The longan, cousin of the lychee
The longan tree is one of the few fruit trees producing a crop in August, so the small brown fruit are a welcome seasonal taste treat. A family member of the lychee, the longan tree… Read More
Category: Fruits & Vegetables
The other pineapple – the ornamental pineapple – a landscape jewel!
Are all pineapples edible? Technically, I suppose so, but in reality, there is a whole line of pineapples grown just for their looks – ornamental pineapples! Like all pineapples, they are a type of… Read More
Pass the jackfruit
The first jackfruit I ever saw and tasted was in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the West Indies. The attractive tree was evergreen and maybe thirty feet tall. The fruit was most amazing… Read More
Malabar spinach – not that bad after all!
By Ralph E. Mitchell I remember trying what is called Malabar spinach once years ago, and was not impressed with it – the texture or something? It seemed a bit too gelatinous for me. However,… Read More
Corn Is A-Maize-Ing
When you picture corn, what do you think of? Yellow corn on the cob or crunchy popcorn? Corn also called maize, provides us with many items including cornstarch, cooking oil, sweeteners, cereal, beverages and over… Read More
A mango tree in your yard?
It looks to be a good year for mangoes. Locally, many mango trees are loaded with fruit promising a sweet June and July harvest. There is hardly any other tropical fruit that almost everybody… Read More
Yard long beans – plus or minus thirty-six inches
What do you call the vegetable known as the yard-long bean? Do you call it asparagus bean, Chinese long bean, long-podded cowpea, long bean, bora, bodi, pea bean, or snake bean? Whatever name you… Read More
Summer pumpkins
Summer vegetable gardening is not for everybody as the pest pressure, heat and humidity are at their peak. Most of our fall/early winter vegetables cannot take the heat, but others like okra, southern peas,… Read More
The Importance of 4-H Youth Growing Citrus
Can you imagine the wonderful smell of the orange blossoms or the vivid orange fruit dangling off of the limbs of a citrus trees? As you drive through various parts of Charlotte County, you will… Read More
Pineapples are top selection for easy-to-grow backyard fruit
You would think from their image that pineapples originated in Hawaii. The pineapple, which is a type of bromeliad like Spanish moss, actually originated in the tropical Americas and the Caribbean. Explorers moved the pineapple… Read More