Well, if you believe in the Companion Plant philosophy, potato's "friends" are: bush bean cabbage family corn horseradish marigold parsnip pea Potato's "foes" are: cucumber pumpkin rutabaga squash family sunflower tomato turnip By the way, potatoes are a "foe" of sweet potatoes. Good luck and have a Great growing season!

Well, let me tell you abt. MY sweet 'taters ! Sylvia said they grow good here when I posted query, so I went to Publix and bought some, I also got some 'organic' sweets.. I cut the eyes out and planted them this past Spring, abt. April-May.... I started digging this past Fall and have been eating sweets ever since and supplying my son and Grandaughter and my neighbor !! Some of the vines got pretty long so I just tossed them back into the bed and threw some dirt on them, and they just kept forming sweets ! I can't think of a better way to use an unused corner of the yard my gosh think of how much they cost at Publix, .99 per lb and one big one weighs a pound.... I have lately had something eating a hole in a few of them but I just cut that out and cook and eat the rest..... they don't need any special treatment but I do keep the runners confined and partly covered w/dirt, so they form sweets all along the runners.... Sylvia says there are 'bush' types don't take as much room, I went on-line and ordered some from a grower in Tenn., and will see how they do...it's kind of chilly right now for them but they just sit there and then come back to life when it warms up.... easy as pie ! 'sweet 'tater pie, that is.....sally

Hey TomCath, I love the irrigation system. I thought that Drip Depot had been recommended by someone on here, but may be wrong. It saves me hours and hours. It is true, that I had some problems with Y faucet splitters, the main feed popping off, and little feeds popping off. I only turn it on when I'm home. But I've now found that we have a faucet in the pool cage that is attached to a well. Who knew? I don't mind setting up the irrigation system to run once a week when I'm not here if it's attached to a well. If there is a failure, town water would get a bit expensive, and people do come in twice a week to check on the house. (I am unwilling to leave the house water on when I go north, even for a weekend. Our house is from the 50's and has fussy plumbing.) Anna, I am so not worthy. I dream of the amazing plants you have chosen, all the texture and foliage colors. Your gardens are spectacular. Garf, I guess we newbies are nuts for bananas and tropicals. And some of the bananas that got chopped down last year after the freeze, have indeed come back. The big one in the Bromeliad area was here when we moved to the house. The leaves are so darn beautiful. The others we'll have to see. Dirty, I'm going to cut back the Cape Honeysuckle as soon as my back recovers. I'll take 1/3 down low so there are still blooms for the bees and the butterflies. It is really in the wrong place for healthy citrus. Randy, my family are crazy for epiphytes. So finding the orchid cactus was a true gift. Can you believe a landscaper said we should kill it? Next landscaper, please! Other Carol B and Zacky, the Porterweed is purple. I put in two plants, and have not seen any offspring in two years. Sylvia, we harvested the kale for Thanksgiving. I tossed it in hot pepper and garlic flavored oil in a very hot wok until it wilted and softened somewhat. Then I put Parmesan cheese, toasted pignoli nuts, and lemon juice on top. I almost felt like Sylvia! Carol B. in Sarasota with an ice pack. No gardening for a week.

Before I got smart and bought a metal bird feeder, the squirrels destroyed every plastic feeder I bought. They would chew holes in the plastic, eat the wooden dowels, and then devour the bird seed. The bird feeders were hanging on a black metal shepherds hook. One day I mixed hot pepper in Crisco and coated that pole. They would climb 2 feet, then slide back 1. They would jump from a tree and spin as they hit that slick pool. Then the pepper would start heating up their paws and they would shake their paws trying to get it off. Then they would try to eat it off of their paws and start shaking their heads trying to get it out of their mouth. They looked like they were having a seizure. I laughed until I hurt. By night time, I had fewer squirrels. Next day, I had them again, but they didn't look like the same ones. LOL