Elders… these are wild TN elders that I transplanted to my field.
Crandall clove currants… started them this spring… so these are first year fruits. Initally they were just quite sour… today these tasted a little better… like some sweetness might be coming on too.
Nothing near a concord grape yet… perhaps next year.
They taste much better when darker and with ants. 
Mine are a disappointment this year. We lost about 4/5 of the berries following the last frost and ants are elsewhere.
I only had one crandall and I ate it underripe because something got the other one and it was pretty astringent, hope they improve
i got both of those planted as well but they are growing slowly as its pretty cool here. i probably wont get fruit. i meant to start them indoors but got busy. i also planted Georgia candy roaster squash. those grew quickly so hoping to get a few squash from them. read good reviews about them got some upper 80’s- low 90’s coming midweek next week so that should get them going good.
mine set out suckers and grew into 6ft. wide hedge. many flowers so should have a good crop this summer.
I have all but given up growing squash, as I refuse to spray and since the first year growing squash have yet to get a single squash before vine borers take them out.
3-4 inches of rain respected here this week.
Let’s see how many FG make it in one piece, more or less. I’m sure since they are starting to change color now they probably most susceptible to cracking, unfortunately.
I don’t know if these fare better insect wise, but I love growing the Cucurbita pepo squash variety. I gave up on the traditional western zuchinni.
The big plus with these squash is they are climbers, so very small footprint and perhaps less exposure to ground based insects.
So i have had that issue the last two years. Before that for almost 15 years never had an issue. This year I’m winning so far. I over seeded, 5 to 10 seeds per hill. Then i have timer on water early early like 5am.
I go out after its watered and sprinkle diatomaceous earth (i got the biggest bag they had at the box store) on every squash and melon. Have only lost a couple since starting that routine. Fingers crossed but its my new routine forever if it works. Don’t want to spray poison ever if i don’t HAVE to. Occasionaly i do on flowers for aphids or for mildew. But thats it, not on what i eat.
I prefer the flavor of the vining zucchini better. I grow an heirloom thats most similar tot he Lebanese variety as a vine not a bush. I also hrow a hybrid crookneck/zucchini that i crossed about 15 years ago. I love the flavor and it has great vigor. There are a couple Italian varieties that are bush that i like too. But i have very limited space right now.
Given that I’m focusing on crooknecks and winter maximas mostly this year. I have a couple spaghetti and a couple pepo pumpkins i like too. But man squash take space.
Yeah maybe I’ll try that, just moved to stuff that is less work like heat loving greens: cranberry hibiscus, Okinawa spinach, chef Kubo Salad tree, perpetual spinach and longevity spinach
@Gkight … one of my fav heat living veggies… Okra.
Great keto food too… very low carb and high fiber.
I have 2 double rows coming on now.
We keto fry it… usually Okra, squash, onions together. Awesome good !!!
Wish I liked it haha also it gets huge, space is a premium for me. I just don’t like that slimy mess haha
@Gkight … if it is slimey… its not done 
We fry it… to keto fry… you need to use a oil that does not cause inflammation… avacado oil is a great choice… very high smoke point.
Add a hunk of bacon fat for flavor…
Cut up your okra squash onion… and get it moist with a egg wash… season it good with (5 spice)… equal parts salt pepper onion powder garlic powder, paprika.
Add a couple tablespoons pork panko and almond flour.
Coat it all good in that.
Then fry it pretty hot… a little past brown… just starting to blacken a little… done… no slime.
Delicious!!!
A walk through the garden today taking little video clips of all that is coming on.
And picked the last of the apricots and another 3 quarts of Ponca blackberries.
Maybe I’ve just never had it good. We only use avocado oil, coconut oil, lard or beef tallow for cooking. Basically carnivore with the exception of fruit, obviously haha
I’ll give it a shot next year then
What is pork panko?
I’m not sure I follow your okra instructions. You cut up the veggies. Into 1” chunks? Then stir an egg in a bowl. Dump in veggies. Stir it around. Drain off extra egg. Sprinkle spices over chunks. Mix the flours in another bowl. Dump in the veggies and shake until coated. Fish out the veggies with a slotted spoon and put into frypan with about an inch of hot oil in it and fry them. Does that sound right. I’ve only eaten okra once about 50 years ago. I think it will grow here. Maybe I can find some at the store to experiment.
I wonder,if putting a tarp around the tree,to direct the water away,will help?
Good idea, but the land here has almost no grade. When it rains in summer it’s not like a Seattle winters rain that takes many hours to accumulate a few tenths of an inch. We get inches in less than an hour.
The result? Pooling, standing water until it all soaks in.
I supposed it’s an easy enough to give it a try though.
Thanks for the idea…
