Food I'm harvesting now in Houston, TX, September 7, 2010

As with any particular year, or planting 'schedule' (as the spirit moves me!) some herbs and vegetables are better performers than others.
I was late getting my tomatoes in, so not a whole lot there, and my okra and bitter melons have been slow, but are perking up now. Heavy crop of long beans early in the summer, but they are also stalled now. I lost all my papya trees last winter, but new ones, started from seed are on schedule to produce an over abundance of fruit next summer. (Kind of counting the chickens before the eggs hatch, but I have really missed them this summer!)

Even so, many other things have been, and continue to, produce enough to supply my families' needs (not all our food!) and with enough left over to make a weekly produce donation to a food pantry.

Most of these will continue to produce untill the first serious cold snap, well after the newly planted fall greens begin to produce. It is a very fortunate benefit of living in Houston.
THERE IS NO DOWNTIME FOR FOOD PRODUCTION IN HOUSTON!

This is especially true when we all share our diverse cultural knowledge.
Many thanks to all my friends and aquantences who grew up in different parts of the world than I did, and who have generously shared their knowledge, seeds, and cuttings!

Who are these superstar workhorses of my summer garden?

Greens:
Cholesterol Spinach
Sweet Potato Vine (regular and a variety just grown for the greens)
Lau, Bottle Gourd Greens
Egyptian Spinach
Lamb's Quarters
Wild Pursalane
Chaya (tree spinach)
Wild Arugala (Narrow leaves, tollerates the heat better than regular, plus sharper flavor, great tossed with pasta and Parmesian cheese!)

Herbs:
Mint
Mexican Mint Marigold (tastes like tarragon)
Basil (Italian and Thai)
Bay
Epazote
Oregano
Rosemary

Vegetables:
~Okra
(Long beans earlier)
Eggplant (especially Japanese)
Sweet Bell Peppers
Poblano Peppers
Chili Tepin

My climbing spinach is also finally taking off- STEP BACK!

For more information on some of these plants:Great Food Plants for the Summer Garden

For a Powerpoint introduction: Heat Loving Food Plants

Still harvesting a good bit of summer vegetables and greens, and the begining of the fall crops are starting to come in.

Harvesting now:Cholesterol spinach (raw for salad or cooked)
Mint
Climbing spinach
Sweet potato vine (greens from regular or tender variety)
Basil
Oregano
Arugula (slender wild and regular)
Kumquats
Turk's Cap berries
Chaya (greens)
Lau, bottle gourd greens (starting to give up)
Green onions
Oregano
Mexican Mint Marigold
Egyptian Spinach (greens)
Peppers
Rosemary
Flat beans (shell beans)
Mustard greens