By Ralph E. Mitchell While a name like bitter melon may make you think twice about eating this fruit, this Asian crop is very popular across the world and even here in the United States. Not to be… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell If tiny tomatoes smaller than the classic cherry tomato are of interest, then Everglades tomatoes may be what you are looking for! Apparently this wild tomato has worked its way into our summer vegetables… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell With the heat and rain of summer weather ramping up, some vegetable gardeners take the summer off and simply solarize their garden. However, if you wanted to go ahead and garden through the summer,… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell Coffee is a favorite beverage for much of the world. In addition to this attribute, coffee plants can also be considered ornamental and novel in regards to your backyard landscape. Small coffee seedlings are… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell Pest problems can come on a large or small scale. Think of the myriad of microbes that can bring us to our knees. A flea may be tiny, but look at the aggravation it… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell The first time that I tasted a muscadine grape was in Georgia. It was a pleasant difference from what I was used to, namely northern bunch-type grapes. The thick skin and extra-large berry contained… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell I was out in our Demonstration Garden at the East Port Campus on Harbor View Road in Port Charlotte this morning and smelled a floral fragrance of some type –a honey-like scent. I followed… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell I am going to have to repeat myself, but in addition to not liking red beets as a youth, I also did not like kale. It was probably in the manner it was served,… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell Sweet potatoes are surprising plants. Native to tropical America, this tuberous relative of the Morning Glory, is both edible and ornamental. An excellent source of vitamin A, the tubers come in yellow, orange and… Read More
By Ralph E. Mitchell A papaya is not a true tree, but a tree-like or arborescent plant. This large herbaceous plant is relatively short-lived, but can be a great producer of high-quality fruit. I have grown them for… Read More
