Hi Vicky, just a few things I want to add. - You say the upper layer of your soil is loamy - we have loamy/rocky/sandy subsoil, it seemed plenty stiff when we dug the pond, five (six?) years ago, and we slightly angled the sides and made the various levels level. Since then we have had major rain issues twice. Even though we ourselves are not in a flood prone location, the ground got so waterlogged that the water pressure outside the pond pretty much equaled the water pressure inside the pond. And the loam/rock/sand shifted. All surfaces are now sloping in, nothing is level, it's slippery and in-the-pond maintenance is fun, but a little dangerous. I lost my brand new cell phone last year when I lost my footing and slid in face first... couldn't get a grip to get out right away... green in my hair etc etc... we laugh about it now but it was pretty frustrating, especially when the phone never recovered. So, when we put in a settling chamber along the side of the pond two years ago, we invested in concrete blocks, and build straight walls with them. They are hollow, you know them, two squarish opening in a rectangular concrete block, and we put soil and rocks back in those openings. Rebar through them from top to bottom. And we slid back every row an inch or so, so there ends up being a slight back angle of sorts. This construction has held perfectly since. Wasn't too expensive, and easier for laymen like ourselves than a concrete collar. - I also recommend a bd (bottom drain) on an external pump. Much easier to maintain than a submerged pump and filter box. - I think planting pockets are the way to go. Make them different depths so you have multiple options. In the corners is a great idea, there are liner folds there, and a plant pocket is a great way to put that to good use. We have a 2-inch plant shelf and it usually has a potted hosta and a potted daylily on it, they love always having water available. And one of our froggies calls that shelf home. Our other plant shelves are so slanted now that we have to hunt for a place to put the pots with them not sliding down... But, we manage. It looks very rustic. - For the heron, Ms. Slomo likes to stop by here and stare into the pond, so we have a fish line strung a foot above ground around the pond. This trip line confuses her enough that she doesn't actually go fishing. The dog also does her best to chase her off. The dog, of course, really is a bit scared of a bird that large, and merely looks like a threat, but Ms. Slomo is long gone before she finds out. Heehee. :) Mary

georgez5il, I can sympathise to a very limited extent with the way that you feel about this particular posting, but cannot agree with your conclusions regarding being unable to answer the query in its totality. I feel that some information is better than non, and that other posters' are subsequently given chance to pick up the slack so-to-speak. I am also in favour of group involvement and this post gives an excellent opportunity for precisely that. Apologies for sounding a bit "preachy" on this one. ;-)

I have tried baking soda with little effect a mix of ascorbic acid and water may also help a little. The mildew happens rapidly and once you see a single yellow leaf, it has begun. I spray with a fungicide called Serenade, which works quite well. Its done every 7 days during the bearing of the cukes. Bees love the blossoms and I usually have many bees busy all day long. I go out and pick at sunrise as its a little cooler and easy to find them on a vertical trellis. The honey bees must be local as they are busy all day and the area sounds like a huge bee hive. They usually are just fine even if I am out there picking right next to them, as they are not very aggressive. I posted links above to web site for pickling cucumbers, and if you don't know how to get these links copied to an internet browser, just simply point at an end or start of the HTML line (above), and hold down the left mouse button and move to the left or right to highlight the whole line. Once highlighted, press the control key down while you then press the C key. Open a new browser page and remove the text at the window at the top. Or point to what text is there, and then its highlighted, press the delete key. Position the mouse pointer in that window while you hold the control key down and presk V to paste the previously copied text. Press enter. Then it will show you the web page link. I made it easier to show you the Jung pickling cucumber seed assortment. Here is a link that might be useful: Jung Seed- pickling cukes

Hi I'm in Colo and my friend who lives in Denver planted Cherokee Purples along with a ton of other heirlooms last year. Of course most of the heirlooms aren't always as productive as hybrids but she had a wonderful crop and the CP was one of her favorites! Another friend of mine in Boulder had an awesome turnout with her Brandywines--that's all she planted, 30 brandywines and each plant had tomatoes falling on the ground. She couldn't keep up. Colorado weather is as you know often unpredictable and weird but I've always had success with any tomato I've ever planted here. I've heard great things about Kellogg's Breakfast but I've never planted or tasted it. Maybe next year, I've got my hands full with too many seeds as it is. Good luck!