The longer I cook the more I like using any of the stinky fermented tofu pastes or cubes in place of salt as they add a wonderful savory note plus plant protein. Just added some to a stir fry of onions, garlic, sweet potato, potato, cubed firm tofu, chopped giant green callalloo, a splash of sriracha sauce. Oceanic Market in downtown Tampa has a huge selection of them...very affordable too.

http://www.soyinfocenter.com/HSS/fermented_tofu1.php

I just checked...it is OBVIOUS that the liquid fertilizer I made by letting glochid-ridden opuntia cactus pads ferment submerged in a 55 gallon barrel of rain water WORKS! I applied it to some test plants JUST before the rains arrived and they have leapt into growth. The baby sunflowers have doubled in size. I'll start a new batch today!

Bugs and fungi are busy this time of year!

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/03/20/Homes/Wash_away_your_garden.shtml

First time I grew the cherry tomato 'Super Sweet 100' this winter after no longer being able to find seeds of 'Sweet 100' that I grew for years and that I assume it was bred from.....very productive, good flavor raw or added to cooked entrees. I'll be curious how long it persists as the muggy heat returns. Knowing it is a hybrid, just for fun I'll gather several and ferment them for a week or two until all gross and foamy, then rinse, dry and store until this fall. I see no evidence that it is GMO, just a standard hybrid.

http://bonnieplants.com/products/vegetables/tomato-varieties/all-tomatoes/super-sweet-100-tomato

Just 1.2 inches here today despite flooding elsewhere, so bring it on to south Tampa now!

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Tampa&state=FL&site=TBW&lat=27.959&lon=-82.4821#.U2PXUvldWUQ

For years this scavenged dinghy boat cover with two big holes drilled near the center and held down with a heavy street brick has filled my south bed rain barrel. All 100% free!

I've always grown leeks as a winter crop here, and this winter grew a great many (American Flag) for the first time, all in large container gardens. Quite a few remain to be harvested, but as an experiment I will leave several to grow to see how they fare in the summer heat, and if any behave as a biennial as they are in cooler climates. SUPER long shot hope that one or more becomes perennial. They are an allium but I can never remember the species, something like amperolasum or something. I love to use the leaves and the bulbs in many dishes, also love them raw like a scallion.