Several kinds, actually, Rick. In this case at least, I'm sure lots of people think that's several too many. --Kate

Wow, Klaas. You sound seriously peeved, though I can't tell with whom. Me, I suppose. Or was this supposed to be funny? I guess I missed the joke. --Kate

Compost may be the one use for kudzu,Rhys. I've read Charles Wilbur's book; it's great fun. --Kate

Well, Karina, we get real winters here in Montana, too. (Where are you?) But miracles can be done with even simple greenhouses. Check out Four Season Harvest, by Eliot Coleman. --Kate

Thanks, Jean. Heavens, feedstoregirl, corn in Montana? Do let me know what you get. Now that it’s almost done, I’m ready to agree with you, Karina. Laugh all you want, Dwgaraln. Summer temps can be in the 80s and 90s by day (real sweating temps) but drop to 50s at night. You? --Kate

Absolutely, Jean. I actually haven’t found it better after a frost, but I’ll pay more attention this year. They are good, aren’t they, Susan? No, Karina,; kale is one of the quickest growing vegies out there. At least, somoe varieties are. Siberian and Russian both grow very quickly; dinosaur more slowly. Okay, Judy, you got me; it was. It is infinitely tweakable, Jonathan. --Kate

Thanks for the e-mail comment tip, Evgeniy. I'll try that. Sounds as if you've got quite a garden! --Kate

Exactly, Susan. --Kate

Tee hee, Sande. If there were a makeover garden show, I wonder if people would actually try to make their gardens look worse for the “before” picture? Pavel, you suggested that “Jeff could be a regular.” Nope. He’s way too nice for reality TV. Thanks, Sam. Thanks, Jennifer. And yes, half a wheelbarrow is plenty. So Wendy, you’d be paying how much? Hi, Karina . How long for the potatoes? Six to twelve weeks, depending on variety and size. GardenExplorer—Yes, those pipes and netting do deserve some explanation, don’t they. Believe it or not, they’re hail protection. --Kate

Karina—I didn’t know they could be grown indoors either, but I decided to try, and was pleasantly surprised. Wow, Myra, sounds like a terrible year for you. Good luck with the fall garden and green house! Would you need a greenhouse where you are, Karina? They do follow their own paths sometimes, don’t they, Shawn. I'll let you know when the book comes out, Jennifer. Oh, thank the carrot, Tamara, why not. Glad you appreciate it, Adrian Dwight, I think you should enter that photo in some contest for twisted (literally) vegetables. Thank you for sharing. --Kate

Karina--Ah yes, Wednesday morning. Well, everything was damp, that's for sure. I with he did my watering all the time; nothing would get drought-stressed! --Kate

Hi Sunita! It really is a great family. Julia's wonderful--I was quite flattered when she stayed with me while everyone else went shopping! And Ben is absolutely my favorite 13-year old of the moment. I'll speak to their parents about visiting India. It was good, Karina. But now I'm really feeling as if I didn't do Ben justice. He is the sweetest, brightest, most engaging kid imaginable. Oh--and he knows what ever-bearing strawberries are. At thirteen! I've actually revised the post a bit, to include more about Ben. --Kate

No worries, Sally. I feel it's a proof of this friendship that we can say "No" to each other. Of course, I'm also designing a small explosive device which when opened will spray flour all over your house... Thanks, Karina. I'm doing okay. Seeing family was good! --Kate

Well, Karina, to us gardeners, it's a mystery why someone else wouldn't want to spend their time this way. But back when my kids were in high school, I wouldn't have managed the kind of time I put in now. Anyway, I'm just glad they don't want to use the plot--because that's why I get it! True, Michele. Very true. Hi Judy, welcome back. I am feeling better (thanks!) and yes, it was a challenge and a half. I can't believe how good it looks now! --Kate

Yeah, Sue you're probably right. So it's a good thing I like making cookies. Brook-- Oops. My bad. Us mothers can't face the dreadful facts, I guess. --Kate

Thanks for the encouraging words, Sue. I’m sure I’ll be glad I did it—if I’m not dead! I took a look at your site, and I must say, yours is a much neater garden than mine. You put me to shame! Yours too, huh Judy? I forget where you’re based (and your site is refusing to load, so I can’t check) but it’s been nuts here in Montana. Thanks for reminding me, Sally. I think. But always good to hear from you! Yes, Esther. I figure I’ll get back in shape or die trying. --Kate

Well, don't try it yet, dw, as for all I know, it will kill all my plants... Definitely good for the garden, Jean, and I believe they all leave castings, which are indeed the best fertilizer around. Interesting, Karina, and not as far off as you might think. Worms--the earthworms most of us have in our gardens--do eat organic material on the surface, but they tend to stick to dead stuff. Don't ask me why; you'll have to interview a worm. Not sure what you mean by "the proper temperate to keep a healthy garden;" temperature? That's a bit of a broad question-- --Kate

Thanks, Gloria. A simple sifter is all I use, but some of those were fun to look at! Well, I proved unable to resist temptation Eunice; I've brought tomato plants in every year since. Thanks, Pops. --Kate

Nothing like responding to a comment two years late, huh, Amy? Here's hoping all's well with you now. Gee, thanks, Jean. I wish I could say you were wrong! (about being a slow learner, that is.) --Kate

Thanks, Rick, I may try that. I actually have some cat mint--not sure if that's the same as catnip--and my remaining cat (not the one that caused the devastation) is only minimally interested in it. --Kate

Good to hear from you again, Arash. And yes, that is a coincidence! Just be sure to pick a shorter variety for growing in a container. And watch out for those aphids! --Kate

Exactly, Sue. At least they give us someone to blame, right? BTW, welcome. --Kate

Good point, Sunita. And thanks for the chuckle! I'm glad to see you're back blogging again-- Kate

I wonder why you didn't get my comment, Evgeniy. I'll try again. What are you growing? --Kate

Belated responses, but here goes: Alan, I agree about unsupported pvc, but I didn’t want to deal with bending metal tubing, so this is pvc over rebar. Much easier to deal with than metal tubing, but far stronger than plain pvc. Thanks, Susan. And you too, Ann. But I shouldn’t get the credit for the rebar/pvc combo: that’s Eliot Coleman’s idea. Warm enough for winter, Adam? Er, no. Coleman has pictures of himself relaxing with a cup of coffee in his in cold weather, but that’s not something I’d want to do in mine in January. I keep meaning to upgrade it, but so far haven’t been able to. Someday… So far, Brendan, the plastic eventually goes, but the framework is solid. --Kate