The picture shows the status of the tomato plants that I planted on January 5. They will be ready to transplant to 4″ pots next week. Then in a couple of weeks before I leave for a trip to New Zealand they will be transplanted to 1 gallon containers. I may go ahead and plant some directly with a frost cloth wrapping. Wrapping works well for tomatoes and peppers for Houston vegetable gardening.
The Packman broccoli planted around October 1 is now being harvested. Fennel planted at the same time is also ready. Mustard greens continue to produce faster than we can eat them. They have lasted longer this year by picking the leaves when they are still relatively small. I have much better luck with Florida Broadleaf Mustard than with the curly varieties. In addition to the traditional southern way of cooking (and over cooking) them, I use them is soups with lentils and also by lightly stir frying with onion and then steaming for a few minutes. They are more bitter with the shorter cooking.