To check your plants for overwatering -- and you may be hesiant to do this, but it's for their own good -- gently dig up a single root and check its color. Usually, if a root is light in color, it's healthy. If it's brown or black, it indicates overwatering. If you don't want to dig, smell the soil; it may smell sour. Or it may not. Digging is the most reliable way to tell. In general, feel the soil before you water. If it's moist, don't water it. :)

HA! During WWI, for the war effort, my great great great grandmother would get permission to cordon off short sections of paved streets, on which she scattered rubber bands of varying diameter. Under her miraculous care, within days the rubber bands grew into trees so laden with tires for various types of military vehicles that often she and the neighbors couldn't harvest them all before they became larger than intended; this, necessitating that they be trimmed back to a usable size. She would then have the trimmings ground into powder, which she mixed with white milk. When the slurry of rubber and milk was heated under pressure in small molds (like sinker molds or toy soldier molds, if you've ever made either from lead), the result was Ficus elastica seeds which were sold to tree farmers all over the world and served as the propagules for essentially every rubber tree plantation currently in existence. I sure do miss that lovely and determined old gal. ....... at her 100th in 1966: She sure was something. Sad that we have to wait until next summer to see her again. Michelin has kept her so busy at headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand, France for the last 49 years, she hasn't been able to get back to the states to see ANY of her great, great, great, great grandchildren. Fortunately for us, her employer is picking up all expenses and footing the bill for her bash back in the states. Keep your eyes peeled for pictures. Al

I have the same rapid response problem with an asco that I just put in a basket of coco. Its still outside. Been getting N all summer. Its 87º today in Chicago and will remain in the 80's for possibly all of Sept. It seems to me that the sun has gotten a bit stronger. It must be the angle at this time of year. I have some things that are taking only partial sun that previously too full sun, protesting suddenly. Don't know why. I remember my dad telling me about burning my skin in spring and fall... I wish I had paid attention. Clara

If you have biennial foxglove (d. purpurea) rather than one of the types that is more truly perennial, it would be normal for the foliage to start to decline after flowering.