily grown from seed. Cut stem tips to keep the plant from getting too tall and enjoy the tart young leaves in salads.

Chayote: an excellent quality leafy vegetable even where the season is too short to get fruit. For highest yield only use the half grown leaves and only the vine tips where they are too long. Before planting, let a chayote sit on the counter or a shady place for a few days or weeks until it sprouts.

Sweet Potato: More productive in the south than in Michigan but Kris' dad grew them a few years ago. If vines aren't available, the ends of the potato can be cut off, planted and should sprout if they weren't treated with sprout inhibitor.

Kiwano: Buy one as a decoration or to eat and keep some of the seeds to plant.


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Yacon

Yacon: These are started from the sunchoke-like stems just above the sweet potato-like roots. The edible roots do not sprout and can keep for months in a refrigerator or in the ground. Used raw or cooked, the crispy texture doesn't change. It adds gentle crunch to pies or vegetable dishes. Good for diabetics and may lower blood sugar.



Dwarf Everbearing Mulberry


Dwarf Everbearing cuttings often start producing in the nursery
and can keep producing when planted



Mulberries: The wild ones I tried in Michigan don't  have much flavor. 'Dwarf Everbearing', which I like better than blackberries, and the 4' long 'Pakistani' mulberries are only hardy in southern states of the USA. Other varieties are adapted to harsher winters and all could be used more where the potential mess from birds is acceptable. Or grow white varieties.



1 comment:

Secondary Roads said...

Very enjoyable tour of terraces. Sylvia joins me in wishing all the Thede family a very blessed and merry Christmas and a happy new year. God's blessing upon you.