I have a surplus of water lettuce, a crooked alligator that needs to be repotted & split, and some horsetail...interested? I'd share some of all 3 for ginger, dragon fruit and/or spinach? (in Sacramento)

Toni I only grow 1 kiwi for 'ornamental' purpose. Know that you need 1 male for 6-9 female plants to get the fruit. Apparently fruit nurseries/catalogs usually list suitable 'partner'. You can try to ID if yours is male or female by looking at the flowers-I never tried so far. Here is the sketch I had in my notes: (you can't distinguish male from female plants until they bloom. The male flowers have stamens, and the female ones have carpels.) It takes 3-5yrs. to get the fruit. Yours is mature, so I would probably try to buy another one & see if it works (after trying to determine sex of the existing plant). Just make sure you keep the sex/name of the new one, so if it doesn't work, you know to look for another male/female. Did you have flowers on yours yet? I grew mine from the cutting I got abt. 7yrs. ago, where it was also grown as ornamentsl only. They need pruning similar to grapes. BUT, I am not the expert, maybe there is more info here on GW. The fig is kept outdoors thru the summer, it's in the pot. My friends are Italian, they gave me the young offspring 2 yrs. ago. So far I did not give it 'proper' conditions (should be dormant in winter-unless having a greenhouse?) It's not cold-hardy, know from their experience. I personally like taste of fruit a lot, just eat them from the tree, delish... I rooted numerous Ludisia cutting in the water like you. I am about to repot it, will take better pic after. I think I had lots of begginers luck so far. Was really excited about air-layering that palm! Kept the original trunk for about a yr. I had date palms sprouting in my compost heap couple of yrs. ago: after leaving pits in compost, I think they had just enough heat to survive the winter & to crack the seed shell. In spring there was about dozen palms all over the compost - I was amazed. I remember my mom trying to grow them from seed by cracking the shell with hammer, it worked for her couple of times. I don't have any animal babies, my daughter recently moved with her 2 dogs; kids always had dogs, cats and another pets around (incl. ferret & a corn snake), no birds so far. First was Doberman, lived 15 yrs; second was rescue Staffordshire Terrier lived for 16 yrs; now she has 2 that are 4...I think now I need little holiday. Rina

Amberroses, very funny and very true! And Tom, I'll try Beefmaster here and on the Cape this summer. When I came into town, I went to Hibbs Nursery in Sarasota and bought tomato seedlings. I was surprised that they had so little selection, but early October was probably the wrong time of year. I can start some ahead of time, next year, and drive them down hiding from border patrols! I've come to like Lowe's for plants. I've shopped everywhere, HD, Lowe's, small nurseries, Florida Native nurseries, and online. I've done a large planting this year. I'd say over 100 plants and vines. I've focused a little on butterflies, hummingbirds (want to do more), a lot on cold tolerant plants with some tropicals that can be covered. There is a lot less grass and a lot more mulch. I spend more time here than on Cape Cod, and want to see green when I'm here, not dead frozen leaves. I've gotten less picky about what that green is! I have six Earth Boxes and think I'll get four more next year. (cheaper online that way) I also got a tad bit Bromeliad crazy. Now to put together our first drip irrigation system. It's sitting in the box, unopened by the front door, and in about a million pieces. Yikes! Carol B. in Sarasota

Anna, thank you so much for the heads-up and warning. I really appreciate it. (My sarcastic side wants to say "Promises, promises" because I really do like this plant.) I don't need anything invasive. It has always lived in that pot and as far as I know, it has never self-sown, but now that it is in the ground things could change. I can see how those nodes would root, too. And here I am, trying to germinate seeds! Well I will keep a watchful eye. Thank you very much! Carol