Yesterday I cut off one leaf of a growing Fordhook Giant and had to spit it out because of the bitterness, I had never tried swiss chard and really didn't know what to expect, but all the hoopla about it being a great veggie? I am wondering if just the temps affect them tremendously we have 95 degree weather and maybe its just to hot. I will try it again after our temps go down, I did find a recipe that claims it will take the bitterness out. Take bacon, olive oil, butter, lemon juice and garlic simmer a couple of minutes then add the chard, let the swiss chard cook about 4 to 5 minutes and viola no more bitterness. Well I need to wait until I have enough to harvest as they are small yet. Hows your weather? are you have temps above 80 degrees? Maybe in late october they will loose the bitterness. Hope they are ediable for you soon:o) Deanna

Many years ago, I was given an old upright piano. It was just too beautiful to throw away, so I decided to try something that just came to me. I stripped out everything I could remove, took the pieces and sanded them smooth and spray-painted them a nice onyx black. I then lined the area where the keys had been with black velvet. Then I found an electronic keyboard and placed it in the opening. It made a very nice piece of furniture, a stand for the keyboard and an instant conversation starter.. It's still being played.. somewhere. My former wife sold it after she took it from me !!

i only have one fern.. i just call it a fiddle head fern ... [yeah..... they probably all are.. i never got a name.. nor a pic.. and let me say.. one type... because i have hundreds of them ...] i stole it from mother nature.. many a decade ago .. by ripping it out of her soul ... and dragging it many miles home.. in the dead of summer ...and planted it and forgot about it for weeks ... 3 houses later... i still have it.. couldnt kill it with a 3 ton truck [??? i am trying to remember who is living in a lorry???] and i seem to think.. somewhere over the decades... digging some up and hacking them apart with a machete ... seems to me.. they even multiply with benign neglect ... by seed/spore or whatever ferns do in the dark .... as i said.. i have no clue what kind ... but i dont know why yours would not be the same ... the only thing that seems to knock them back.. is good soil.. too much water ... and too much fert.. in other words.. the only way to kill them.. is to love them to death ... crikey if you can move a 50 year old peony.. or for that fact any.. any.. plant.. i dont know why you would worry about a fern .. ken ps: ok.. you all tell me this is some foo foo fern that resents its owner... if so.. i will defer ... though i wont believe it... lol

False hellebore? Do a google image search in addition to one below. Ribbed nature of leaves shows better in some others. Here is a link that might be useful: false hellebore