Practical Matters For Physically Challanged Gardeners#4

Oh, Jasminium sambac! That is the “real deal” among jasmines in my mind. I want that one, but I need to wait until I have a new greenhouse. There just isn’t enough good light in my house to winter over any more tropicals.
I wonder if you can make catsup from ‘Better boy’ tomatoes. Those are the ones ripening now. It looks like ‘Roma’ will come next. I received some seeds as an extra surprise with a trade. They were simply labeled ‘Heirloom’. Can’t wait to see what those will turn out to be like. Have any of you tried saving heirloom tomato seeds from year-to-year? I’ve never tried because it seemed too complicated. But, now I’m hearing they don’t have to go through that fermenting thing to be viable from one year to the next.
Good article on bay laurel, Carrie. I must have missed that one. I bought a bay laurel from Companion Plants a few years ago when I had to pay what I thought was an outrageous price for a few bay leaves at the grocery store. It was kidnapped (5-gallon pot and all!) by one of my daughters when she left home. (There seems to be a lot of plant related criminal activity around here. LOL.) I’ll have to drop the Companion Plants website address and a none-too-subtle hint in her email. Remind her when my b’day is and that I still have Emerald perfume from Christmas. Not only does she always give me perfume, it is always the same perfume. LOL.
Okay, I confess. I can’t deal with the guilt anymore. I’ve committed multiple thyme murders. I don’t know if it is something I’m doing wrong once their planted, if I’m not choosing good places in the garden for them or if I just didn’t choose the right variety for a hot, humid climate to begin with. Jim says maybe this just isn’t a region where thyme will grow, but, it seems to me, if thyme is available in local nurseries, it must grow for most of their customers. Otherwise, they wouldn't have it in stock. I would love to have some thyme here, but I need to do some research and find out what I’m doing wrong first. I have the herb fennel and bronze fennel. I had anise hyssop, but my silly dog ate it. From what was said in a recent DG article, that may have been a blessing. I think the article was "Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time" The writer said it can be invasive.)
Vickie, I received a book on canning and preserving without sugar. I think I will try it. You’re on a low-sugar diet, aren’t you? Have you ever tried the sugar-free fruit preserves? And, if so, did you like them? Kay*
Photo: Vitex negundo The small panicles aren't much to look at, but it is the foliage that is scented. It reminds some people of lemon pepper.

Kay, the Maid of Orleans will live outside for me except it was damaged heavily last year. I have it in a huge pot and did cover it. It's coming back nicely. I've actually got some cuttings in here on my plant stand. If they root, I'll send you one if you'd like? As long as you can protect it from the hard freeze ... it will come back. I'll try to get a picture of mine. :-)

Carrie, I was thinking more along the line of figuring out the amout of fresh tomatoes to equal the canned ones. :-) I've been putting some up in the freezer.

Vickie have you ever tried the agave necter as a sugar substitute? It's suppose to be a low-glycemic sweetener. :-)

Okay, I don't see any plums for a midnight snack so will toddle off to bed ... Y'all have a blessed one!

Kay, I save seeds from heirloom tomatoes all the time. It is easy, and no equipment to purchase. I just scoop the seeds out of the tomato, put them in one of those plastic drink cups, add about a tablespoon of water, and set it in my window for a few days. It doesn't really have to ferment, but needs to sit there for a few days. That process just makes it easier for the gelatinous material that is naturally around the seed to dissolve. When that happens (you will see a little mold), then I just pour the seeds and liquid in a strainer, and rinse with tap water, to make sure all the gelatinous material is gone. Then i wash and dry the cup, and put the cleaned seeds back in the cup, and leave them there until they dry. After thoroughly dry, I put them in envelopes, and mark them.

Hope that helps. There are more catalogs that do carry the heirloom seeds, but why pay those ridiculous prices for a packet of about 10 seeds, when you can save your own?

Kay, I always saved my tomato seeds too. But i used saucers instead of cups and set them on my porch with a little of the tomato gooey in it when it dried i just rinsed it off and let it dry again and stuck it in envelopes. I could'nt see buyng new seeds each year either. Also scraped cuke seeds out and let them dry after i let a cucumber get large and yellow.. And let field peas dry and shelled them, and cantelopes and watermelons.Sometimes we saved potatoes for the next year. We never botherd with radishes,turnips,squash or cabbage,or green beans or english peas.
My plums are not totally ripe yet but they are getting yellowish.
I've heard of agave nectar and bought some in cans from Mexico but had'nt thought of it as a sweetner. I just drink the juice.
Did you mean substituting whole fresh tomatoes? Cut up the tomatoes and see how many ounces in your can. One cup is equal to 8oz.
Vickie

Kay, I think it is the humidity. Thyme is tough and will withstand heat and drought much more easily. It is also supposed to root well from cuttings. I have some exotics that might do better in a humid area (nutmeg, orange balsam, spicy orange). Let me try rooting some. If they take, I will send to you to try out. They would be fun to add to the scent garden. :-)

Debra

ooh, that spicy orange thyme sounds wonderful. I have about a 3-5' area next to the driveway at the SW corner of the house.

Sheri

We need some RAIN. Think we are down than five inches for the year. My yard shows it, too. Only good thing is that sheets and towels dry on the line in less than an hour. LOL

Thanks, Bonnie and Vickie. You make saving tomato seeds simple enough even I can do it. :-) I want to work with more heirloom varieties.
Vickie, maybe I can become a gypsy tinker. Traveling from garden to garden sharpening hoes and pruners. I guess if I did that I would have to turn that old bus into a rolling greenhouse to get Kay to travel with me. lol.
Harvested black beans and blueberries yesterday. 'Santa Rosa' plums are still not quite there. Never realized it took them such a long time to ripen. The European blue plum I grew from seed has afternoon shade. It is handling the heat so far. The white yarrow, cannas, purple passionflower and the ever-present spiderwort are the only blooms brave enough to stand up to the recent high heat. It is lavender that is carrying the fragrance garden right now. I like sitting on the porch after the lavender has been watered. You were sure right about that, Debra. There is a birst of fragrance when the water hits it and as the water evaporates the scent drifts thru the whole area.
I read somewhere, in medieval times it was considered the height of fashion for a woman to smell of thyme. I thought it must have been because thyme was so closely associated with the fairy folk. Kay tells me that was probably because they weren't much on bathing and thyme repels body and head lice. lol. My dearly beloved is such a romantic. Can you imagine what they would have thought of all the thyme varieties available today. (Jim)

Well it's thundering around now. Maybe it'll bring some rain.
Jim if you become a gypsy tinker talk Kay into becoming a fortune teller. Think of the fun she could have.I've got a black cat I'll loan her.
She could tell scraps SIL,s fortune and scare him to death. LOL
Kay was probably right about the body odor thing. I read once that queen Elisabeth 1st said she took a bath once a year if she needed it or not.
I need to go see if my thyme has survived among all the weeds across the road.
Our neighbors humungus hog came for a visit yesterday. I'd never dreamed that hog would come all the way up here. He did'nt do any damage except get into my garbage.YUK! But i guess he's the culpret who broke into my dogpen.

How could I have been so stupid! The answer to my thyme growing problem is so obvious! In my grandfather’s bedtime stories, the Jotnar (giants) knew the secrets of Faye (fairy) magic so could not be enchanted. For that reason, the Faye avoided them whenever possible. My grandfather always told me the reason I was so tall is we descend from the Jotnar. And, EVERYONE knows thyme will flourish only where the fairies dance. The source of my problem is simple. No fairies. LOL. The humidity probably has something to do with it, as well. I’m sure the fairies don’t enjoy dancing on hot, humid nights. Now I just have to figure out how to attract a fairy and negotiate a peace in the ancient Faye/Jotnar feud. Anyone know what to put in fairy feeders? I’ve started making a fairy garden in one of Jim’s old bonsai containers. The kids will get a kick out of it. Jim, himself, is painting indoors today.
My only claim to outdoor garden work is bringing vinegar water to a boil in my teapot and pouring it over the centipede grass that is invading the pathways. The temperature is hovering around 90 which I can stand. But, the humidity is 62%. You need gills to spend much time outside today and I’m a mere amphibian. Teapot is starting to whistle. Have a good day, Everyone.
BTW: Be wary of that hog, Vickie. They can be vicious. I'm serious about that. Kay*

Kay, invite the Seelie Court fairies, first. If you offer thyme for repose, rosemary for remembrance, music for frolic, grass fans in the breeze to cool their steps, and the fragrance of flowers to soothe their spirits...they will come... :-)

Debra

We will put the completed fairy gardens in the Cando Container Garden and Patsy can tend it to show we don’t discriminate against little people. :-) We wouldn’t want to attract the Unseelie Court. (Nadine is of Scottish descent so she was able to explain fairy hierarchy to us.)
Researching ‘Ham and Egg’ lantana today. I was under the impression that it did not spread by seed, but several have come up where we had one last year. We moved it from a high traffic area because so many people have a contact allergy to it. I would like to keep a few to turn into standards though since it is one of the few things that will flower reliably in our midsummer heat and I think it looks neat when it is covered in jet black berries. But, if those berries are viable it could become a problem. Since there are so many berries and only a couple plants where the old one was, perhaps it came back from missed pieces of root.
Found several fist size watermelons today. The tags were missing. (Kids or dogs are the most likely culprits.) I think they are probably ‘Bambino’ though.
.I smell fresh blueberry muffins. They are calling my name. Have a good day, All. (Jim)
Photo: Patsy (4'9") with granddaughter.

A lovely picture and GD looks fascinated.
I love Lantana, They're hardy lil boogers but they do like to be fertilized.They do well in containers too.
I googled fairys too Learned they are also called Faye, I ws told i was Faye when i was little. I can now take that as a compliment. Also read they like woodland gardens. So i should have a lot.
We raised hogs several years and i was the midwife. So i know they can be dangerous. They never threatened me. I kinda think they knew i was there to help. The neighbors hog was different. I did'nt lke her and she knew it. I've also been close to wild hogs and their babies and they did'nt bother me. Could be cause i was Feye. LOL

When I was little, I remember a pig attacking my father. He, my brother and the vet had separated a sow from her piglets to treat the piglets for something. The piglets were squealing and the sow splintered a wooden gate to get to them. The vet and my brother understood what they were facing and vaulted the fence, but my father didn’t think an old sow was a threat. (My mother kept the farm going. Dad was more comfortable on a boat.) The pig tore him up before the vet was able to drive her back with an electric cattle prod. People who have never been around pigs usually scoff when you describe pigs as “fierce”. If I had not seen what they are capable of, I’m not sure I would have believed it of them either.
It is fascinating the way some people can connect with animals. Jim found Fenny as a small puppy hiding in a drainage pipe. Evidently dumped. We were about to have one of our torrential rainstorms so he knew he had to get her out or she would drown. But, he couldn’t reach her and she was afraid to get close to him. He came and got me, thinking she might respond better to a soft female voice. I cooed, coaxed and even tried to bribe her, but she wouldn’t come out for me either. Nadine came to check out what we were doing standing in the ditch. She looked in the pipe and said, “Get out of there you silly thing.” Fenny came out without hesitation, tail wagging and started licking her. LOL.
Raining, (AGAIN) so it’s a much-needed housekeeping day. Oh boy! What fun! NOT!!! Kay*

Jim (and Kay), I love Lantana but DH is wicked allergic to it. That's ok, it's hardly ever for sale up here as it is absolutely an annual. Is Ham and Eggs a bushy one or a trailing one? I might ask (nicely) for some seeds of that, if it's not too much trouble. I know I already had my yearly Armagia care package.

Also for your scented garden, would scented geraniums be hardy down there? Look for an article soon - by critterologist.) Monarda smells like oregano, yarrow smells like my grandmother's garden, fennel and anise and all those I think I already mentioned. Good luck on the thyme!

Oh and for sure plant some fuzzy bunny ears for a tactile garden...is that a betony...hmm....can't think of the formal name for it.

Are you thinking about Lamb's Ears (Stachys Byzantina)?

I've got lambs ears, somewhere. Theres another plant i have that looks and feels like lambs ears but is something different,It's a hardier plant. My white oriental lillys are blooming. They came up from seed. As a gopher ate all the old ones i had. One has yellow stripes down the petals and i did'nt have one like that. I have some small hostas come from seed too and they have big flowers for such little plants.They are a pale violet color.Black eyed susans are putting on a show. Wild coryopsis should bloom next.
I have found a veggie stand that sells homegrown tomatoes and cukes. Boy oh boy am i gonna pig out. Our plums are getting ripe too.
Vickie

YO, Check out farmlife forum. DG is talking about maybe having an old fashioned fair on DG. I love it.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/farmlife/all/

This message was edited Jul 2, 2010 1:37 AM

Vickie, rose campion, perhaps? (Silene coronaria) I been growing that one because it has a similar feel to Stachys byzantina. I didn't realize I could grow lamb's ears/bunny ears this far south.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/80/
I haven’t been able to find Lamb’s ears in local nurseries. I have looked for it because I've seen it used to good effect as a border plant. (I'm trying to get away from using so much mondo grass. It can look ratty in full sun.) I’ve heard people in the SE call Stachys byzantina bunny ears. Coming out of OK/TX though, when I hear “bunny ears” I think of a type of cactus by that name. LOL. Not an enjoyable tactile experience.
Some sources list Zone 8 as the southern limit for Stachys byzantina, but I noticed PlantFiles says all the way through Zone 10. That may be why I haven’t been able to find them. Maybe the nurserymen read some of the same books. LOL. I usually take zone recommendations only as general guidelines because Amargia has micro-climates both cooler and warmer than normal. I accept something is not hardy here only after I’ve killed it myself. I'll check for invasive potential to make sure that isn't why I haven't seen it in local nurseries. Then, I'll see if I can kell it. (grin) Kay*

Oh know, now you've done it ... :-) you've introduced me to a new plant. I had the lamb's ears at one time but actually gave it to a friend of mine with children. It was a potted plant. LOL I couldn't resist that one just for the feel of it. grin I'll have to go check out that link on the Farm Life forum ...

Thanks for that link, Vickie. Hope they can pull it off. I put in my 2-cents worth. But, unless they have an ugly dog contest or prizes for the best birdhouses I’m afraid their want be any Blue Ribbon for me. LOL. Never know though. My SIL won the Blue Ribbon for Houseplants at the Peanut Festival one year with a pineapple plant she started from the top of a grocery store pineapple. Pineapple plants really are cool looking when they start producing.
Carrie, I’ll send some lantana your way. What we have is the bushy type. They should make good standards. You can help me determine once and for all if the seeds are viable. A plant produces lots of interesting looking seed clusters. I like those as much as the flowers.
Susan, we will take our cues from you and grow Lamb’s Ears in containers at first to check them out. I’ve never seen them survive in the wild here. There are some reports from Illinois that they have escaped cultivation. But, I’m not seeing any reports of problems in the Deep South. I’ve noticed wooly foliage plants don’t like sustained moisture on their leaves so they probably can’t handle our humid climate without help.
Kay is looking for the ultimate blueberry muffin recipe. It was blueberry-orange muffins today. This is my favorite so far. If summer had a taste, this would be it. I’m the official taste tester. Oh, the sacrifices I make for the advancement of the culinary arts. LOL. (Jim)
Photo: 'Gala' apple tree with a few green apples hanging prettily. Gala is a very early ripening variety.

Stacy was given to me as lambs ears and was several years before i found the difference and now they grow wild. but i did have one lambs ear by my peppermint and douple ditch lillys. Have got to look good and see if it's still alive.
My tiger lillys are blooming as well as several oriental lillys. I think they have cross bred (Not the tigers) as they came up as seedlings. But they still have an unbeleavable fragrance.
Gala apples taste good too. My favorites have always been Jonathons.

I nearly drool at the descriptions and pictures of some lilies. Wish they weren't so expensive and out of my price range. I used to have some Tigers but the shrubs near them have blocked the sun so that they haven't bloomed in a few years now.
Some of the lovely pink flowered Oxalis from Armagia have been blooming for about a month. I hope they divide quickly. Only about 6 of the many root tubers survived and I sure am enjoying them.
Hugs to everyone & Have a safe and happy 4th!

Sheri

Planted mondo grass, coreopsis, echinacea, lavender, catananche, and coleus today. Had help from the two little ones next door. Not as hot as it has been, but really humid so I didn't stay out as long. Still happy with it. Happy 4th. :-)

Sorry I'm so late in getting here to wish y'all a happy 4th!

Jim, I'm so jealous of you and Kay for all the many things you grow! Now you go and show us apple trees. LOL I have an olive, coffee, lime and lemon but no fruit of any kind yet. LOL Oh and let's don't forget my new fig tree. Here's a picture of it.

That's a nice looking fig. Susan. 'Brown Turkey'? It seems to be the southeastern favorite. Good looking tomatoes in the background too.
I was inordinately proud of growing apples this far south. You don’t often see them here. Then, I read Katie (Katiebear/”Compassion” thread on this forum) grew apples in Mexico. Lol. We have a ‘Gala’ and a ‘Fuji’. This will be the 3rd year the ‘Gala’ has produced. The ‘Fuji’ is growing well and not showing any signs of powdery mildew, but it isn’t large enough yet to produce fruit. I tried ‘Granny Smith’ but powdery mildew ate it alive so now I choose fruit varieties based on their resistance to mildew and fire blight.
Vickie, ‘Jonathan’ is rated with a southern limit of 8B. I’ll have to look closer at that one for disease resistance. I planted the ‘Gala’ when one of my granddaughters was born. Now, all 5 GC’s want their own apple tree. Lol.
I’m off to find out if anyone has experience making mint jelly from chocolate mint. I was a little disappointed with it at first. I can smell the distinctive aroma of chocolate, but I can’t detect it in the taste. It is still my favorite of all the mints. . It makes excellent Mint Julep syrup. So, Vickie, how is your secret Chocolate Basil patch doing and the little BearFoots? Any black helicopters yet? Sounds like a government conspiracy to me. ROFL!!! You know someone is going to call the guys in the clean white coats on you Herb forum folks, if they can stop laughing long enough to make the call. For that reason, you might want to continue the search. Kay suggests it would save a lot of trouble if Sasquatch were neutered. Ouch! That is HARSH!
Hope everyone had a great Independence Day! Hope you are enjoying or enjoyed your trip, Carrie.
Are you doing okay, Bonnie? AC hugging, I hope? (Jim)

I have no idea what sort of fig tree it is. Is that what it looks like? I broke down and purchased it from Henry Fields with one of those coupons for free shipping. All it said was hardy ever bearing fig. I don't have any info on it. I put it in that 5 gal bucket. It probably needs to go in the yard but thought it was too hot at the time. It didn't even have any leaves when it came. Honestly, I didn't expect much from it. LOL

Here's a blueberry muffin recipe I love. It always turns out good for me. If you try it, let me know what you think. I love fresh blueberries in anything. I eat them regularly in cottage cheese and smoothies. I put them in the freezer. :-) Strawberries, also.

Vickie, your tiger lilies sound so pretty. :-) I think it was you talking about them?

As for mint, I love the KY spearmint, but it doesn't seem to like this heat. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? I *do not* want to give up on this mint. I've had the chocolate and it thrives here. I haven't really found a use for it, though. It really doesn't even smell that good to me.

Sherrie, I forgot to tell you I'm glad you'll be sticking around DG. There are certainly a lot of angels here. :-)

Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

1 Egg
1/4 cup Oil
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 1/2 cup Self-Rising Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup Blueberries

Mix and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 12 large muffins.

IO1, I planted a dwarf self-pollinating blueberry last year that is supposed to do okay in Dallas heat. No blossoms this year, but it is growing so I have hope. If not, it is attractive and I actually have in next to the front walkway. LOL

Debra

Jim, I am fine, and as you suggested staying pretty close to the AC. I do go out early morning, then later right before dark. Last week we had the most gorgeous weather, in the 80's no humidity and a gentle breeze. The most I have been able to stay out and work. Of course the pool is always there, but I have declared one day over the weekend, it was just too hot to go out to the pool!!

Susan, is the Ky spearmint what you got from me? I have found that it doesn't do that well for me either. It sure doesn't like the heat and humidity. I am thinking about trying it indoors in a pot. Then of course here, that is risky too. I forget to water, and before I know it they are dead. My inside plant stand is known as "death row." I got the start from Critterologist, and I guess in her climate it does well, as she says that if it escapes the contained area where she first planted it, it tends to take over.

We didn't do anything over the weekend (the 4th) and it was nice, to know that we didn't have anywhere to go except church. We just rested Sunday afternoon, and it was great.

good to hear from you, bonnie. had a quiet 4th myself. did some planting, two little kids from next door were beside themselves at getting to help dig in with the garden fork and drop in a plant and put on my big ol' dirty gloves to pat down the soil. Promised more for when school starts back up and it cools off for Fall planting. Had to work today (hazards of being management), but it was in the AC and made the big boss happy. :-)

debra

Yes Bonnie, I'm afraid so. LOL It's looking pathetic. I received some from Critter, also. I managed to kill hers, also. *pouting* I wish I had the nerve to plant it in the yard instead of keeping it in a container, but it would be my luck it would climb the house and take over the neighborhood or something then. LOL
Debra, that blueberry sounds very interesting to me. Does it take a lot of care?

Okay, ~ing to everyone tonight. Will do better at responding later.

Haven't done anything to it except an occasional watering when really dry, here. Don't know how drought tolerant it is and don't want to lose it before I've had a chance to see if it will fruit. LOL. It put out beautiful pink blossoms right after I got it last Spring. Nothing this year, but it was only transplanted from pot to ground in the Fall so we'll see.

I don't know why blueberries aren't used more as landscape plants. They are handsome throughout the year. They have nice Spring flowers, berries that give a long show as they slowly ripen and gorgeous fall foliage in shades of salmon pink. A better show than many purely ornamental plants. I copied and will definately try that recipe, Susan. The combination of buttermilk and blueberries sounds good. Love buttermilk pancakes with blueberries.
It is hard to tell figs apart by foliage. But, 'Brown Turkey' is a good bet.
Sheri, I'll send some more plants your way for fall transplanting. Waiting for cooler weather will increase their chances. The pink oxalis will spread quickly, but it will take a siesta during the heat of summer. It usually puts on another flower show in fall.
The weekend of the 4th was quiet here too. An Army aviation base is close by so we can sit on the front porch and watch the fireworks. Another one of the children (23) will arrive on the 15th to stay indefinately so we are enjoying the peace and quiet while we can. lol. (Jim)

Ladies, I hate to tell you this but putting spearmint in the ground might not save it. I lost mine last year in the ground.It could be because a sweet potato vine took over the whole bed. If someone offers you a sweetpotato vine run the other way. Mine wont grow over creeping phlox tho.
I had one oriental lily in the bed i forgot about and the SPV climbed right up it and it bloomed anyway. Am thinking about planting some among vinca major and let them fight it out. I thought i'd try to do some weedeating to see what happened. I only did abt 2' square. But i discovered a prickly pear cactus, i forgot i had. I also went searching for small firewood branches and threw them in my dogpen.
My DD took out a credit card in my name for BF to buy a $300 dollar weedeater. Counsoler said put a stop to it. Also no weedeater costs $300. So DD and BF are mad at me again. I've got 2 weedeaters BTW. This will be worked out one way or another. I'm looking at things differently now. There is no anger just the feeling i'm not a sucker or victem if i don't let myself be,
I hope no one minds if i talk about things here.I feel like i'm doing well to change things and it helps to let things out also a good way to keep a record of things. I'm not needy. I can't be taken advantage of if i don't let it happen.But i thank you for listening.
Jim and Kay you've found out my guilty secret. I'm having so much fun over on the Still searching for chocolate basil thread. I don't think any of us really beleive there is any chocolate basil. But it is so much fun making up silly, funny things about CB and bigfoot and MS Bear.I have'nt been putting as much into it lately but i'll hit my stride again soon i hope. We're all good people over there just a little left of good sense. LOL
uh-er-uh-well kinda like us over here. ROFLOL
Vickie

The "Looking for Chocolate Basil" thread is hilarious! I went to the Herb forum to research mints and ended up reading the older 400+ post thread of "Looking..." The thread will probably pick back up when the heat drives even the hardier souls indoors.
I haven't tried 'Kentucky Colonel' mint. I've always heard it is the best mint for Julep syrup. Even if you don't drink, a little mint julep syrup in lemonade is wonderful on summer afternoons. In this area, spearmint seems to prefer afternoon shade. Spearmint appears a bit more delicate, in general. I definately wouldn't let chocolate mint out of its corral! It is as tough as nails. Shade makes it viney-er (Is that a word? lol.) And, makes the taste more subtle. More sun gives the taste more bite, in my experience.
A $300 weedeater! I don't think so! That would even be over-priced for a brushcutter. Maybe, if it were gas-powered, self-starting and came with a back massager in the harness! I think the Granny Goons and the Grump-Pas need to have a long talk with that guy. I don't suppose you have gators there, but we could use him for bear bait. I would like to see a bear up close. :-) (Jim)

Jim, 'Kentucky Colonel' mint is God's most perfect mint in my humble opinion. LOL You can take a few leaves and steep them and just sip on a plain mint drink or add it to your tea when you steep it. It's so refreshing. I like it hot or cold. Sometimes I drink it plain or add honey, and sometimes I use Agava nectar.

I have some oxalis in some of my containers. They have a nice smell when they bloom if that's what I'm thinking about. I don't remember them being pink, though, so they must come in a variety of colors?

Debra, that's great info about your blueberry plant. I've done a bit of reading on it. Thanks!

Kay, hope you're feeling better?

Off to bed. Hope y'all have a blessed night.
~Susan

I've got to ask! What is Kentucky Colonel mint? Whatever it is i want some. LOL
I'll start putting out open cans of sardines. That is supposed to draw bears from up to 8 miles away.
We've had some wild oxalis around somewhere. It has a tart vinegery taste that i love but always been told not to eat more than a leaf or 2,as it can be poisonous.
After what you and my counselor said about the cost of weedeaters. I suspect i was going to be buying beer or something.
Today i loaned them my car. I do know DD had a doctors appontment.

We've had showers today. So have been packing and cleaning.
gotta go
Vickie

Vickie, it's the most wonderful spearmint in the entire world. You know what spearmint gum tastes and smells like? Well, it taste just that good. It's so good in tea and anything that calls for mint. And when you water it, it just smells heavenly! Oh now you've got me wanting to kill some more!! LOL

Boy I missed a lot! I'll tell you guys about my fascinating car trip later ..... tired ... glad to be back! We drove 1000 miles from San Jose CA to Oregon and back.

Hi Carrie! Great to see you back. I could not stand that riding! LOL I want to be zapped there and back. hahaha I love seeing places but hate getting there. :-) Can't wait to hear all about it.