SHARING SECRETS: So, What Vegetables And Herbs Are You Going To Plant?
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Edited by Cathy Tylka, for Let's Talk Plants! May 2026.
Question of the month –
So, what vegetables and herbs are you going to plant or have you already for harvesting in your garden? Or do you also desire fruit from trees or both? What is your favorite? Answer one or all questions or make up your own!
Gerald D. Stewart of 92084, responds…
…I still need to plant the five tomato starts, which is all I am going to plant this year. In years past I have planted 32 fruit trees, from which I will be harvesting something every month. My favorite tomato is Jaune Flamme, my favorite fruits are peaches and 'Tropic Gold' apricot, which sets well for me.
Emily Weaver stated…
…I have a satsuma mandarin that I need to plant in the ground and am hoping to get a mango, too.
Tynan Wyatt shared Monarch Chrysalis...
"...The Chrysalis stage of the monarch butterfly, also known as the pupa. It is a critical pat of its life cycle. During this stage, the butterfly undergoes significant transformation, shedding its skin and forming a protective case. The chrysalis stage typically lasts from 8 to15 days, during which the butterfly’s body hardens, and it develops within the protective case. This stage is essential for the butterfly’s metamorphosis into an adult, as it prepares to emerge and continue its life cycle…" per Wikipedia.
Tynan also says Tynan also says "I've been on the look out for more caterpillar host plants. So far, I've had lovely results with anise (anise swallowtail butterflies) and crown flower milkweed (monarch's obviously). I think caterpillars have some really beautiful colors and funky forms. I would be delighted to support their populations, and that of baby birds who feed on them. I've read that oak and other trees are great hosts for multiple species, but I don't have room for tree hosts, only bushes and shrubs."
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Please include both the plant and the caterpillars it hosts.
Side note: I've had trouble with all the other Asclepias spp. I've tried, such as swamp milkweed, showy milkweed, tuberous milkweed, California milkweed (narrowleaf), hairy balls, etc. I think I need to start them by seed in November so they can grow through our moist winter as they don't thrive (for me) when sown or purchased and transplanted in the spring. Other trees headed for planting include Spice Zee nectaplum and Inca plum. Both are low chill, which matters given how close I am to the coast here in Chula. The Inca plum got on my list after the late, great, Jim Neitzel gifted me a few of his fruits while I was in my medical residency. What a plantsman he was! I also am planning to have my general contractor build me a 15' x 75' x 15' greenhouse. I have no idea what materials to use, what ventilation or temperature control devices I should employ, or any other of a number of important factors. Any suggestions would be appreciated as I stumble forward. Happy to provide advice to those in the future, after I've learned from my mistakes!
The Anise Swallowtail is a common swallowtail butterfly found in western North America. The wingspan ranges from 2 to 3.1 inches and it is often seen in town, gardens and/or vacant lots. Its major food source are plants in the carrot family and some citrus.
Addendum: the trees that I'm going to plant for harvesting include several cultivars of mangos, sugar apples (Annona species), and a variety of Garcinias. My hope is to speed their growth and prevent early death in the mangos from over-flowering at a young age due to the cool winter weather we have.
Caterpillar plants are for the "harvest" of semi-cultivated caterpillars.
Susi Torre-Bueno says…
...I am getting ready (in early April) to plant seeds for bush beans, rainbow beets, rainbow chard, purple moon kale, and nigella. All easy from seed! By the time you're reading this they should already be in the ground.
Karen England is experimenting…
… with growing Flax, Linum usitatissimum, the International Herb Association’s upcoming 2027 Herb of the Year™. The deadline for submissions to the IHA’s Flax book for next year is this July, which is not enough time for Karen to grow a linen shirt as she had planned, but maybe she can grow her own flax seeds. Wish her luck!
Speaking of luck, according to The Complete Language of Flowers by S. Theresa Dietz, the seeds of flax placed in a pocket or shoe can bring you luck among other things…
Cathy Tylka of 92026 reports...
...I have two ’Double Delight’ apricot trees. ‘Double Delight’ Apricot is a small tree that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces dark red round fruit (technically 'drupes') with yellow flesh which are usually ready for picking in mid-summer.
Also, just put in an Anna’s Apple tree, which we all know will produce. I have turtles and they love the treat of an apple a day.
And, to finish it up, a leftover from last month, that the editor found in Junk Mail, yikes!!!
Oreet Herbst & John Knott of 92029, share…
... We recently shopped for a new hand weeder tool and discovered an ergonomic version with a built-in fulcrum. With this tool, we insert the forked head around the stem of the weed, then push down on the handle to lever the weed out of the soil including the taproot. Using bodyweight and gravity to do the bulk of the work instead of upper body musculature is a win. This particular model is called the Fiskars Ergo Aluminum Weeder and costs around $9. Happy weeding!
Question for next month:
Do you have a plant or tree or other growing item, which you are babying and nurturing to get it to come to full life? And, what is it you are doing?
The winner of the Hat Contest for the quarterly drawing from entrants to the Sharing Secrets column are:
Oreet Herbst and John Knott
Please contact Cathy Tylka for your prize.
(Example hats)
Cathy Tylka, RN, retired Emergency Nurse, found her love of plants and the SDHS merge many years ago. Cathy acted as Treasurer for the organization and volunteers for many activities. Now, she is more than happy to assist in gathering questions to ask you in the Sharing Secrets area of the Newsletter.
The funds garnered from this enterprise support our scholarships.
