News flash!! Sandra Jonas In Georgia just sent me this organic farmer's recipe for protecting his fruit trees against frost, in case you're worried about your plants tonight.

"I know many of you have plants that have already budded. I read in A. F. Beddoe’s book Nourishment Home Grown, about a recipe he uses to protect his newly budded trees in the spring. I plan to do this tonight and tomorrow on my blueberry, pear and plum trees that I cannot cover. I thought I’d pass this on to you just in case you wanted to try it too.

Here’s the recipe:

1 pound Ivory Snow

½ pound high calcium lime

Mix in 5 gallons of water.

He says to mix well and agitate while spraying to keep the sprayer from clogging up.

He says to spray to cover all blossoms and stems. You will know it is well covered because the stems will be white. This will dry on the tree and form a plastic-like covering that protects the tree from losing moisture and heat and keep it from freezing."

May the force, not the frost, be with you.

"Winterbor" Kale

Growing autumn greens is so easy, even George Bush could do it. And as W himself might say, “Now is the idealistic time to plant.”

Q: I just located this site -- but have been a Southern Living subscriber for many years.

We have 3 tomato plants (in a good flower bed) which are over 8 ft tall but have produced only several tomatoes. They look healthy, get the morning sun and the tomatoes we have picked are good -- and look good. We fertilized with Miracle Grow for tomatoes.

Can you tell us what we have done wrong so we will not make that mistake in the future?

Thank you,
Naomi

Q: I am container growing beautiful & plentiful 'Better Bush' hybrid tomatoes. These tomatoes are gorgeous, bug free thus far, ripening to a beautiful red approx. 2" to 3" tomato that will NOT ripen on the inside. Slicing this luscious looking tomato reveals a green unripe not tasty interior. I live in eastern North Carolina and given our hot water these plants are being watered daily & the pots sit in shallow dishes to reserve the over-flow water to feed the roots from the bottom. Help? Thanks so much! Kay

(Photo courtesy of Fu Man Jew via Flickr)

Well, the country is going through a serious lycopene withdrawal now that millions of tomatoes are being taken off the shelves. It seems that they carry a virulent strain of Salmonella bacteria. Just eating one can have you hurling for hours, similar to what happens after Tyra Banks conducts an interview.

Q:Do I need two or more blueberry trees to produce healthy fruit? In the magazine this month it said to plant a blueberry plant in a container beside your back door. Do have to plant more than one? Thank you, Katie Skelton

Q:Hi. I live in a townhome community and I am trying container gardening this summer. I have started lettuce seedlings this spring that will be ready to transplant soon. I know lettuce can be tricky so I started more seeds than I needed and I think all of my seeds grew! I need to thin and transplant the lettuce. Do you have any recommendations for container gardening for head lettuce types ( I have iceberg), spacing, and how to prevent it from going to seed in the summer heat etc? Thanks, Mrs. Ashton

During my recent visit to Top Tropicals nursery in south Florida, owner Mike Dubinovsky let me experience the effects of miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum). Native to Africa, this bush bears small, red fruits that produce a protein that inhibits the perception of sour taste for hours. Once you eat a miracle fruit, it makes even the sourest lemon taste sweet as candy. Mike says eating a miracle fruit makes beer taste like Coke. I'd rather have beer taste like beer, but I can say that miracle fruit enhances the flavor of vodka. It's an Absolut miracle! You can order miracle fruit at www.TopTropicals.com.

photo courtesy of TopTropicals.com