Melissa: If you have a variety of broccoli that produces side shoots, you can let it keep going and producing side shoots. Yes, the main head is gone once it's gone. But I definitely get tons more from my side shoots than that initial head. You just want to keep harvesting the side shoots while they're still decently tight and definitely before they flower. I've had broccoli going for a good couple years before. What types of herbs? The thing I noticed about beneficial attracting herbs is that they flower for a short period of time(cilantro, dill, parsley, to name a few). And it's the flowers that attract the beneficial predators. Maybe get some containers to plant some in and keep making successive plantings. What you want is an ever-flowing progress of beneficial attracting flowering plants throughout the year/season. A few that come to mind that tend to keep flowering throughout the summer are marigolds, alyssum, zinnias. There are also some perennials like yarrow, golden marguerite, and tansy and even some perennial alyssums. Borage is also a great herb for this, but watch out--- it can be invasive. Like I said though, you want diversity and staying power for your beneficial plants first and foremost. Usage(herbs) are just a plus. Certain beneficial flowers are good in the spring, summer, and the fall... so, deversify! Corn is a VEGGY that attracts, too. Actually many veggies(from onions, to swiss chard to broccoli )and many more) are great attractors if you let one or two go to flower. You can save the seed at the end of the season Here's a link I find useful for IPM programs. Kevin Here is a link that might be useful: beneficial attarctors and what they attract This post was edited by woohooman on Tue, Feb 18, 14 at 13:13

Go to Johnnys Seeds web site and clic on the type of vegatable you want to grow then click on the growing information highlight the information copy and past it into a word processing program then move on to the next one and repete the process and soon you will have growing information on all of the vegatables you can grow. here's the one from lettuce. Remember to go alphabeticaly from a to z. www.johnnyseeds.com Growing Information: CULTURE: Lettuce is hardy and can be planted as early as the soil can be worked. It is a cool weather crop and makes its best growth at temperatures of 60-65°F (16-18°C). Careful variety selection is important for hot weather crops. Sow every 3 weeks for a continuous supply of fresh lettuce. THERMAL DORMANCY: Lettuce can be dormant at high temperatures. For best germination results sow at soil temperatures of 68°F (20°C) or lower. The priming process in pelleted lettuce seeds broadens the temperature range in which the seeds will germinate, overcoming some of a lot's thermal dormancy. TRANSPLANTING: Sow in flats, 4 seeds/in., or in 3/4' plug trays, barely covering seeds with fine vermiculite, 3-4 weeks before transplanting outdoors. Shade the flats on sunny, warm days if necessary to keep the soil surface cool, below 75°F (24°C), until germination. If sowing into flats, transplant 1-2' apart into flats, pots, or cell-type containers about 2 weeks later. Harden seedlings by reducing water and temperature for 2-3 days before planting outdoors. Properly hardened transplants can survive temperatures as low as 20°F (-6°C). Transplant iceberg lettuce 12' apart in rows 18' apart, other types 8-12' x 12-18' apart. DIRECT SEEDING: Seeds germinate even at low, 40°F (4°C), soil temperature, but poorly above 75-85°F (24-29°C) depending on the variety and seed lot. Cover seed lightly, about 1/8', and firm soil gently. Dry soil must be watered to ensure coolness and moisture, and for even germination. Thin young seedlings to one plant per spot. For salad mix: sow in a 2-4' wide band, about 60 seeds/ft. MT0 SEEDS: A variety name followed by MT0-10 indicates that the seeds offered for sale in sizes larger than a packet have been tested for the presence of lettuce mosaic virus and that no LMV was found in a sample of 10,000 seeds or less. MT0-30 indicates that no LMV was found in a sample of 30,000 seeds tested. NOTE: A disease-free test result does not guarantee a seedlot to be disease-free, only that in the sample tested, the pathogen targeted was not found. DAYS TO MATURITY: For full-size heads from direct seeding and growth in mild temperatures; subtract 10-14 days if transplanting. Note: maturity can be 3 or more weeks later in cool weather, and up to 1 week earlier in hot weather. AVG. DIRECT SEEDING RATE: For full-size heads (precision seeded): 5,300'/oz., 220'/1,000 seeds, 5.5 oz./acre at 3 seeds every 8' in rows 18' apart. For salad mix: 400'/oz., 16'/1,000 seeds, 6,400'/lb. At 60 seeds/ft. TRANSPLANTS: Avg. 20,000 plants/oz. SEED SPECS: SEEDS/OZ.: 20,000-30,000 (avg. 24,000). MINI: 0.5 gm. unless otherwise noted (avg. 400 seeds, sows about 17' at 24 seeds/ft., or makes 250 transplants). PACKET: 1 gm. unless otherwise noted (avg. 800 seeds, sows 34' or makes about 480 plants).

reebiemac, Sorry to hear that it was contaminated manures. The material is used by so many gardeners who are expecting abundant harvests. Instead, the nasty outcome is truly heart-breaking. Re-read the clopyralid docs & take time to digest what's in them. You can grow a number of things this year without problems. Then by managing the garden area as directed in the docs, the soil will be fine within a year. To be certain, bio-assay that year's compost before you put it in the soil or put in any sensitive plants. But all in all, you've learned a valuable lesson for future years: Bio-assay any added organic matter before adding it to your garden areas. This guideline applies to all compost, that composted on the farm or commercially or even the bagged stuff, as a just-in-case preventive measure.

I've been looking for Cardamom. As far as spices and tropical veggies. I have to trade: edible hibiscus (green leaves used like lettuce), Thai ginger (galanga), Pandan (pandanus used for flavoring and aromatics). Though not out of dormancy yet, I can dig you a rhizome of turmuric for trade as well. Let me know if any of those will do for you.