Based on your recommendations, I ended up buying some Magda seeds (along with Fortex beans, which I've been wanting to try for the last 3 years and am finally just getting around to picking up) from Johnny's last night. I almost bought them from Willhite, but after reading all of the horrible things people were saying about their slow shipping over at DG, I decided against it, even though the seed quantity was far greater. My impatience won out over my frugality, as is often the case. I've grown Tromboncinos the last 2 years and have liked them well enough. They're not my favorite by any stretch of the imagination, but I like their growth habit, they produce a lot of food, and since I don't have a lot of space to grow winter squash, I let some get huge and viola - I have something to roast when it gets cold. For me, they're sort of a Jack of all trades, master of none, but still, they're good enough, and they look so darned cool hanging off my trellis. I'm boring in my cooking preparation. When they're still tender, I cook them as I do zucchini; lightly steamed then sauteed with a little onion, garlic, and olive oil or butter until fragrant. Once they're hardened, I usually peel, chop into 1" cubes, mix with some chopped onion, cayenne, a splash of maple syrup, garlic salt, pepper and whatever else sounds good at the time, and roast 'til most of the liquid disappears. They're much more watery than, say, a butternut, but again, they're also easier for me to grow in my tiny little space, so it's a tradeoff I'm willing to make. I'm hoping the Magdas do well here. I moved away from a colder, foggier part of the Bay about 10 years ago, to somewhere where it gets far, far hotter in the summer months. Powdery mildew seems like what does my squash in every year, but generally not until the very end of the season when I no longer care what happens to them anyway. After reading over and over about how sweet Magdas are, I'm super excited to give them a try. I think I've discovered that "sweet" is pretty much a trait I like in everything I grow; if it's naturally sweet, it just tastes better to me.

Tony, I will be moving those 1st year Kaki and a few other 1st year plants, but I have close to a 150 other fruiting trees, not to mention other fruiting bushes and vines like blueberries etc... as well as a lot of plants in pots needing put in the ground, and I plan on keeping the other site anyway. It is not my residence, just a small cabin on a few acres. I have had pretty good luck tarping things to protect them, but it has mostly been with a group of potted plants grouped together on a short term few nights basis with a huge cover your roof type tarp. Just keeping the frost off can help on the short cold spell after I have moved all the potted figs and such out of winter storage. I have used incandescent bulbs as you speak on a smaller scale and I believe they help.

"Sweet Hibiscus", abelmoschus manihot, is in the okra family. The photos in the link below don't do the flower justice, but it does contain some interesting information - I never knew the leaves were edible, and don't think the pods are. I've been overwintering my in my little greenhouse, but may have lost it to the frost this year. Plenty of seeds to replant, and it's a fast grower. The light yellow blooms appear in mid-summer, early in the day, so a delightful greeting in the morning ... especially when they're eye-level! Why not just put the manure on top if it's too cold to work it in; the earthworms and weather should work it in for you. Winter-sowing is a winter sanity-saver! I usually have lettuce seedlings up by first weekend in March, even when there's snow on the ground. This morning I pulled out the tomato plants, basil, peppers, zucchini, pole beans and what's left of the lettuces. Even the "Cold? Psshh ... bring it on!" chard isn't looking so bold today. Tomorrow will finish clean-up, amend the soil, and plant those shallots, garlic and onion sets. Here is a link that might be useful: Sweet Hibiscus - abelmoschus manihot

Lars, I usually just make a crust for a fruit tart using SharonCB's Never Fail Patry recipe, but I love the walnut crust on her salmon quiche and have thought about using it as a crust for other things. Has anyone added a streusel topping to the summer torte? It might be "gilding the lily", but it seems like it would be more "coffee cake" that way... Annie