I use ordinary commercial potting soil, - peat/pearlite/this and that - and if ice plant gets started in my containers, it can turn into a weed, choking out what ever else I'm trying to grow. busy pulling it out by the handful these days after it overwintered in the greenhouse. pretty stuff, in other environments. Here is a link that might be useful: like to what I've got

Thanks Sid. I figure if wine can be made from potatoes, winter squash isn't too far a stretch.

Hi I don't have answers sorry. I just read your post and this is an issue for us as well. We have a side by side with ice/water in the door but the space is too narrow for a family member who is wheelchair bound to be able to access most of the items in it. We are going to get an all refrigerator all freezer pair because they will be wide enough for him to get close enough to get things...and the Whirlpool sidekicks have slide out shelves. But none of these have ice/water in the door. I love my crushed ice and not to mention the accessiblity of the ice and water in the door. I thought about an ice machine but then my husband told me that they have to be cleaned often because the temperature in an ice machine allows bacteria to form versus an ice machine in a freezer? I don't know much about it...just started researching. I don't understand why the manufacturers don't offer ice and water in the door on all refrigerator all freezer pairs. I saw there are some refrigerators with top freezers that have water in the door.

sheryl - would it be possible to dry those tomatoes for wine making? I know how tough it is during the season when everything in the garden is ripening all at once. I'm always amazed when I talk with the folks on the Harvest Forum about ways to "preserve" their garden produce. Also - the maneuvering to freeze, can or dry stuff - depending on storage space. I'm always "organizing" my freezer, fridge and pantry to make room for the new arrivals. I'm on my 3rd batch of lime wine now - a great crop of them this winter. It gets a little easier each time, and with experience a lot better tasting. I think I can squeeze in one more round before they are gone. A lot of the juice has been frozen in ice cube trays. We use some for drinking limeade, and a lot is used in making jellies and fruit cannings. By the way - I never hear about limits - seems to me the gov't restricts individual alcohol making - but don't recall the details.