Malvaceae Family

This week, we will talk about the Malvaceae Family of plants. What on earth could that be? Let's see...

We know that it consists of over 4,000 species including hibiscus and okra. We sell lots of okra so this relates to our business.

Malvaceae Family - 5/20-5/26/2024

Monday, May 20, 2024

I didn't know salsa was so easy to make. It tastes so good!

Good Monday morning. I just had some eggs with some of the delicious salsa that I made yesterday afternoon. It was the first time that I have ever made it and I am hooked! The food processor did most of the work, almost pureeing everything. Then I cooked it on the stove until a lot of the liquid dissipated.

The temperature started out at 74° this morning but it will get up to 95° and it will be so humid, just like yesterday. Then tomorrow and for the rest of the week, it is supposed to be 98°, reaching 100° by Friday. I just hate the heat and humidity.

This apple tree is just loaded with apples and this is after we took a bunch off a few weeks ago to lighten the load.

After watering all of my plants near the Farm Store, I spent most of the day filling and mailing out orders. This is the norm every Monday because that is when we have the most orders. Congratulations go to Debbie of Louisville, Kentucky for having the 25,400th order today! You will be receiving six of our most popular seeds including a pack of our famous zinnia seeds and five others that you will enjoy having in your garden!

We had just one customer this afternoon, a lady who I had never met before. She actually lives close by and came over for eggs and some seeds. We had a nice visit.

The heat has been horrible. It got up to 95° and for the rest of the week, it will be 98° up to 100° according to the weather reports.

The meat birds seem to be doing very well, eating all of the scratch they can.

Malvaceae Family

Hey there, gardening enthusiasts! Whether you're a fresh face in the gardening world or a seasoned green thumb, today's discussion on the Malvaceae family of plants is sure to sprout new ideas and growing techniques for your garden.

Let’s get to know the Malvaceae family a bit better, shall we? This diverse group includes many plants that are vital to both our gardens and our kitchens. To many, it's surprising just how many commonly loved plants are part of this family.

First things first, what exactly is the Malvaceae family? Well, they are a family primarily of flowering plants, including everything from shrubs and herbs to trees and even some more aquatic plants. It's a broad family with a lot to offer!

Have you ever seen a field of cotton? I have both in El Paso and other parts of Texas as well as in Arkansas. It looks beautiful.

The Malvaceae family consists of a lot of flowering plants. Some are edible, some are delicious, and some are used for medicinal purposes. One is used to make clothing--cotton.

Some of the most common members of the Malvaceae family are:

Cacao
Cotton
Durian
Hibiscus
Hollyhock
Mallow
Marshmallow
Okra

The only seeds we currently sell in the Malvaceae family are okra seeds. Check out our okra seeds and okra articles here.

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

I cleaned out the fish pond today. Not sure where they came from, but there were a lot of pieces of hay floating in the pond. They were not there yesterday.

Good Tuesday morning. It is currently 79° and the humidity is thick. The sky is overcast and it should hit 98° today. Here is our summer forecast for the next five months or so: Miserably hot and humid with little to no rain.

Oh how I hate this heat! I need to go out and water the plants in my backyard again.

I watered the plants and I do need to do some transplanting but the time goes by quickly in the mornings and I ran out of time. I did find one sweet potato vine growing out of the compost so I cut that and have it rooting in water.

I worked on orders. We had no customers today. This afternoon, we went to Tractor Supply for some fence gates for the goat run. David had ordered them online but Tractor Supply canceled the order this morning. Fortunately for us, the Tractor Supply in Devine had some. We bought them and got some chlorine tablets for the pool at Walmart.

My left elbow was injured this past weekend carrying five gallons of water, I think, and today it was very painful so I need to keep it bent.

The heat was just horrific, even this evening when I put the chickens away, I thought I would melt away in the few moments that I was outside.

This evening, I balanced the checkbook. Tomorrow I will pay bills and David has a doctor's appointment in San Antonio.

Do you want to hear a good one? David got an email addressed to David's Garden Seeds with this request:

I am interested in enrolling my grandkids for squash lessons.

What? We sell squash seeds but we don't give squash lessons! Hilarious! This is the first time we have been asked to give sports lessons.

We get plenty of emails that should go to David's Seeds, the edible snack food sunflower company, telling us that some of the packs were stale or moldy and wanting a replacement. We also get emails telling us that customers want free snack seeds for their birthday and for other occasions.

Of course, we are David's Garden Seeds, not David's Seeds and we are located in Poteet, Texas, not in Fresno, California. Actually, David's Seeds is no longer an independently run company. They are part of ConAgra now. You can contact them at https://www.conagrabrands.com/contact-us if you want to complain about their snack foods or make requests for free products.

Malvaceae Family

Imagine a field of chocolate...this is how it grows, a field of cacao, part of the Malvaceae family.

Above is a lush green field, where rows of cacao trees are steadily growing under a clear blue sky. The cacao trees carry multiple cacao pods in varying stages of growth. Some pods, still green, hang tightly to the tree branches, while others, ripened to a deep brown, are almost ready to be harvested. The morning sun casts a warm glow over the field, illuminating the vivid colors of the foliage.

Among the famous members of this family, you'll find the hibiscus, okra, cotton, and even cocoa! Yes, that’s right – chocolate grows on trees in the Malvaceae family. It’s quite exciting to think about the possibility of growing your own chocolate, isn’t it?

Let's dive into how to garden these extraordinary plants. Starting with the basics – the right conditions. Most Malvaceae plants thrive in warm environments with plenty of sunlight. They generally prefer well-drained soil that's rich in organic matter.

When planting, make sure to give each plant in the Malvaceae family enough space to grow. This varies among species, so it’s best to follow specific spacing guidelines for the plant you choose. For instance, hibiscus plants need about 2-3 feet, as they tend to spread out.

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Good morning. We are up early to get ready to go to San Antonio. We have several errands plus a doctor's appointment to get to today. Plus Nacho is coming out to do a few things, one team member will be here an hour early and leave two hours early. Another has to leave early to go to the dentist so there are a lot of moving parts to today.

The cat woke us all up twice in the night. The last time was around 4:30am. I thought she was hungry so I fed her but a few bites into it, she started carrying on again...Fun times. Then Ethel went out to go potty at 6:30am and ate some honeysuckle leaves. She loves them but they always make her throw up. Fortunately, she stayed outside long enough to barf out there.

David is out front unlocking everything so the early team member can clock in when he gets here which should be right about now.

Well, we ended up being seven minutes late to the dermatology appointment. I called on the way because traffic was moving so slowly. They said they would give us a ten minute grace period. David dropped me off at the door and I rushed up to the third floor and checked in with three minutes to spare. I filled out new paperwork online since David has never been there before. David finally came up and the doctor was so nice. He cut three large skin tags off of his neck.

Once that was done, we drove all the way over to Live Oak to Red Hot Signs, the company that made our David's Garden Seeds signs. We had them make a new church sign.

We had lunch at Good Time Charlie's. Business was booming!

Then we went to eat at Good Time Charlie's. We lived in San Antonio for 20 years but never ate there. It was pretty good and very busy down on Broadway. Once that was done, we made our way over to visit a friend who had surgery. Then we came back to the farm where I have been mailing out orders. Nacho has been here cutting the acreage and taking down the old fence. Matt picked a bunch of ripened tomatoes this afternoon.

Matt picked a lot of tomatoes this afternoon.

The whole day has been overcast and hazy. I took some photos of downtown and you can see how unclear the downtown buildings are from the freeway. It is currently 98° with a heat advisory. Thankfully, the humidity is way down at 41% and it is very breezy.

San Antonio was very hazy as we approached the downtown area.

There is the Hemisfair. I really like going up there.

We went to church this evening for a meal and then a prayer meeting and then back home. It was a long day and I was very tired. The new field looks good after being shredded. The fence got taken down. There is always something new going on at David's Garden Seeds®.

Nacho brought a tractor to shred the field we bought in January.

I just couldn't resist getting on the tractor.

Doesn't it look nice?

Fruits Of The Spirit

As many of you know, we are Christians and have been since we were children. Recently, we went through some pretty bad stuff at a church which reminded us of what we went through at the hands of four churches that David pastored. The people treated us badly and some would not speak to us at all. Their children teased our children at school and most of the churches still owe us money after over 30 years.

This, folks, is not Christian behavior by any means. I have subscribed to Our Daily Verse email and today's verse and devotion hit home. I did not write this. I have copied it so you can see what your church should look like. If you would like to subscribe to Our Daily Verse, here is the link. If the people in your church are not treating you kindly, don't stay and fight. Run. Find a new church. Fighting just tears you up inside and there is no peace. I was actually hating Sundays again. So we finally shook the dust off of our feet and moved on. I wish we had left months sooner.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

In a world that pressures us to chase after success, status, and material wealth, Galatians 5:22-23 reminds us of a different harvest: the fruit of the Spirit. These nine qualities—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—are not something we can manufacture on our own. They are gifts, grown within us by the Holy Spirit, when we abide in Christ.

Imagine a life where these qualities flourish, where love replaces anger, patience overcomes frustration, and kindness wins over bitterness. This is the life God desires for us, a life that radiates His presence and reflects His character to the world. So today, let's choose to nurture these fruits in our lives. Let's open our hearts to the Holy Spirit's gentle guidance and allow Him to transform us from the inside out. As we do, we'll discover a joy that transcends circumstances, a peace that surpasses understanding, and a love that knows no bounds.

--Our Daily Verse

Malvaceae Family

The marshmallow plant is part of the Malvaceae family.

Watering is crucial, especially in the growing stages. While the need varies among the different plants in the Malvaceae family, a good rule of thumb is to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Overwatering can be just as harmful as under watering.

Fertilization is next and choosing the right type can make all the difference. Most plants in the Malvaceae family will benefit from a balanced fertilizer that promotes blooming and vegetative growth. Remember, less is more, so don’t over-fertilize.

What about caring for these plants through the seasons? During the hot months, ensure they get plenty of water and perhaps some shade during the hottest part of the day. In colder months, protection from frost is critical for some members of this family.

Thursday, May 23, 2024

My zinnias in front of the Farm Store are coming up.

There are a lot of new wildflowers in the field.

Good morning. I woke up freezing in the house but it is miserably humid outside at 78°. The air feels thick out there. We got a bunch of tomatoes harvested yesterday, both beefsteak and cherry, even some plum tomatoes. I will be making salsa again.

Indian Blankets grow near our mailbox.

Matt harvested our peaches and cream corn today. I blanched some and put it in the freezer. We cooked the rest for dinner this evening. It was very good. I also made shrimp and macaroni with parmesan cheese, a very tasty meal!

This morning, I also made several batches of spaghetti sauce from our fresh tomatoes and several batches of salsa from our tomatoes and our hot peppers. Matt also picked a lot of apples but I ran out of time to make some apple juice and to cut up apples to put in the freezer. I will do that tomorrow and/or Saturday.

Most of the day was spent pulling and mailing seed orders. No customers at the Farm Store.

Memorial Day Sale

Today started our 25% off of all seeds sale for Memorial Day. I sent out a newsletter to everyone subscribed to this website as well as to David's Garden Seeds®. Only seeds are on sale and in order to get the discount, you must spend at least $25 on seeds. Quite a few customers have already taken advantage of this great sale. You can take advantage of this sale by shopping here.

I spent the afternoon filling orders. The heat and humidity were horrible. After cleaning the kitchen up from dinner tonight, I paid all of our company and personal bills for another month. We had zero customers at the Farm Store today, just like the last two days.

We will be open on Saturday for business from 10am until 2pm but we will be closed on Monday, Memorial Day. As always, we are closed on Sunday.

Malvaceae Family

Here is some of our pickled okra. David made this.

Moving on to the fascinating part—how to harvest. Plants like okra, for instance, need to be picked when they are tender and not too mature, or else they become tough. Regular picking encourages the plant to produce more.

When it comes to harvesting cotton, it’s all about timing. The bolls (where the cotton fibers grow) need to fully mature, opening up to reveal the fluffy fibers inside, which are then ready to be picked.

And let’s not forget hibiscus – the flowers should be harvested when they are fully open, ideally early in the morning. These can be used to make teas or as an edible garnish.

After harvesting, the fun part begins; using what you’ve grown. Okra can be used in dishes like stews and gumbo, hibiscus can be dried for teas, and for those lucky enough to grow cocoa, there’s the potential to make homemade chocolate.

Cocoa beans, for instance, undergo a long process to become chocolate, including fermenting, drying, roasting, and grinding. While it might be a challenge for a home grower, it’s a rewarding process for the avid gardener.

Friday, May 24, 2024

Good Friday afternoon. The day has been hot and humid. I worked mostly on orders and transferred last night's laundry to the dryer. Michelle came out and cleaned. I just got done doing some living room dusting that did not get done. I plan to make a loaf of banana bread and some apple juice this afternoon as well as boil some eggs.

We had two customers today and between them, they bought four plants, four packs of seeds, two packs of snack pecans and a pound of ground pecan coffee.

It is now 4:27pm and it is 101° so we finally hit 100° for the first time this season. Full on summer is here. The humid misery has begun. I will be getting in the pool this weekend. We are open tomorrow from 10am until 2pm and then I have the next two days off. David sold 20 dozen of my eggs today. I have to take them to Devine tomorrow to our wonderful barber! Yay! Thank you to David and Maria! I so appreciate it!

Two trucks drove in right after I typed the above paragraph. One man wanted to look at the hoop houses and tomatoes. The other family wanted to buy some seeds. Both have been here before. It is nice to have return customers and such nice people. It is now 5:22pm so I am going to sign off and go make dinner. I think I will finally get in the pool for a bit for the first time this season. I have no eggs to sell for tomorrow but we have plenty of seeds and coffee beans.

Malvaceae Family

This is a picture of a beautiful pink hibiscus plant, a part of the malvaceae family.

In your gardening journey with the Malvaceae family, don’t hesitate to experiment. Try different placements in your garden, alternating water schedules, or even playing around with natural pest repellents like neem oil.

If you’re worried about starting big, why not start small? A single hibiscus in a sunny spot of your living room or a small pot of okra on your balcony can be just as rewarding as a large garden. Just make sure that your plants get between six and eight hours of sunlight per day.

Saturday, May 25, 2024

Good morning. It is miserably thick with humidity outside at 79°. I have to go out and feed the animals. There is no breeze at all. It feels like an oven. The high should be 101° but yesterday hit 102°. I never did get a chance to try out the pool. I had to bake banana bread and make dinner. Dinner was ready at 7pm. Working constantly means I never get to have free time to do anything fun.

David is planning to mow this morning. Scratch that! It is way too hot and humid for that. It feels like a wet oven out there. I was out for over an hour, taking care of the animals and then watering my plants. I also filled 12 pots with soil to transplant later on.

I have been pulling orders and I waited on two customers today. We just had our 25,500th customer so he will be getting some free seed varieties. Congratulations to Dwight in Katonah, NY!

All of our coffee is now on sale from $16.25 to $12.95! You can see what we have left of our coffee here.

And remember when you spend $25 on seeds, including seed collections, your seed order is discounted 25% now through Tuesday, May 28, 2024 for our Memorial Day Sale!

The breeze is now picking up so it will feel a bit better than with the hot, wet air standing still. Thank you, God, for the breeze. We are going to run a few errands after we close, including delivering 20 dozen eggs. It is now 1:15pm. We close in 45 minutes. We had just two customers today. Then we closed at 2pm and delivered 20 dozen eggs to someone up in Devine.

Then we went to the church where David will be preaching tomorrow because their pastor is out of town. David likes to rehearse directly in the pulpit to get a feel for the place before he preaches. After that, we came home and started getting ready for dinner.

I made sweet potato and potato fries in the air fryer. I also made broccoli and cauliflower and chopped up a delicious tomato from our garden. Matt came over and grilled ribeyes. We watched the Svengoolie movie, Destroy All Monsters. It was fun.

Malvaceae Family

Clemson Spineless Perfection okra seems to be everyone's favorite. We sell it the most of all of our okra varieties.

Now, let's talk about some tips from personal experience. Each plant in the Malvaceae family is unique and might require slight adjustments in care and handling. Trial and error, along with a love for gardening, will guide you to perfect your cultivation technique.

Remember, the key to successful gardening in this family lies in understanding the specific needs of each plant. Hubert, my neighbor, swears by his special compost mix for his hibiscus that makes them bloom like crazy!

It’s also essential to be observant. Watch for signs of distress like wilting or discoloration, which could signal problems like pests or diseases. Early detection makes management much easier.

Hollyhocks are members of the Malvaceae family. We sell the seeds but it is important for you to know that they are poisonous if you kids and/or pets.

Sunday, May 26, 2024

David was a guest preacher this morning for a vacationing pastor.

Good morning. It is 79° but will reach 99° today. I got up early and cleaned up the kitchen. There were dishes and pans everywhere. That is because the dishwasher was going last night when I should have done the dishes. So it is now all cleaned up and I had some banana bread with coffee. David is still asleep. I have to go out and feed all of the animals.

This afternoon, I have to make a big batch of potato salad, deviled eggs, and peach pies for tomorrow. A friend of David is smoking briskets and we are buying one. They are big. We will be sharing our giant brisket with some friends on Memorial Day.

Remember that we will be closed tomorrow. I need a day off once in a while. I actually need two of them each week, but that is beside the point.

I spent the afternoon making potato salad, deviled eggs, and peach pies just as I said earlier. My back was done for the day. Then I remembered that we had special ordered some tamales and should have gotten them yesterday but we forgot. We called the lady and then headed over to Natalia to pick them up. The tamales are very good. The masa is so moist.

My top oven baked this one a bit too dark. Darn. But it still tastes good!

Malvaceae Family

Red Burgundy Okra in various stages on the vine in our garden.

Lastly, remember to enjoy the process. Gardening is not just about the end product; it’s about learning, experiencing, and growing alongside your plants. Every little success and setback is a step forward in your gardening journey.

To sum up, the Malvaceae family of plants offers a fascinating variety of gardening options, each with unique care needs and benefits. Whether you're cultivating hibiscus for its beautiful flowers or growing okra for its delicious pods, there's much joy and fulfillment to be found in learning how to garden and harvest these wonderful plants.

So, why not choose a Malvaceae plant today? Start small, learn continuously, and expand your garden as you gain more confidence and expertise. Happy gardening!

Return from Malvaceae Family to Year Five On The Farm

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