Here's a quick reference guide for growing veggies here. I see nothing in it about growing anything in July. I wait until early September to plant warm weather veggies. I will start some tomatoes, peppers and eggplants in pots in August, to be ready for their final transplant in October. Then I'll plant cool weather crops after Thanksgiving. I usually start some more 'maters in January for spring. Here is a link that might be useful: growing vegetables in FL

Thanks Loretta for the info on the lavenders. I don't have a lot of experience with them. I've been pleased with the shape mine are taking, but the scent is a bit off of what I had hoped for. Good advice. Janet, I was reading back through the posts and found the one where you commented about the pampas grass and palms. It just makes you shake your head and wonder what in the world they were thinking, doesn't it? I'll definitely be looking up some of the viburnums that have been mentioned. I can't find the specific post, but someone said they had to yank out their pyracantha because of problems. I spent some time yesterday in looking up the specific cotoneasters that could be used as a replacement if you're looking for a nice show of berries for the birds. I don't know if they'd be suitable for anyone, but I'm tossing in the idea for whatever it's worth. I believe they are also hosts for several butterflies, but don't know which species, and I also need to note that they can attract bees. Some have a slightly crinkly leaf similar to a viburnum, and the big ones often look a lot like a pyracantha until you get close enough to see that they don't have thorns. It's such a huge family to choose from, with a wide range in habit, from low groundcovers to big shrubs. Not all will do well in OK, but a lot of them will. Here are a few that look interesting, if anyone wants to follow them up. One variety or another seems to be happy in such wide variations as PA, Denver, Albuquerque, Georgia and a lot of places in between. Most of them are tough and low maintenance, and many have good fall or winter color. Bullatus is deciduous, up to 12' high and 10' wide. Hardy in zones 5-9 Lacteus takes dry to normal soil and is another big one. Zones 7 - 9. Parneyi is big and can be pruned to tree shape. heat/drought tolerant. Z 7-9 Congestus in small and round, in a fairly tight ball shape. Rockspray or cranberry is low and spreading Salicifolius is also low and wide. 1' high x 5' wide. Z 6-8 The first photo is of a lacteus laden with berries. Next is a bullatus in the fall. I stole the photo off the web but don't know who originally posted it. Pat

Sounds like you're flue gases are getting too cool, especially if it's an old, tall chimney. Get rid of that Magic Heat, it is taking too much heat from the flue gases and making the problem worse. The condensation will destroy a masonry chimney but should,'t do too much damage to a stainless steel chimney liner. Also, it'd be best to make sure the flue is in good shape, get rid of the sags and leaks, and that the system is operating properly and is not overfired.

Wow, I've just seen the early news reports about the terrible ice storms some of you are experiencing BRRRRRR!!! Stay warm and safe! Quite the opposite here ... it's 7 am and a balmy 66.5° altho we are expecting some rain today. One of our native trees, the Pohutukawa, is known as the NZ Christmas tree as it has lovely red flowers over the summer. They are absolutely laden with flowers at the moment and apparently if the flowering is very prolific in Dec it means we're in for a long hot summer. Yayyy!