I see you got a couple of answers to your post of this question over on the Tomato Forum here. Some also suggested you check with the folks on the Florida Gardening forum as they can advise you specifically about timing in Florida. From what I have read in the past from Florida Gardeners, yes it is too late for planting now to beat the heat and the blossom drop that results. You have 2 tomato growing seasons down there - Fall and Winter to very Early Spring. As to container sizes, Better Boy is a very large indeterminate variety that can easily grow to 6-8 feet tall or taller and will need a very large container (7-10 gallons minimum is common) and good support. I linked a picture of an average plant below. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Better boy tomato plant

Oh, I have dreamed of having a cavalier, and your photos reflect that you have a pair of beauties! Yes, we do have weather extremes, is the way we Okies put it. This year has been especially strange. First, we had 14" of snow on Xmas Eve Day; followed by the spring tornados; then the floods in OKC; then the enormous hail storm with softball size hail; then the extreme heat and humidity that has plagued us since mid-May. I am getting a new roof on the house, as are all the neighbors in my area! The auto repair shops are STILL backed up on repairing all the vehicles damaged by the hail. But, that means jobs in this down economy, so we're trying to look at it positively. Do you know that it hailed so hard it knocked the numbers off my house? Weird! Not to mention the roof, window, lattice, carport, car, and I had numerous "potholes" in the yard for weeks, and lots of plant damage. The plants have recuperated, but it was just wild. A storm I'll never forget. Susan

-stagerat, I like your little nook garden!! That persicaria really pops in the greenery. Do you find it at all invasive? I know those sorts arn't suppose to be. -bhnash, thank you! I got it a few years ago at Lowes. At first I was afraid the set would clash. But now that it is weathered a little and isn't so bright and shiny it really fits. Do you have any pictures of your own to share? -Janine, like the vine! Is it hardy? I think I saw it awhile back in a PDN catalog. Uh-oh, yet another corydalis-like plant to look up...lol! -Carol, I love everything about that area! The ferns and ferny tree foliage, the ivy against the brick. Is this a little courtyard we are seeing?? CMK

Sylvia: Thanks for the info on the Seminole and the beautiful pictures. I planted the three remaining seeds I have and one is a few inches long so hopefully it will survive. I will try feeding more often to see if it makes a difference. The pumpkins were actually forming then falling of so I did not have issue with flowering or pollination.. but the plants were possibly weak. About callaloo/amaranth leaves: There are many varieties and I have eating raw the 4/5 that I planted. All nice in salad and the larger ones can be used as a wrap. I even got my mom to cook them as grape leaves rolls and they were delicious. There are tons of recipes out there using amaranth leaves. One way to find them is to look up recipes using the Indian names. Apparently there are different names in different provinces: Thotakura is one that is used (Just search for Thotakura in google pictures and click on the picture that you like which will most of the time lead you to a recipe - Somehow the link will not work). Amaranth leaves is also very similar to a Middle Eastern green called Molokhiah aka Mulukhiyah aka... So any recipe for Molokhiah can be used with amaranth. About amaranth seeds: I planted several varieties last year but the one that was most amazing came out of seeds I bought from the bulk bin at Who le Foods. I am pretty sure it was Golden Giant Amaranth and it was incredible. There were enough leaves to feed me, the neighbors, freeze, and an army of butterflies. At the end I was left with huge heads that must have each carried a pound or more of grains. Sadly they got hit by some fungus at the end of season and I was too exhausted with work and all to care so I left them die. And all I had was 6 stalks! I heartily recommend planting callaloo to all. At least to feed the butterflies/ as a trap plant. If you plant it in a corner or a bed by itself most likely it will self seed endlessly. That is what my wild calallo does and I mostly use it for greens for my compost pile (decadent I know) and never have to feed it.