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From:	S B (dialup-4.238.0.173.dial1.orlando1.level3.net)
Subject:	Jicama update
Date:	September 1, 2005 at 11:12 am PST

The jicama seeds, that I started earlier this year, have done very well, so far. Some of them have vines that are 4 ft. long -- and each plant has several vines that begin at or near the base!

Since jicama is a tropical plant that is sensitive to day length and night length, the tuberous roots will not begin to form until sometime around the Fall Equinox. Hopefully, since I live in FL there will be enough time before the first winter freeze for the tuberous roots to become large enough to make a half-way decent crop.

There are several varieties of jicama. The one I am growing is Pachyrrhizus tuberosus. It is supposed to produce larger tubers than Pachyrhizus erosus (which is the kind often found in supermarkets).

So, since "tuberosus" produces larger tubers, maybe there is more of a chance for its tubers to reach a decent size before the first freeze than would the tubers of the "erosus" variety -- if I had tried to have grown that one.

Today, I planted most of my fall garden -- sugar snap peas, carrots, radishes, spinach, and beets. If we have "normal" weather they should do OK. However, if we get a slew of hurricanes -- like we did last Sept. -- even the raised bed they are in might not keep them from drowning. I also started some cabbage seed and fava bean seed (supposed to help control soil-born tomato diseases -- going to experiment!) in flats, today. I have some collard greens, that were started last month, in a flat, to be transplanted sometime around the latter part of this month.

The cherry tomatoes are still blooming and producing fruit. The okra plants have gotten huge -- almost 5 ft. tall! They have been steadily producing all summer.

The deer have eaten some of my sweetpotato vines, but have not bothered the ones closest to our house. So, maybe we will get a few sweetpotatoes in a few months. However, the raccoons (and maybe some deer, too) have eaten ALL but TWO of our Fuyu persimmons from our NINE trees -- which were loaded with fruit. I guess they figured they would be generous and leave one a piece for my husband and me!

I also finally got two chayote squash vines to grow. I had to put the whole fruits with a beginning sprouts in a large pots with very sandy potting soil to keep them from rotting. After I FINALLY got THAT FAR, one night a raccoon reached in one of the pots and took out one of the sprouted squash and tried to eat it!!! SO, I stuck a tomato cage in each pot and encircled each cage with a good piece of old fiber glass screen (from someone who rescreened their screen room). I secured the screen with clothespins. So far, the raccoons have not been able to remove the clothes pins -- but it would not surprise me if they figure out how!!! Chayotes are day and night length sensitive, too. They should begin to bloom sometime around the Fall Equinox. I plan to put these potted ones in our large permanant cold frame and try to keep them alive and producing all winter -- if possible!

Hope the rest of you are enjoying your gardens!

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