Honu, Scientific Name: Gynura nepalensis Common names: Dawn Dewa, Leaves of the Gods, Googoolipid, Mollucan spinach, Cholesterol Spinach It may be a plant that tends to rarely, if ever produce seeds and is normally propagated by cuttings. "Native to Nepal, it has received interest recently in Hawaii, where anecdotal evidence of its cholesterol-lowering effects have given it "miracule-cure" status. It is described as a hardy, fast-growing plant that appears related to the Okinawan spinach. No scientific evidence exists to justify any claims of effectiveness or safety. One study found an extract of a plant of the same genus as cholesterol spinach effective in lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels in diabetic rats." http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/11571.cfm?RecordID=640&tab=HC "It is not a spinach. Don't call it that. Just call it the low-cholesterol plant..." http://starbulletin.com/2000/01/21/features/garden.html "Cuttings should be transplanted into a clean pot using new, unused potting soil. Keep moist and out of direct sunlight until new growth starts. Mist frequently with diluted strength water soluble fertilizer.   Can be grown in direct sunlight, part shade outdoors. Grows and spreads into a dense gound cover with enough moisture and nutrients. Do not use poisons of any type since this is what you will be consuming. No pests have been observed on this plant.  Can be eaten raw by itself or mixed in with salads. Almost tasteless, this is a good addition to your veggies. Use in place of lettuce!" www.taroandti.com

Thanks, Tracydr, I was going to ask about Kale. I wonder how it would do planted in fall? Have you tried Kale chips yet? I will have a narrow but very long raised bed area along the east side of my property that I'm thinking of doing a bit of a chicken wire-hoop thingy over (the bunnies appear to be quite prolific - I might have to raise some lettuce or something just for them - distractions, lol) for raising veggies. I did very little vegetable gardening last time I lived there, but I'm hoping to change that this time around. I've had it with grocery store "vegetables".

I took Farmer Dilla's advice and planted the Bordeaux variety of spinach and have had beautiful plants all winter. We tented our garden, and it did well. Low germination typical of plants in this family, but DELICIOUS! I am just turning over some areas of the garden and fertilizing and will plant more seeds. I think I will use some plastic cloches to help heat the soil and aid germination. The soil is still very chilly when I turn it - possibly too cool for germination of the beet family seeds. I am however seeing great germination from some of the cilantro that didn't come up in fall!! :) If the weather is going to get below 30 or so, I simply cover my plants like spinach. My quickie cover is to use small stakes (or break the longer cheap ones in half) to hold up old sheets and then cover the old sheet with some plastic weighed with rocks. Works super and holds plants well. If it's going to be below 24, I get the remay back out and use it with plastic as it holds temperatures better than the sheets.

For providing shade on my porch and around my outdoor kitchen, I use hops, angel darts and morning glories on heavy hemp twine net suspended from supports that aren't attached to my house. I agree with Mike, aka bigeasyjock, about not growing vines ON your roof, IF you have a traditionally built, wood-frame house, with asphalt shingles. Roofs were not designed to support any additional weight. Think about it. It's the very top of the building, nothing else is going on it, why engineer it to support any more weight than it has to? Also, using a waterproof tarp is also a bad idea. Moisture will condense on the underside of that tarp and mildew and other nastiness will begin growing there. Now grow some heavy vines on top, vines that perspire like all green leafy plants do, and you've invited lots and lots of insects to make your roof a nice comfortable home. Seriously, a nice deciduous tree providing shade for the south and west sides of your house will help a lot more than vines on the roof. Vines are wonderful, but they are high maintance to grow responsibly, and are best left on vertical supports around the home, not on the home itself. Oh, and before planting anything. ANYTHING, check with your state Ag dept and make sure it's not listed as a noxious weed. I'm pretty sure Kudzu is all over the south.