Hi Barbi, I have bronze fennel that I can send you, no trade needed as I have received some awesome seeds from you already. I still have your address. I will put in the mail today :)

I highly recommend growing mouse melons. They climb very readily and have tendrils. My single plant is extremely vigorous, and is, to some extent all through my 6'x10' raised garden bed, and at least 6' up a trellis. Pretty sure it would be taking over the lawn if it was allowed. It is in a sense small and delicate, the vines are lightweight and delicate, and I don't think it would be too hard to keep it smaller/ more under control than I have. I think you could grow them on a low trellis, though a taller one probably makes better use of space and makes harvesting a little easier. My mouse melon sprawls in all directions and is very happy to grow on the ground as well as up the trellis and over other plants... They compete very effectively with other plants! I direct seeded my mouse melon in early October (Spring here), begun harvesting mid January. The harvest has been increasing exponentially ever since. It is a difficult to keep up. I have pickled some, and given plenty away. I'm wondering if anyone has experience with what happens to a Mouse melon plant in a mild frostless winter? Three weeks till winter here, and it keeps growing. I wonder will it die back? Stop fruiting at some minimum temperature?

Hi Christine, I have 20-30 Mexican Sour Gherkin seeds if that would be enough for you. I see several of your flowers that I'd love to try. Is there anything on my list you might like? Thanks much and happy holidays to you, too. Michelle

Pickling them would be the most common I guess. Or you could grind them into dill or sweet relish but it would likely be dry, add them to a chutney recipe? I'd probably just make one of the sweet gherkin pickle recipes with them. Dave