So far, nice posts and ideas. I just started a whole foods diet from a certified nutritionist because I wanted to lose 15 lbs. I already lost 3 lbs in the first two weeks. Basically she has me getting most of my protein from plant sources. With my long list of suggested vegetables that I am eating there are things I've never tried before like kale and collard greens. Not only do I not know how to cook these two vegs, I dont know how to grow them either. I always thought kale sure looked pretty in the fall in people's flower beds but I am not sure that's the same plant that people eat. mailman22, your brocolli is out of this world! Broccoli is definitely on my fall list. Last year my cabbages only got to softball/baseball size so I dont think I will try that again. Carrots sound good. I had no idea I could put more beans in. I have to check if turnips are on my list of protein vegetables. Lettuce is on the list. I'm harvesting Beets right now so I probably wont replant them cuz these ones could continue to grow bigger. If you guys put yours in already, I'd better get my but to the greenhouse asap. We've had rain off and on for two weeks now. Temps all down in the 80's with some nights in the 50's. Some July weather! Please continue to share your ideas with us. Thanks, Marial.

Almost anything will do well now, planted in the fall. We just planted two trees. I just bought an American Beautyberry for fall color (purple berries). The berries on my spicebush tree are turning red now too. Pansies going in now I would expect to last til around January and then I might replant them then b/c they will do well til about March in this area.

Thanks for finding that pic, PopMama! I looked thru several pages and if it came up on my search I completely missed it! Liz, what you described at the swap was "more pink," so I hope what you remember is right! Please don't spend all your time looking for your pic, but if you should happen to run into it sometime over winter I would enjoy seeing it! If you don't run into it I will--hopefully--get to see it up-close-and-personal in spring! When that happens I will definitely be taking some of my own pics--however since google catastrophized WebAlbums a month ago I don't know if I'm even able to post links to my pics anymore! You mentioned that one of the Iris I got ['Superstition' and 'Abigail Provides'] was "shorter" than "others"--I think! If you did, was it 'Superstition' that was the shorter one? In the last couple days I got some big (2-3' X 18") patches of the "bad dirt" dug out along the walk by the side of my deck and, saving the more friable soil that was there, I've added a whole buncha home-grown, almost finished, compost to what was left! Have a "decent place" to plant both Iris now and am planning to get them in the ground tomorrow! I also saved some of the "better" natural soil to use when I dig out the potter's clay by the front walk where the peony is going! Will be completely removing the potter's clay, replacing it with my "saved" "better" natural soil, and then adding a WHOLE LOT of compost out there--including some that isn't quite so "almost finished!" Will be transplanting some worms too! I'm gonna make a Good Home for that peony! When I looked up the pics of it, one of the Way Cool things about it was how very different all the pics look--and, remembering you had said how much it "changed" from day to day, I'm really looking forward to seeing a few flowers on that too! Will be surprised if I get any next spring, but, with "good soil," I expect it to be taking off by the following spring! Can hardly wait! I had to water it in when I put it in the pot--my store bought soil is just "moist" when I use it, but, except for watering it in to "settle the soil" when I put it in the ground I'll leave it alone all winter--unless we get an extremely dry winter! Part of my reason for improving the soil in a pretty large area is so I'll know it has good drainage, so if we should get a snowy winter I won't have to worry about it sitting in WET CLAY! Thank you again for bringing such "cool" plants! (Yes, I realize everybody's definition of "cool plants" is different!) to swap! Since I already have so many things, and since people have started to bring things they originally got from me I don't often find many things that I want or don't already have, and this is the first swap in a long time where I was salivating and waiting to "pick!" BUT! I'll have you know that you created quite a "problem" for me!!! With my tiny yard I really did need to do some thinkin' to figure out where to put my new booty! "Problem" and all, thank you, Liz!!! >>> APS = American Phytopathological Society! Egad girl! Are you seriously into this stuff or what??? Did you REALLY go to a plant pathology convention????? Skybird

I'm itching to plant, but I'm not doing any fall planting in my tiny patch, since I have to have the fence and gate replaced this fall and the workers need somewhere to stand while doing it - mostly that area has annuals right now, plus a few ferns I need to move & a bunch of Liriope that's going to a new home. But I have planted a native violet that I poached, er, "wildcrafted" from a nearby natural area, in the hopes of eventually getting a lot of violets, and maybe some fritillaries. Definitely planned for Spring: Zizia aurea Agastache Aristolochia Honeyvine milkweed and maybe Cleome (I would flip out if I could get some Baltimore Checkerspots!), and some other native nectar plants - Asters, goldenrods etc. Not much sunny area to work with, unfortunately.