mmqchdygg, Butterflies do something that's called "puddling", so you can easily convert a shallow bird bath to a "butterfly puddler". All you need to do is get either very coarse sand or fine gravel and fill the bowl, then add water up to the top of the filler. I read that if you add a pinch or two of salt the males are very attracted to it. (I also read something about beer attracting them too, but don't think I'll try that!) Google "butterfly" and "puddling" and you should find more info. I plan to make a puddler of my own for next summer. Good luck!

Susan, Jalapenos will give you several signs that they are ripe. They turn a slilghtly darker green than what they are while still enlarging. Their color looks a little bit more dull, but don't leave them until it is too dull. Some of them have a lot of corking (tan lines that I like to think of as 'stretch marks') as they reach maturity but before they start turning red. Personally, I like them more when they reach that stage, but I usually harvest the earliest ones before they cork so that the plant will go into an additional big flowering/fruiting cycle. With most varieties, jalapeno peppers that are mature are easier to pull off the plant than those that are not mature enough yet. That's not always true though. With some varieties, you really have to give a sharp little tug and sometimes a limb will come off in your hand, so I often cut them instead of risking tugging a limb off the plant. You also can go by fruit size for any given variety, but in recent years they are breeding jalapenos that are bigger and bigger, so you really have to know the mature size for the type you're growing. Some jalapenos only get about 3" long but a lot of the newer varieties can get 4 to 5" long, and I've seen some in stores that look 6" long. I usually harvest them green the first half of the season, but by August I am letting some stay on the plant long enough to turn red. However, when you do that, you need to use or preserve (I often roast and freeze them) the peppers pretty fast after they are harvested because they are so mature they'll go bad very quickly. My suggestion is that you go by both a specific variety's DTMs and also its usual mature fruit size. Also, make sure the fruits have gotten as wide as they should. Inexperienced pepper growers often pick them too early---when they have reached the right length but not yet the right width. Knowing when to pick your jalapenos is something that improves with experience in growing and harvesting them. Harvest them at different stages this year, and taste them and see how you like them best. We like them best when they're corking, but other people like them best if harvested before they cork. You won't know how you like them best until you've grown them and harvested them and tasted them at different stages. I have plenty of jalapenos that are 2 to 3" long, but none of them is ever close to their mature width. I expect the first ones will be ready to pick in a couple of weeks, but probably not any sooner. I usually pick only a smidgen of jalapenos in late May but then have a tremendous harvest in June. To me, the ones harvested in June always taste better than the ones harvested in May. I think the first few jalapenos can be a little lacking in flavor because they grew in somewhat cooler conditions. Summer heat really brings out their flavor. Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: Image of Jalapenos, Some With Corking

Hanging butterfly feeder plates: THEY REALLY REALLY WORK. Posted by mcronin Making the hanging feeder plates I drilled three holes in the edges of plastic plates (or metal tops to containers), strung wire through each hole, connected the three wires at the top of the plate, and used wire to hang them at least 10 feet below small branches of trees. The long wire is to keep squirrels and other animals off the feeders. Hang them far enough from trees, etc. so animals like squirrels can't jump to them. Mine hang about 10 feet off the ground and I use a stepladder to reach them with butterfly food. Hang them in an area that you can SAFELY reach with a stepladder and where they will get enough sun to encourage butterflies to visit. Butterfly food recipe I use a pail with a tight lid to hold the butterfly food. I cut up a dozen over-ripe bananas into chunks, add two cans of cheap beer, one or two bottles of molasses, and a pound of brown sugar. I mix it up in the pail and let it ferment for about a week; then fill the plates. You can use other fruits such as mangos, watermelon, etc. Experiment with what you can get ( sometimes for free if your grocery store is discarding spoiled fruit) and what works best for the butterflies that you want to attract. Tips on using the feeder plates I cover my plates with regular fiberglass screen and secure the screening on each plate with 3-5 big paper clamps. The goal is to prevent unwanted insects from getting UNDER the screening . The butterflies can feed through the screen, but unwanted other insects usually can't ( they will collect on TOP of the screens, but the butterflies generally ignore them ). I try to remember to put plastic plates face down on top of the screens on the plates if rain is expected. I do this to prevent the butterfly feeding mixture from being too diluted from heavy rains. Hopeful results Butterflies flock to these plates including anglewings, red admirals. red-spotted purples, painted ladies, and mourning cloaks. This system provides us daily visits by our "winged jewels" on sunny days in spring, summer, and fall. It is well worth the limited effort to attract these types of butterflies which seldom, if ever, visit our flowers for nectar.

Materials Needed: Decorative Saucer (found at local thrift shop etc.) Copper Tubing (1/2" about 2-3 long) Copper End Cap (to fit 1/2" or whatever size your tubing is) Strong Silicone Glue (GE II outdoor use, clear) Piece of rebar or other strong pipe to pound into the ground Assembly Steps: Glue the copper end cap onto the bottom of your saucer and let dry throughly. Pound your piece of rebar or pipe into the ground. Slip your copper tubing over the piece of rebar. Attach the copper tubing into the copper end cap of your saucer. Put assorted fruits on the saucer to attack butterflys. *If giving as a gift: It is a nice touch to include the Butterfly Feeder Poem to best describe your creation. Butterfly Feeder Poem (By:MrsPackRat-GW) Oh butterfly do stop and rest I made this perch for you to test. I've put out some fruit for you to eat in hopes that you and I might meet. I love to watch your graceful glide and see your colors in the sky. So have yourself a little retreat while I admire you as you eat.