Yes, indeed. Just as Billlll said. That core aeration will pull plugs out, and the organic matter (mulched debris from the lawn, because you mulch mowed; or, added mulch) can fall into the holes, along with some soil, as the cores break down. As to those parts of the cores that break down, and don't happen to fall into the holes, hey, those cores are breaking up, spreading out, over, above, the layer of organic matter sitting on top of the soil. And will gently subside. Not far, but yes, will subside. Which means, to some degree (and it's probably measureable: should we splurge? Say five percent? Maybe only four? Two?) that soil is being MIXED with organic matter. But it looks like a lawn, the entire time (excluding the day after you aerate, and go stare at the cores. Quit staring. Get in the car, and look at it from the road. Looks great. Park the car.). Plan on core aerating, and mixing up that core aeration with application of mulch, or of Milorganite, or of just the existing thatch layer (there is one: it's needed), and letting that lawn kind of mix itself. Each year. Perhaps, twice each year. Let's take an imaginary square, about a foot by a foot, on your lawn. The first time you run a core aerator over it, you have a series of spots (which are really columns, they're about three inches deep) which now have a better organic matter to dirt ratio. It's surely not the whole square foot area, is it? But the NEXT time, assuming the aerator will hit a different area, you have another series of holes/columns, now improved (and the benefits of the last prior improvement have not disappeared, have they?). And the next time, yet another series of holes/columns, now improved. You can see that a regular schedule of core aerating will have the effect of adding that organic matter, with all the benefits of same, without the obvious appearance of tearing the heck out of it. No, it will look like a lawn. But maintaining the program of regular core aeration will stir up, mix up, a significant portion, drifting toward 100%, over time. So give it a regular program of core aeration. That will improve a lot.

It's neat, being able to cut lots of stems. Like Bonnylynn, I was out of state when lots of mine were in full bloom. And the rain didn't help - seemed to be constant whenever I was home (I work full time), and then with the wind destroyed the blooms on my peonies. The roses opened while I was away, and many petals on ground when I found them opened up. But I've been having "bouquets" on my desk at work, as well as at home, since the daff's were in full bloom. We had a weather threaten to kill anything that wasn't brot indoors, so cut off some of the daff's. Was sure surprised when many others opened nice outdoors within a week. Tulips gone now, but had many. And the azalea bushes - wow! This year had LOTS of blooms, and cut some from stems "sticking out" from the rest of the bush. They mixed well with other things. This year also had some alyssum basket-of-gold (a perennial) bloom (winter sowed last year). Lots of blooms brot in to work. Right now I have a mixture: sweet wm., penstemen, bachelor button (w/s)(first bloom this year - but lots more buds about to open); alyssum - white (w/s), burgundy gaillardia (w/s last yr), and a cream color iris. Cut the iris on way to car to get to work this morning, and added to the others already on my desk.

Ciao all- Yes, it's raining and that's kind of a buzz kill as far as getting the yardwork done, but we're compensating now for such a dry April and that's a good thing. I've been hardening off some very early tomatoes for a few weeks now and just bringing them into the garage when temps fall below 4C or so or the winds are high. All of the main crop tomatoes are still downstairs. I probably won't start bringing them out until Friday. Peppers, eggplants, and basil won't get planted until the first week of June. Outside, I have Red Russian, Curled Blue Vates, and Dinosaur Kales, American Flag Leeks, Giant Red Mustard, Ruby Pac Choi, Tatsoi, Rainbow Chard, French Shallots, Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts, Chioggia and Golden Beets, Rainbow Carrots, Daikon and Spanish Black Radishes, Sea of Red, Bronze Arrow, and Forellenschluss Lettuces, Arugula, Super Sugar Snap, Capujiner Blue, Golden, and Oregon Snow Peas. All of these early veggies except the peas have either been harvested or will be very shortly. I've also got tons of herbs and some over-wintered white onions that we've been adding to salads. I'm behind on sowing my flowers, though. Today's a good day to get that going.

I have attempted to allow all to come and speak civily. If I have done nothing else. Yes I can send out what I recieve and I can even take from everyone else the information they give because it dose make for my benefit as well as dose my information for some. If I held every answer in the book I would not have come to this forum or to any other forum to ask questions or to simply make a statement of my experiance, be it with tomatoes or with a tree. As to those un named who simply can not see past thier own actions in conversations. I post for those who want to try and work as a community here through the true exchange of ideas not through arrogance . that hostility towards new or old ideas and methods makes any thread of knowledge mute to others. I have seen over my fifty years thousands of crops and gardens lost to blights late freezes or other factors including droughts. so Is it a gamble every year you plant? you bet ya. but as gardeners and farmers we go out every year and plant our gardens and fields. and we wait and we harvest from our toils. Is my way the only way out there as we can plainly see it is not. dose it make me a better gardener or farmer if I make no effort to allow others to give to me knowledge of some kind towards a different idea in gardening no it dose not. But to jump up and treat people the way I have been treated by some in this post may amuse some but with it comes the loss to others who really are thirsting for knowledge. to that end for those who really want a civil conversation please feel free to have one. and please do use the almanac to get if not just the basics for those new to gardening but to those here who truely have the ability to give thier views with out malice. because the only thing I learned from most of you here is you have grown too set in your ways to let in information even if it was just part of what was given in total. I was asked to introduce my self several times and did so including where i live and my experiances including in many of the areas of you here in this post. but instead I recieve a continual out pouring of arrogance from those just wanting to see just how far they can push some one. I can bark back or I can set back and listen to ideas and pick up some new methods including those that may infact make me wonder. If the way you grow your crop works for you by all means share it. it may make some one else actually have a crop or garden that has exceptional yields we as gardeners and farmers pray for three things an early spring with out a freeze, plenty of water, and a great harvest season- long and fruitful. We as a group need to stop the nonsence and try to reach for those goals instead.