Volunteer

June 03, 2026

I went to the eye doctor for my annual checkup today and when I returned Melissa wanted to show me something that had sprouted in the mailbox planter. Melissa has tried to grow several different flowers in this brick planter. The grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) has done well and explode in early spring, but they dwindle and die leaving the box empty during the summer and fall. We have tried a variety of different perennials, but none have lasted through the season, yet alone come back the following year. This year Melissa tried something different by planting a central coneflower (Echinacea) hybrid (sombrero lemon yellow) surrounded by rose moss (Portulaca grandiflora) starts to act as an annual bedding and keep down the weeds. While the rose moss plants are doing well, the coneflower is again struggling. What Melissa wanted to show me, however, was an intrusive weed that was beginning to take over the lower left side of the planter. It was obvious this volunteer was a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plant.

When I went online, I found “volunteer” plants in gardening are those that sprout and grow on their own without being intentionally planted. They emerge from seeds dropped in the previous season, spread by wildlife, or distributed through homemade compost. While some volunteers are thought of as nuisances, they can be surprisingly vigorous, cost-free additions to your garden. On the plus side, a volunteer is free and takes no effort from you. They can be exciting to find and can add fun and unpredictability to a well-planned garden. On the minus side, the volunteer can grow in unwanted places, and you can never be sure what you are getting. Seeds from open pollinated plants always produce a vegetable identical to its parent. Seeds from hybrid plants are not true to form and it is more likely the volunteer will resemble one of the plants that produced the hybrid seed, and some hybrid plants will not produce any fruit. The intruder can mess with the crop rotation you planned for your garden and can also carry soil borne disease.

When I saw the volunteer plant I wanted to dig it up and transplant it in the container where some animal had sat on one of my Roma tomatoes. Melissa wanted to let it grow in place and see what it will produce. All the seeds grown in my garden are from older cultivars (heirlooms) but most of the tomatoes are nursery purchases (heirloom and/or hybrid). Since we have never planted tomatoes in the mailbox bed it must have gotten there from an animal or in the compost I used to enhance the soil. This year I also noticed several volunteer plants in my raised beds. These are some sort of unknown squash (genus, Cucurbita) that have sprouted in the rows of beets (Beta vulgaris) and a leafy lettuce (Lactuca sativa) that sprouted after I replanted the spinach with a cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Here again, we must wait and see what is produced.

THOUGHTS: While this is the first time to have a volunteer tomato in the flower bed, I have had a volunteer in my raised beds both years. Last year my sown seed in one of the beds was overcome by large ground cherry (Physalis angulata) plants. These grow wild in Arkansas and some harvest them from the open woods where they thrive. I let them grow after finding out what they were and even tried harvesting them. I did not like the taste and since they were blocking light to what I had planted I tore them out (again, one person’s weed is another’s harvest). When you get a volunteer, you can leave them, relocate them, or remove them. Humans seem to take a similar approach when other people move into their neighborhood. Some are welcomed, some are asked to move to another area, and some are physically removed. Currently in the US, the difference seems linked with ethnicity and culture. Act for all. Change will come and it starts with you.

Distribute

May 16, 2026

After filling my bird feeders, I was sitting on the patio waiting to see what species would arrive. What I noticed instead was how my tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants had begun to grow this last week. I mentioned I planted fourteen tomato plants this year, using four different types of containers. My two sweet 100s (cherry) are in 5-gallon (19-l) buckets. Three of the Arkansas Travelers (slicing) are in 5-gallon grow bags and the other three are in 10-gallon (38-l) terra cotta pots. The six Romas (sauce) are in the plastic self-watering containers I purchased last year. All 14 plants were over 2-1/2 feet (0.76m) and are starting to produce (green) fruit. While I have known since our family garden as a child that tomatoes need trellises or cages for support, it was not until three years ago that I learned you should also prune your plants. The small, secondary shoots that grow in the “V” joint where a leaf branch meets the main stem (suckers) should be removed as these produce less desirable fruit. The bottom branches should also be removed to guard against pests and disease. Pruning encourages the plant to focus on growing fruit rather than tall, bushy vines. With the number of plants in the ground, it got me thinking of how to distribute the expected tomatoes.

When I went online, I found one way to distribute excess produce was called Fresh Food Connect. This group was formed in 2016 with the goal of connecting local gardeners with the hunger relief efforts in their community to grow a more local and resilient food system. Fresh Food Connect has a free mobile app that connects gardeners with their communities. By 2024, Fresh Food Connect had grown to over 4,300 gardeners with over 65 hunger relief nonprofits in 28 states and has shared over 300,000 pounds (136077.7 kg) of homegrown produce with 166,000 community people experiencing food insecurity. During 2025, 5,210 registered gardeners in 18 states connected with 54 local community partners to provide over 91,490 pounds (41,499 kg) of homegrown produce to over 51,870 individuals facing food insecurity. This distribution amounted to grocery savings of US$457,460, or over 76,240 meals and over 91 tons (82.5 mt) of CO2EQ saved.

I got excited when I learned of this effort to efficiently distribute home grown food to those with food insecurity. I immediately downloaded the app and typed in my zip code to find a distribution center near me. While there was (currently) no distribution near me, the Ozark Church Food Pantry was listed as only 52 miles (83.5 km) away. I used the app to suggest they partner with the Crawford Sebastian Community Development Council in Fort Smith (15 miles/24 km away). The app does allow me to register my donations outside of their network so I will probably continue to give locally and register my donation with Fresh Food. Last year I also shared with my neighbors and several friends, and I will probably do that again this year. Today I used my last jar of dill pickles making pickle de Gallo, so I am also looking forward to restocking my garden favorites.

THOUGHTS: Cassey Anderson, Colorado State University Horticulture Agent, provided the three Golden Rules when planning to distribute your harvest to a local food bank. These are: Keep it cool, Keep it wet (when appropriate), Handle with care. Harvesting is best done in the cooler parts of the day (morning/evening) and many crops can be harvested and placed directly into a container of cool water. If you continue to harvest, make sure they are placed out of the sun. Using a sharp knife or scissors is a better choice for harvesting rather than tearing the crop off the main plant. This reduces stress on the plant, reduces chances of damage, and makes for a cleaner product. Food insecurity is limited or uncertain access to adequate, nutritious food due to limited funds or resources. Arkansas has the highest rate of food insecurity in the nation, with 19.4% of households struggling to access consistent, nutritious meals. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Starts

April 08, 2026

After I posted my last blog (Hardiness) I was informed (by Melissa) that the Hardiness Zones had indeed changed and we were no longer in 7b. The update that I had mentioned had reclassified the Arkansas River Valley as zone 8. According to the updated 2023 US Department of Agriculture map, Greenwood is now in Zone 8a. This indicates a moderate climate where average annual extreme minimum winter temperatures range from 10F to 15F (-12C to -9.5C) and the last spring frost typically occurs around March 25th to April 3rd. There is still 10% chance of a later frost lasting until April. That means my thinking I was testing the envelope by planting two weeks early was instead getting my seeds (and young plants) in the ground right on time. That worked out well as when I went to the local hardware store for several bags of potting soil I saw they had a big sale on both flowers and a variety of vegetables. Having already planted my seeds, I decided to go ahead and buy my plant starts as well.

When I went online, I found choosing between seeds and plants (starts) depends on your budget, time, and the plant type. Seeds are often better for fast-growing crops (better value and more variety) like lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea), beans, and herbs. Starter plants are best for high-maintenance, slow-growing, or long-season crops like tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and peppers (Capsicum annuum) to guarantee a harvest. Seeds have the advantage of inexpensive, offer a variety of heirloom choices, and have healthier root systems. They require more patience and specialized equipment (lights/trays) to start them indoors to have them ready for the growing season. Starts can provide immediate gratification, save time, and have a higher success rate for beginners. They are more expensive and have limited variety. Small gardens benefit from buying plants to maximize production, while large gardens can save money using seeds. A mix of both seems best.

Last year I bought starts early and did not get them in the ground for a week. Even though I tried to keep them watered, they looked sickly by the time they were planted and several died forcing me to buy new starts to replace the ones I previously bought. This year I ended up buying my starts early in the afternoon but knew I needed to get them in the ground. I worked into the evening remixing potting soil, planting six jalapeño peppers, five bell peppers, and three varieties of tomatoes. Melissa likes the Sweet 100’s for salads (2 starts), I like Roma (6 starts) for canning pasta sauce, and then Arkansas Travelers (3 starts) for slicing. That left 3 Traveler starts (pack of 6) that I did not have pots for. There was a major rain forecast for the evening, so I pushed on to plant three rows of sweet corn (Zea mays convar) in the bed I had used last year for my Three Sisters (corn, beans, squash). Everything was done in time for the three inches (7.5 cm) of rain to set everything into the soil.

THOUGHTS: Having planted my starts I was ready for the growing season, but still had several starts not in the ground. Monday Melissa and I cleared last year’s potato beds for watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and honeydew melon (Cucumis melo) starts. I planted the zucchini and spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo) in large pots and found three grow bags for the leftover Travelers. In total we have three soil beds, four raised beds, and 27 containers with a variety of seeds and starts. I also believe a mix seems to work best. That is true with my small garden, but also with our nation and world. Every dystopian society depicted in sci-fi movies is the result of a controlled lack of diversity. While that may just be perception, it is also borne out with historic civilization examples. Diversity is our strength, not a weakness. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Hardiness

April 06, 2026

The six weeks Melissa and I were traveling occurred when I normally prepare my seeds for planting. I began last year in January planting seeds under “grow lights”. While most of the seeds sprouted, I struggled to transplant them into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pots for the next growing stage. The pots were still under the lights, but only around half of the plants developed their first double set of leaves. Even these struggled when I hardened them off (set outside for a few hours a day) to prepare them for planting in the ground. Those that made it were spindly and slow to mature compared to the other store-bought plants. I had a dilemma. My absence meant I could not take care of any indoor seeds, and my return was two weeks before the last predicted frost. We are in the central Arkansas River Valley in planting zone 7b with an average annual minimum winter temperature of 5F to 10F (-12.3C to -14.9C). This zone is generally characterized by a last frost date around April 15 and a first frost date around November 15. I have tried to use this hardiness scale when determining what and how to plant, but this year I got excited and planted early.

When I went online, I found gardeners rely on the plant-care tags affixed to the plants they buy and one of the items listed is the hardiness zone. A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature which is critical to the survival of most plants. The first hardiness zone map was published in Alfred Rehder’s 1927 book Manual of Cultivated Trees and Shrubs. Rehder and Donald Wyman, of Boston’s Arnold Arboretum, did not have the reach of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which published its first Hardiness Zone Map in 1965. The USDA system provides a rough guide for landscaping and gardening and defines 13 zones by long-term average annual extreme minimum temperatures. Unless otherwise specified, plants in American context have a “hardiness zone” which refers to the USDA scale. The USDA-ARS, along with climate scientists at Oregon State University, has just released a new plant-hardiness map updating its 1990 Plant Hardiness Zone Map to bring it into conformity with the warming trends that have become so apparent to gardeners.

After deciding to push the hardiness scale, I began last Tuesday determining what seeds needed to go into my raised beds. These were a mix of leafy vegetables like varieties of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea). Then I planted the first rows of beets (Beta vulgaris, artichokes (Cynara cardunculus). radishes (Raphanus sativus), peas (Pisum sativum), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea), and cabbage (Brassica oleracea). I saved space for a smaller second planting of those vegetables to prolong their production season into the early summer. After Melissa’s success with onions (Allium cepa), I decided to give them another try, planting 50 sets of red onions in the bed I had used for watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). I plan to plant cantaloupe (Cucumis melo) in this bed after I harvest the onions to let it mature in the warmth of the summer. With my seeds in the ground, I need to decide what store-bought vegetables I am going to plant this year.

THOUGHTS: While the hardiness scale warned against planting prior to April 15, my weather app provided a 10-day forecast that predicted the temps would not fall below the 40’sF (4.5+C). Last year we did have a late cold snap where the temps dropped to 30F (-1.1C) on several nights but warmed to 50’sF (10+C) during the day. I protected my plants with ground cloth and uncovered them during the warmer day. They all made it, so I felt confident I could do the same this year if needed. As in life, part of gardening involves using tools (hardiness scales and weather apps) and combining them with intuition and preventative measures. Most innovation comes when we push the boundaries and failure comes from giving up. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Last Fruits

December 27, 2025

Back in August I blogged about my first attempt to grow a second yield in my raised beds (2nd Crop). I replanted several of the vegetables that had done well in the spring (and that I liked). For some reason, few of the vegetables sprouted. What sprouted were the cabbages, cauliflower (both Brassica oleracea), and about half of the peas (Pisum sativum). When it looked like we were going to get our first freeze in November I had covered the plants with bed sheets held above the plants with garden hoops. I had done this in previous years and found it to be effective (and reusable). The peas were harvested and eaten in salads prior to our trip, but I just let the brassica go to see if they would ever mature. The cabbage never did head and the cauliflower never balled. I thought about tearing them out, but the plants still had robust leaves. Last week I finally gave up and pulled the plants. I did not know what I would do with them, but cabbage leaves were the garden’s last fruits.

When I went online, I found cabbage leaves are completely edible, including the outer ones. The texture and flavor will vary from the inner leaves. Both types of leaves can be used raw in salads, cooked in soups, sautéed, or even used as wraps for other fillings. The outer leaves are tougher but also more nutritious due to their exposure to the sun and can be blanched or used as wraps or stuffed as rolls. The inner leaves are more tender and sweeter and are good for raw applications. All the leaves should be washed to remove dirt and checked for insects and bad spots before preparation. I ended with a large pile of outer leaves and a smaller pile of inner (sorta) leaves that I decided to make into sauerkraut anyway. I washed the leaves, cut out the woody stems, and sliced the outer leaves for over an hour before the amount of work made me rethink processing the entire pile. Instead, I went with what I had and then processed the smaller pile of inner leaves in the same way. Sauerkraut was still a long way off, so I put the bowls of last fruits in the refrigerator

Two days later (today) I decided to finish processing my last fruits. I added salt to the bowls of leaves and kneaded it for 5 minutes to break the leaves down and then packed them into quart jars, one for the outer leaves and another for the inner. Working with my last fruits got me motivated to work the tomatoes frozen tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum) from August into more canned pasta sauce. I added two red onions (Allium cepa) and three cans of diced tomatoes from the pantry along with spices and simmered it for four hours to render it down and meld the flavors. While the sauce was finishing up, I brought the water bath to boil to sterilize four 1-quart jars and lids. While I only used three, I have found it is easier to not use a jar than try and prepare another jar while everything else is ready. I transferred the sauce into the jars, added lemon juice (for acidity), and let them boil for 45 minutes. My last fruits were finished.

THOUGHTS: When we went to dinner with our gardening friends just before Christmas, I told her I had harvested my last fruits and planned to make sauerkraut. That was when she asked if I had started planning what to grow in my beds and containers next year. While I have begun to think about next year, there is hardly a plan. That is the thing about gardening (or farming), you can never stop planning, or you will quickly get behind. The same can be said for reaching out to those who need help. If you do not plan and then act to make a difference, you will be overcome by apathy. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Citrus

November 19, 2025

I have been winterizing my garden for the last several weeks. That means taking down the trellises for storage and removing what is left of the plants. I mentioned how I tore out the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) vines in mid-October, resulting in 14 jars of salsa verde. I did keep three vines on the off chance the fruit would ripen but gave up on them last week. While I did have several fruits that had begun to ripen, most were solid green. I was surprised as several more of the green tomatoes have ripened on the counter. I harvested one head lettuce (Lactuca sativa) that grew, and we ate it as a salad last night. The one spinach (Spinacia oleracea) that grew will become a wilted spinach salad for tonight along with fried green tomatoes. I blanched the ripe/partially ripe tomatoes and froze them to make pasta sauce later. I still have six cabbage (Brassica oleracea) I am holding out for sauerkraut. They have yet to form a head so they will probably not make it before the frost. Only about a third of the second crop peas (Pisum sativum) grew and are now producing pods. We will finish them this week. This year I am also trying another tact to preserve my citrus trees.

When I went online, I found Citrus is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Rutaceae that produce fruits. Citrus is native to South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Melanesia, and Australia where indigenous people have used and domesticated various species since ancient times. Citrus cultivation first spread into Micronesia and Polynesia through the Austronesian expansion (3000 to 1500 BCE), later spread to the Middle East and the Mediterranean (1200 BCE) via the incense trade route, and then from Europe to the Americas. Citrus fruits are renowned for their fragrant aromas and complex flavor and are among the most popular fruits in cultivation. The plants tend to hybridize between species making their taxonomy complicated. The numerous varieties cover a wide range of appearance and fruit flavors. Many important citrus crops have been developed through extensive hybridization, including oranges (Citrus macroptera), lemons (Citrus limon), grapefruits (Citrus paradisi), and limes (Citrus aurantiifolia) which all have many cultivars.

Two years ago, I purchased two citrus trees (limon and lime) hoping to grow my own fruit. These were 4 feet (1.3 m) tall, and the seller suggested I might even get a few fruits that first year. While the lime never fruited, the limon did have one fruit that I used for zest. I had placed them in pots seated on rolling carriers to move them inside as I did not think they would survive the winter. It proved impractical to move them indoors, so I bought protective covers to keep out the frost. Citrus trees are evergreen and keep their foliage year-round, but stress from sudden temperature drops, low light (especially indoors), or lack of humidity can cause them to shed leaves. When I removed the covers in late winter the leaves and most of the branches were dead. I thought they had completely died, but they both began to sprout new stems by the spring. This year I am putting them in the garage to protect them from the bitter cold. Now to get them some light (grow lamps?).

THOUGHTS: It made more sense why my citrus trees died when I found out they were evergreen. While some leaves may fall, they still need sunlight, water, and moderate temperatures. Covering them deprived them of sunlight and never watering them dried them out. Melissa told me when we return from our trip, she will make room on the sunporch so they can winter with the succulents. I am hopeful they will continue to thrive under these conditions. Much like my citrus trees, humans also need the right conditions to survive. That includes adequate food, safe water, and protection from the elements (clothing and shelter). A study focusing on low- and middle-income countries suggests 4.4 billion people lack safe drinking water and the WHO found 1 in 4 lack safe access to water. We need to find another tact. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Freeze

November 08, 2025

The front page of yesterday’s local newspaper ran a USA Today article telling gardeners how to prepare for the impending cold snap. The first frost in Arkansas’ River Valley usually takes place around November 5. Scot Covert, chief meteorologist at KFSM-TV, said we will be a little late this year, “we’re looking at Monday the 10th.” Even before temperatures dip to 32 F (0C), frost can form in low lying areas like gardens (raised beds?) as plants cool faster than the surrounding air. Randy Forst, extension educator with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said, “All indoor tropical plants and house plants should be moved into an area that does not go below 35 degrees.” If you do not take this precaution, it is likely they will freeze.

When I went online, I found that a freeze will damage vegetables by causing ice crystals to form and expand inside the plant which ruptures the cell walls. A freeze can cause visible damage like wilting, blackening, or water-soaked areas in the leaves. While most vegetables are negatively affected by freezing (while in the ground), root vegetables and cabbages (brassicas) can become sweeter after a light frost as the cold converts their starches to sugars. After they thaw, freeze-damaged vegetables are often softer and mushier than their fresh counterparts. A hard freeze (28F/-2C for several hours) can kill plants outright. That is particularly true for warm season crops like tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and peppers (Capsicum annuum). Freezing halts the growth of microorganisms but does not stop all enzymatic activity, which can lead to a loss of quality over time. That is one reason to blanche your fresh vegetables before placing them in the freezer.

Forst went on the say cool-season vegetables that can tolerate a freeze should be covered to prevent leaf-tip burn. A bigger concern during this time of year is drought. Arkansas does not tend to get the moisture needed to keep outdoor plants hydrated. You need to water outside plants if it does not rain at least once a week. Outdoor perennials can also use extra care. Once a frost happens you should clip back the dead foliage and then cover the crown with a biodegradable mulch. Annuals that bloom during the cool season should continue to receive a water-soluble fertilizer once a month. Four types of action should be taken to aid your garden and outdoor plants. Once the temps fall below 40F (4.4C) houseplants should be moved inside. On clear, calm nights vegetables should be covered if the temps will get into the mid-30’sF (1.6C), then be sure to uncover them when temps rise back into the 40’s+F (4.4+C). Outdoor plants should be watered weekly if there is low rainfall. Finally, mulch any perennials after the frost kills the top growth. These actions will aid your plants’ regrowth the following spring. I had better cover my plants tomorrow.

THOUGHTS: My vegetables are not the only thing I need to protect against a freeze. We purchased a used C class RV and it is now approaching our first winter. Everything I have read extolls the virtue of winterizing the unit if you are going to store it during the cold months. Part of the process involves draining and pouring food grade antifreeze into the lines and tanks. Once I do this, I cannot use the RV until I again drain and flush the lines. While I should just bite the bullet and shut the unit down, I have wavered to the point where it is almost too late. Our repair person told me the lines are enclosed within the vehicle so I should be fine turning on the water tank heaters and the furnace set low to keep everything warm. The freeze is set to only last two nights and then it will warm up to the 70’sF again. I hope I do not regret this decision. We often delay action until it is too late. We must address our environmental and communal issues/disagreements now rather than later. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Indeterminant

September 26, 2025

I toyed with the idea of tearing out my tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants since the beginning of August. They quit producing and while I was getting scattered flowers, they did not result in fruit. The exception was my super sweet 100’s which were doggedly producing, but the size of the cherry tomatoes had dropped from over a nickel (US) to less than a centavo (Mexico). My gardener friend went on an extended trip during this time and when she returned many of the plants had died and she tore them out. What stopped me was the weather began to cool, and we had a period of rain, so I did not feel the need to water. Since all I was doing was monitoring the plants, I decided to leave them. I still needed another gallon (3.8 liters) of tomatoes to augment the gallon I had frozen in June in hopes of more pasta sauce. I had only given a quick scan to the plants along the back of the house for several days. These Arkansas travelers are an indeterminant (keep growing) variety that had spent the summer producing vines without any fruit. You can imagine my surprise when I gave them a more thorough inspection and found dozens of healthy green tomatoes up to a US half dollar size.

When I went online, I found in biology and botany, indeterminate growth refers to growth that is not limited (terminated) but continues to grow. In contrast, determinate growth stops once a genetically predetermined structure has completely formed. That means any plant that grows and produces flowers and fruit until killed by frost or some other external factor is called indeterminate. Many tomato varieties (especially heirloom) tend to grow in a rangy fashion and produce fruit throughout the growing season. A determinate tomato plant grows in more of a bushy shape and is most productive for a single, larger harvest. It then either tapers off with minimal new growth or fruit or dies. The Arkansas Traveler is an open-pollinated heirloom variety bred by the University of Arkansas in 1968. The plant is indeterminate and produces round red fruits weighing approximately 6 ounces (170 grams).

When I told Melissa about the green tomatoes flourishing on these indeterminant plants she suggested if they did not ripen (for my pasta sauce or salsa), we could use them for green tomato relish. Coming from the North I have never eaten this relish, although I have heard of it, but this is a popular and traditional staple in Southern cuisine. This sweet and tangy relish is often referred to as “chow-chow” and is especially common towards the end of the summer harvest season to use up unripe tomatoes. Green tomato relish is traditionally made when the season’s last tomatoes fail to ripen on the vine and as a way of preserving the harvest to enjoy throughout the winter. The unripe tomatoes are mixed with peppers, onions, and pickling spices. The relish can be preserved through water bath canning for long-term storage. Another (Southern) use of green tomatoes is to cut them into 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) slices, season with salt and pepper, coated with plain, coarse cornmeal, and shallow-fry slices in bacon fat. We had tried this (and green tomato pie) earlier in the year.

THOUGHTS: I am interested in trying the unripe fruit of my indeterminant tomatoes as both relish and again fried. The relish is a traditional topper or side dish that provides a savory accent to meats, fish, or potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). It is suggested to use bacon fat when frying, which is called “liquid gold” in traditional Southern cooking, as it adds a smokey, salty, and savory depth of flavor that is difficult to replicate with other fats. While we did not fry tomatoes, my mom always had a can of bacon dripping beside the stove to supplement the can of lard in the cupboard and I still save bacon fat the same way today. The practice is rooted in the practicality and “no waste” philosophy of southern cuisine as well as my rural Midwestern roots. “You can take the boy out of . . .” Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

2nd Crop

August 27, 2025

While I considered replanting my raised beds last year, I never got around to doing it. When I planted my vegetables in April I noted when (and if) I could replant another round of the same vegetables. After the initial harvest I also considered which vegetables I wanted more of. I already had way too many pickles (Cucumis sativus) with 12 pints (5.7 liters) than I could use over the next year, and the same was true for the six pints (2.8 liters) of canned carrots (Daucus carota). I had eaten through the radishes (Raphanus sativus) and only had 2 pints of beets (Beta vulgaris) left, so these were a good choice. I also decided to replant cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) and cabbage (Brassica oleracea). We enjoyed the two quarts (1.9 liters) of sauerkraut last year and I had not planted a new crop this year. I rounded out the raised beds with a few vegetables that had not grown well along the patio; lettuce (Lactuca sativa), spinach (Spinacia oleracea), and peas (Pisum sativum). Now that my 2nd crop is planted, I just need to wait and see what will produce.

When I went online, I found a second crop is either the second growth of a crop that regrows after an initial harvest, or, more commonly, a different crop planted on the same land within the same year after a previous crop has been harvested. This is known as double cropping and allows farmers to maximize land use and harvest two yields from the same acreage in a single growing season. This requires sufficient time for the crop to mature and resources like water to support the second planting. There are two main types of second crop. The first is a regrowth after the initial harvest where the stump/roots of a crop resprouts after it has been cut for its first harvest (example, broomcorn). The second is to plant a follow-on crop of a new and different crop on the same piece of land within the same year after the first has been harvested. This utilizes land that might otherwise lay idle or unproductive. Double cropping requires adequate time for the second crop to mature and sufficient moisture from rainfall or irrigation to support both plantings. This process can boost the overall farm revenue and potentially improve ecological services.

There are several benefits to succession planting or planting a 2nd crop in your vegetable garden. First is that it allows you to enjoy the vegetables you love for a longer period. This also allows for more yield in the same amount of space. This is especially so for smaller gardens with limited space. If you plant a 2nd crop from a different plant family, it can improve the soil structure and replenish nutrients depleted by the 1st crop. Finally, rotating different types of plants helps disrupt the life cycles of pests that had fed on the 1st crop and reduce the spread of diseases. Critical considerations for a 2nd crop are the first frost date in your growing area (mine is 7b). That means planting fast maturing varieties and vegetables that thrive in cool weather. You will also need to amend your soil with new compost or fertilizer to ensure a good result. I did not fertilize when I planted yesterday. This just gives me something to do today (ha ha).

THOUGHTS: Planting a 2nd crop is the next step toward my goal of sustainability. Admittedly, I should have allowed several plants to go to seed and then replanted those. Instead, I used what was left in the heirloom seed packages I had left. Maybe next year. As the weather cools, I am looking forward to finally getting some production from the tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and bell (Capsicum annuum) and jalapeno (Capsicum annuum) peppers I planted last April along with the new produce from my 2nd crop. While the time and expense of growing my garden may not cover the costs, the crispness of the produce makes it worthwhile. Sustainability is a process that is its own reward. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Cucumber

June 27, 2025

Earlier this month I commented on the pickling I was doing. That post mentioned the sliced cucumbers I use in a variety of salads. This year I decided to grow “pickling” cucumbers. I enjoy dill pickles, so I ended up canning 11 jars of dill pickle spears and three jars of dill pickle slices. The slices are the result of having to cut more off the ends of the spears to get them into the pint jars I used for canning. The cucumbers have excellent taste, and I am looking forward to trying my first jar of dill pickles. While some vegetables produce a single crop at around the same time, cucumbers do not. I waited for the cucumber to grow and discovered when a pickling cucumber gets large (over about 8 in/20 cm) the seed becomes a prominent feature of the eating experience. I now harvest daily to ensure the fruits do not grow too large. I bring in a bag of cucumber every morning.

When I went online, I found cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated creeping vine plant in the family Cucurbitaceae that bears cylindrical to spherical fruits elongated with tapered ends. The fruit may grow as large as 24 inches (62 cm) long and 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. Cucumber is considered an annual plant whose fruits consist of 95% water. There are three main types of cucumber (slicing, pickling, and seedless) within which several cultivars have been created. The cucumber originates in Asia, extending from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, China (Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi), and Northern Thailand. The plants are now grown on most continents and many different types of cucumber are grown commercially and traded on the global market. In botanical terms, the cucumber is classified as a type of botanical berry (pepo) with a hard outer rind and no internal divisions. Much like tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and squashes (genus Cucurbita), cucumber is often perceived, prepared, and eaten as a vegetable.

After pickling my two batches of cucumber I decided that was enough. Even there I gave a jar away to our gardening friend and to my sister-in-law. They have also been the recipients of cucumber and squash bags, as has my next-door neighbor. Melissa wants to use some of the fruit to make a sweet refrigerator pickle. I took 20 pounds (9 kg) of cucumber and 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of squash to the local food bank (and will no doubt take more). Still, the cucumber keeps coming which has gotten me to be more innovative with the cucumber. Last night I made a cucumber salad which we enjoyed along with fresh corn (local farmer) and squash I roasted on the grill. Melissa commented the salad did not look much different than the Greek salad we were served when we were there earlier this year. I took some of the salad, added tomato, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives and turned it into a passable version of a Greek salad. Since the larger cucumber gets seedy, I am going to remove the seeds and use the larger fruit to make one of our favorites, Tzatziki Sauce (it goes on everything!). I am looking forward to a long and fruitful summer.

THOUGHTS: Harvesting and eating fresh vegetables, like cucumber and tomato, is one of the reasons we grow our garden. I also like to share the harvest with others who do not have access or the ability to grow their own vegetables. Picking fresh vegetables off the vine or out of the soil to make dinner is its own reward. The produce is crisper, and you know exactly what went into the soil without the expensive “organic” label. Growing your own vegetables can be inexpensive, but if you want to grow a larger crop it does take up an investment (annually). Harvesting, processing, canning, and freezing the produce is another step toward reducing our carbon footprint. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.