Date: 20 Jan 2026
Smokey and Sunshine
Smokey: Yes.
Sunshine: Another article?
Smokey: No.
Sunshine: Advice?
Smokey: Also no.
Sunshine: Just plants?
Smokey: Just plants. New arrivals and top picks by our horticulturist
Sunshine: Perfect. I just enjoy the plants and coffee. Hope everyone reading does too.
Date: 23 Feb 2026
❄️ The Hardiness Report: February 2026 ❄️
🐾 Smokey & Sunshine’s real-world survival data from our Sebring, Florida Research Gardens. Smokey analyzed the data. Sunshine just stayed happy. Here is what they found.
Smokey: This is macadamia strength.
Sunshine: I should put a macadamia nut in my coffee and borrow some of that strength.
Smokey: Do not get too nutty yet. It still needs curing and cracking.
📊 Weather Data – February 1–6, 2026
Sebring, Florida – 132 years of recorded observations
This was not a light frost. It was a prolonged, windy, penetrating hard
freeze.
- 🌡 Minimum temperature: 25F
- ❄️ Wind chill: 14F
- ⏳ Duration: 3 nights of 8–10 hour hard freeze
- ☀️ Daytime temperatures: around 50F for 7 days
- 🌀 Wind: sustained 20 mph, gusts 40–50 mph
While all our plants in pots were protected in greenhouses, our in-ground plantings faced the freeze outdoors. We covered what we could. Even so, some plants were damaged, some died, and some surprised us by surviving.
In the next few newsletters, we will share the real survivors - the plants that proved themselves in the ground, under real conditions. Smokey and Sunshine have been out in the fields assessing the damage from the February 1–6 freeze. While many plants struggled, the Macadamia proved to be a true standout. This is how we grow them to handle the tough years.
Why does this matter? Because we have gotten used to warm winters, and this freeze was a rude awakening. Not everyone lives in Miami. If you garden in places where a real cold event can happen, you have to be prepared - and you have to plant what can take it.
🌰 Macadamia: Freeze Tested and Standing
When temperatures dropped to 25F with wind chill near 14F, our established macadamia trees remained upright, green, and structurally intact. Leaves held. Branches stayed firm. No collapse, no panic.
That is not luck. That is macadamia hardiness.
Often considered a "tropical luxury nut," macadamia proved it can handle more than many gardeners expect. In USDA Zones 9b-11, with proper drainage and site selection, it is not just ornamental - it is a long-term food tree with real resilience.
In a winter that reminded us not to take warmth for granted, macadamia earned its place on the survivor list.
The nut itself is famous for its strength. The shell is among the hardest in the nut world, requiring serious pressure to crack. Inside, the kernel is creamy, buttery, rich, and deeply satisfying. High in monounsaturated fats and naturally low in sugar, macadamias have long been valued both for flavor and for nutrition.
The tree is equally impressive. An evergreen with tough leaves and elegant spring flowers, it matures into a productive, manageable canopy. Nuts develop slowly over six to seven months. Production begins in a few years and increases steadily as the tree matures. Plant it once, and it can reward you for decades.
Cold will come again. It always does. The question is not whether winter will test your garden. The question is whether your trees are ready. Macadamia proved it is. If you are building a garden that feeds you for decades, this is a tree worth planting.
🛒 Add Macadamia Tree to your garden
Date: 21 Mar 2026
Today: Spring Equinox Plant Festival 🌿
Smokey: Under control. Try not to drop half of them.
Both: Friends, come over today.
Everything is ready for today at our Spring Equinox Plant Festival. The garden is full and we would love to see you. Come over today and enjoy it with us. SEE FULL EVENT DETAILS
Date: 26 Mar 2026
🌈 Adeniums: More Than Just Plants
Smokey: Caudex. Water and nutrient storage for future use.
Sunshine: I need a caudex too. For coffee and my donuts
Smokey: You already have one. Have you looked in the mirror lately?.
Read more about Smokey & Sunshine
🌱 Shape, Color, and Why Each Adenium Feels Unique
Adeniums can stop you in a strange way. It is not only the flowers, although they help. It is the whole plant. The swollen base, the curves, the way no two look quite the same. Some are thick and heavy, some more refined, almost like they were shaped on purpose. After a bit, you stop seeing them as regular plants and start treating them more like objects you want to keep and look at.
That is usually how a collection starts. One plant, then another that feels different, and then you want contrast. Light next to dark, soft next to bold, one with a wide base next to a taller form. It is not really about having many. It is about how they look together. And over time, each one changes a little, so the collection never stays the same.
Date: 27 Apr 2024
Longevity Spinach Superfood Recipes: how to make healthy food delicious
Can healthy food taste delicious?
Healthy Longevity Spinach... It tastes like... spinach? You can add it to your salads, but let's face it, you can only eat so much of a salad. So try it cooked - you will be so surprised and want to eat it every day!
🍳 Eggs with Longevity Spinach
You will need:
🌿 Longevity Spinach or Okinawa Spinach: 2 handfuls
- 1 cup Bacon (optional), sliced or chopped, or: 2 tbsp Olive or vegetable oil
1 large Onion, sliced in semi-rings
1 sweet pepper, red or yellow, sliced
3-5 cloves garlic, chopped (optional, to taste)
5-6 eggs
1 cup ground beef or turkey/chicken (optional), or mushrooms
½ cup shredded cheese (regular or Parmesan)
salt and pepper to taste
🌶 Sweet Chile Sauce (optional. Tastes great with this dish!)
- 🍷 a glass of your favorite wine or cocktail to enjoy your dinner
Preparation time: 10 min
Makes dinner for 2
Open detailed recipe
🛒 Order Longevity Spinach
#Edible_Forest #Recipes
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