While John's greenhouse is highly productive, our own greenhouse at Johnson's Backyard Garden has been going through some difficulties with mice.  It seems they are very fond of newly planted seed trays. So far the mice have made quick work of watermelon, muskmelon, basil and cucumber seeds that have not yet germinated. Our greenhouse can not really be mouse proofed efficiently; too many gaps exist, the biggest are under the sliding doors.  In the past, newly filled flats were placed on the floor of the greenhouse. We have recently tried elevating the newly planted seed flats. We set four 5 gallon buckets upside down and placed tables on top. The seeded flats are now out of the reach of the mice, who are unable to climb the slick walls of the 5 gallon buckets. Though it may look funny, it has worked to eliminate mouse feeding.

• The Nightshade Family: Fruit or Vegetable?

The controversy over whether a tomato is a fruit or vegetable reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 1893. A tariff law imposed a duty on vegetables but not fruits caused the tomato's status to become a matter of legal importance. On February 4, 1887 action was brought against the collector of the port of New York to recover back duties paid under protest on tomatoes imported by the plaintiff from the West Indies, which the collector assessed under the Tariff Act of March 3, 1883. This controversy was settled in 1893 when the U.S. Supreme Court declared that the tomato was a vegetable. The Court's official interpretation was based on the popular dictionary definition which classifies a vegetable as something eaten at dinner with your main entree, but not as a dessert. The case is known as Nix v. Hedden, 149 U.S. 304 (May 10, 1893). As a result of this ruling, the nightshade family (Solanaceae) includes several species of fruits which are better-known as vegetables to most people. Botanically speaking, these "vegetables" are technically botanical fruits because they are seed-bearing structures that develop from the ripened ovaries of flowers. Because the entire fruit wall or pericarp is fleshy, it is technically called a berry. The cultivated tomato is native to South America, although archaeological evidence suggests that it was domesticated in Mexico and Central America. The Maya called the fruit tomatl, a name that was corrupted by the Spanish into tomate, and by the English into tomato. The tomato flower structure illustrates that the tomato is  closely related to the genus Solanum which includes the potato, eggplant, pepper, tomatilla and many other nightshades.

• Tomatillo , Peppers, and Eggplant Starts are now Available for Sale (along with our Heirloom Tomatoes):

We've added three varieties of organic tomatillo, four varieties of eggplant, and ten varieties of peppers to our list of starts available for your home garden. Heirloom tomatoes continue to sell at a fast pace as home gardeners get that spring itch to start planting. If you’re interested in enriching your family's diet and garden experience, check out our web site to place your order. CSA members can have vegetable starts delivered to your weekly drop off site for the next couple of weeks.  General public orders may be picked up at the farm stand, in front of the greenhouse, at 9515 Hergotz Lane. All transplants are seeded to 1? plugs and cost $1.00 each for Johnson’s Backyard Garden CSA members and $1.75 for the general public. We require a $20.00 minimum order, and this minimum can include any combination of the plants we have available. Remember, these starts have been produced in our greenhouse and need to be hardened off for a few days before planting in your garden. Place the starts, still in their tray, under your house eaves or a patio awning. This practice will allow the greenhouse plants to gradually adjust to the colder temperatues of the great outdoors. Water the starts a few times each day to prevent them from wilting in their small 1" plugs.  If a late season frost is in the forcast, be sure to cover your veggie starts with row cover, an old sheet, or a layer of newspaper. Eggplant Tomatillo Peppers

• Permaculture Design Course

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. select weekend days until today. Check www.permie.us for schedule. TreeFolks, 10803 Platt Lane. $500 whole course; $60 each day. 619-5363.

• Ten-Minute Gardener Series

4 p.m. Tuesday. Earth-kind and water-wise landscaping. Bastrop 1832 Farmers Market, 1302 Chestnut St., in the Market Building at the back of the lot, Bastrop. Free. www.bastrop1832farmersmarket.org.

• Permaculture Winter 2009 Series

7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, through April 8. Permaculture talks and videos about sustainability. Habitat Suites, 500 E. Highland Mall Drive. Free. 619-5363. www.permie.us.

• Trowel and Error

Mayfield Park Gardening Symposium. 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 4. Mayfield Park, 3505 W. 35th St. Free; $5 donation requested. www.mayfieldpark.org. This savory spinach pie gets richness from cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, and eggs. You may substitute 1 pound of thawed frozen spinach for the fresh, but be sure to squeeze out all the water. Like quiche, the pie may be served warm or at room temperature. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes 1 teaspoon butter 1/4 cup diced sweet onion 1-1/2 pounds fresh spinach, large stems removed and coarsely chopped 1 (8 ounces) package cream cheese, at room temperature 3/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 4 eggs 8 ounces (2 cups) grated Cheddar cheese, divided use 1 unbaked prepared pie shell Gently saute sweet onions in the butter in a large, deep skillet until translucent. Add chopped spinach and stir constantly until spinach has released its water. Remove from heat. Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour in the spinach mixture. Pull up the corners of the cheesecloth, and twist to squeeze out all of the water. Let cool to room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 F. Beat cream cheese with milk, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add eggs, beating until combined. Stir in drained spinach and onions and half (1 cup) of the Cheddar cheese. Pour into prepared pie shell and bake for 25 minutes. Remove spinach pie from oven. Sprinkle remaining Cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Return to the oven and bake an additional 5 minutes, until cheese melts. Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting. This savory pie is good warm or at room temperature. Yield: 6 to 8 slices

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