Guys, lots of fun and good info here, but . . my broccoli keeps on producing side shoots in the leaf axils for a couple of months after I harvest the big central head. I plant 3 plants in the fall and 3 plants in December, and they keep us in broccoli for the whole winter and well into spring (just two of us, mind you!) You might want to try it again, with this in mind (if you like broccoli). Some types produce side shoots better than others, so check the description first.

I grow in Earth Boxes with very limited space, but this is one thing that earns its space for me! Cauliflower and cabbage, so right - they only produce one and they're done. Too much space for too little return.

One other thing you might want to mention in your next episode of this topic, heirloom tomatoes, sadly, do not do well for me down here *but did great in Utah, because of too little disease resistance. Could this be why you have not had success with the Cherokee Purple? I'm afraid I buy the ones with all the letters and numbers now. Btw there is a good US seed supplier near us with a great selection of tomatoes as well as peppers - Tomato Growers Supply. http://www.tomatogrowers.com/

Thanks for the thoughts on broccoli. I know about how they produce side shoots and it's true, but for us it just has never produced as much as we'd like. Your comment definitely demonstrates that there are lots of different points of view on a subject.

We only grow heirloom tomatoes and don't deal with diseases, but the cherokee purple just simply does not produce as much as we get from other heirlooms. I like a tomato plant to produce dozens and dozens of fruit and the cherokee purple has been the least productive of the at least 100 heirloom tomatoes we've trialed over the years.

Darn!! Darn!! Darn!!

It's wonderful to live a block from the ocean, but the salt air and the salt-intruded water, is death to most veggies. I'm trying an eggplant this year. In prior years, I've tried broccoli, big tomatoes, cukes, and peppers. None could stand the salt. Herbs do well (although my basil is giving me fits) and cherry tomatoes do well, too. We will see if the eggplant survives the test!

How could you be so rude to Turnips???

Larry, I like turnips too. Mashed with carrot, and butter, mmmm.

Everyone has their own opinion.

But I think you're right about not growing them, Dave. They don't taste any better from the garden than from the grocery store, a sad fact with a lot of root veggies. Hey, they store all winter in the basement, right?

I have literally no success growing edible plants. (This is not including herbs ... which actually grow quite well for me here in the heat of FL.) Every year I try tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers and I occasionally try a new edible. Sometimes I get 1 or 2 good veggie/fruit from them and then the bugs get them or something else goes wrong. It is so frustrating! I can grow flowers and herbs, but not veggies or fruit plants. I have tried growing them in containers and in the ground.

The one plant I do seem to have success with is Bell Peppers. (I haven't tried hot peppers yet.) They grow so well for me that I never have to buy them from the store.

As far as fruit, I have tried strawberries, cantaloupes, watermelon, and others....
And I have had luck growing certain grapevines, but not to the point that they actually produce fruit. (sigh) Lots of vine, no grapes. Grrrr ...

I don't know why I just don't give up. Every year I give it another go and try growing edible plants a little differently.

I also need advice on how to get rid of those dang stink bugs. They ruin many of my edible veggies and fruit.

So Dave .... this year I had left over seeds I purchased from your oldest children last year. I had cleaned out and amended two beds and just planted ALL the rest of the seeds in these two beds. Mexico Midgets, Tigerella, and Kellogg's Breakfast tomato seeds. As well the Georgia Rattlesnake watermelon seeds. LOL! All planted in these two small beds. With a bunch of onion starts. (Tomatoes and onions together in one bed, the watermelon in the other bed.) Forgot about them until I noticed seedlings popping up in both beds! Then had to cover both beds with a quilt when we got freezing temps the end of February. (Which saved them all!) They are all growing, so I shall see how my quick sow and forget them strategy works.

I have a new attitude .... I plant them, forget them except to water and fertilize them, and then figure if they want to grow and surprise me ... have at it! And if they find my yard (or containers) unsuitable .... well, at least I can say I tried. I am trying reverse psychology on these plants. I tell them you'll never make it in my yard, so I dare you to try!

I saw a Burpee's new "On Deck" container corn that got my interest.
http://www.burpee.com/vegetabl...

What do you think? Is it possible to produce some decent ears of corn with this new hybrid. It really made me want to buy a packet just to see.