PM2 - A ways back you asked about where to get spun bond row cover. Johnny's carries it in two weights, one for summer mainly to keep insects off, though I have used it for fall frost protection stretched over hoops of black plumbing pipe, this year allowing me to harvest peppers and cherry tomatoes until 2 weeks ago. I've never harvested warm weather crops into November, and I've been gardening in this town for 34 years. The other is specifically for winter protection and is a heavier weight. Where you are, with a combination of plastic sheets or bubble wrap and spun bond on hoops over rows, I imagine that you can harvest until the first heavy snow. My redbor kale is still out in the garden totally unprotected, and it's fine even though the temperatures have been down to 20 degrees the last two nights. It is deep purple and ruffled, gorgeous to the point that one of my neighbors stopped to ask what it is. (During the summer it was more blue-purple, and while attractive enough that I plant one in a container of ornamentals each year, didn't stand out as much as now in an empty garden). I mostly eat it as I am out working in the garden - a grab and go salad - since DH isn't fond of cabbage family veggies. I grow kale, broccoli and edible podded peas since I love them, but don't grow many crops just for myself. I have in past years started spinach in the fall for early spring greens, and as with Defrost, it works well. I am warmer in the fall than she is, but I think colder in the spring - I am a slight bit further south but in a river valley so get late spring frosts. The spinach was fine, and under a row cover might start up earlier. When we had raised beds with weeping soaker hoses at a previous house, each bed had its own separate line that we could switch on. It was a while ago, but as I remember, it watered evenly and was easy to use. Thanks to all who contributed to the directions on herbs that work well in salt and proportions. Someone gave me some rosemary salt, and it's been lovely on popcorn, so I've been meaning to look up how to do it. I haven't spent a lot of time on this forum, though I have been growing organic veggies since I was in my teens. The recent posts listing in the sidebar has pulled me over here recently. Thanks to all for such great information!

Oh something I totally forgot about. Three or four years ago a strange collection of beetles showed up on some second year broccoli plants in the garden. Could not identify them at the time. Then the next fall everything in the brassica family that I tried to direct sow directly was devestated by swarms of fast moving young beetles almost as soon as they sprouted. I tried several replants and the same thing happened and I could not control the beetles. By then enough chatter was going around southern California gardening circles to identify the critters as Bagrada beetles from sub Saharan Africa. They specifically target brassicas, so I thought that that was going to be the end of my favorite veggies. I did what they try to do in India for the same problem. That is do not leave any brassica plants or residue around after harvest. Hopefully it worked or some natural pest got to them, cause I did not see any last year. Keeping my fingers crossed this year. But anyway I did not want to chance leaving the plants in to collect seeds, so no more seed collecting. Most of what I plant now are hybrids anyway.

I bet even your non-vegetable eaters will like this. It's incredibly rich. I made it for Thing Two and a bunch of her college friends, and they devoured it. I wish I remembered where I got the recipe; I'd love to give credit. It's fantastic. Corn Bread and Broccoli Rabe Strata Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus 4 hours or overnight resting 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for pan 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 pound broccoli rabe, outer leaves and thick stems removed; florets and tender stems coarsely chopped (about 3 cups) [I would like more vegetable. Broccoli or collards or something would be good if you don't have more rabe  any sort of strong and bitey greens  and I would use all but the ickiest rabe leaves] 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste 1/4 cup chopped roasted red pepper 1/4 cup chopped pitted calamata olives 8 large eggs, lightly beaten 4 cups half-and-half or whole milk 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 pounds homemade or purchased corn bread, cut into roughly 2-inch cubes (about 8 cups) 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese 6 ounces grated Gruyère cheese (1 1/2 cups) 1. Oil a 9-by 13-inch baking dish. In a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat; add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli rabe and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until broccoli rabe is very tender, about 3 minutes longer. (If mixture looks watery when rabe is done, let simmer uncovered for a minute or more to dry it out.) Transfer to a bowl and stir in roasted pepper and olives. 2. Make a custard by whisking together eggs, half-and-half or milk, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. 3. Spread corn-bread cubes in prepared dish. Scatter vegetable mixture over corn bread. Dot with dollops of ricotta. Pour custard evenly over corn bread. Sprinkle with Gruyère. Cover baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. 4. When ready to bake strata, remove it from refrigerator and let rest at room temperature while oven preheats to 350 degrees. Bake until firm and golden on top, about 45 to 55 minutes. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm. Makes 10 main-course servings or 16 side-dish servings.

SJane's - I looked at your photo of the damage to your plants and I was thinking it also could be ear wigs. I've had damage, that I couldn't find a culprit for and decided to go out with a flashlight at night, and that's what it ended up being, ear wigs. Which I knocked into a cup of soapy water for a few nights until I felt they were under control. At any rate, I never use a pesticide and I find that my garden has found it's own equilibrium, which just tickles me. Aphids show up and within a week, when I leave them alone, the Ladybugs show up and no more aphids. I actually end up trying to attract aphids to feed the ladybugs. lol Last year, I had a lot of Brassica crops and I hadn't grown them in awhile, so I was concerned I was going to get cabbage worms, and I did, but no sooner did the cabbage worms show up, then I suddenly started seeing wasps patrolling my vegetable beds and I stopped seeing cabbage worm damage. WHMaven - Thanks for your list - it's a good one. I'm growing sunflowers this year and I'm adding Scarlet Runner Bean for hummers. I never get hummers for some reason, but I keep adding plants to try to attract them. Last year, I noticed, a small little hummer buzzing around my pole string beans, which was a surprise to me. So, I asked about it here and found out they like Scarlet Runner Beans. I'm going to try to put out a feeder for them again. I've given up in the past. And I have honeysuckle early in the season and now I will have the SRBeans and a great place to grow a lot of them too. We don't get swallows where I am in suburban/urban area with small 1/4 acre lots, and when I opened a pumpkin for the yard last year, all I got was squirrels. [g] They certainly enjoyed that for about a week. They would crawl inside the pumpkin and poke their head out. It was entertaining. I'm also going to put a shallow saucer of water, but also a saucer of mud. Had a lot of dill and other herbs last year and will again this year. I love to let Parsley winter over and flower for beneficials and reseed the next year.