Agree Buck that they are most likely black aphids (alternative discussed below) and your Safer soap spray should take care of them. A few won't harm the tomato plants but the black aphids are self-fertile and multiply worse than rabbits so keep and eye out. Keep in mind that they are attracted to excess N go easy on the feeding. Water blasting works for what are called green peach aphids - the most common kind seen on garden plants - and they are green and/or white and don't fly so blasting them off works. But ants "farm" aphids like we do cattle and milk them for the dew they excrete so ants will actually carry them around to plants - hey you got to go where the grass is greener. ;) Now as to the alternative - you mention holes in the leaves. Aphids don't usually make holes - they are juice suckers. But flea beetles do make holes - common description is the leaves look like they were shotgunned - so look up flea beetles pic and make sure what you have. Flea beetles are also very tiny and hop just like a dog flea does when startled. Hang in there. The fun has only just begun. ;) Dave

Oh God, I feel for you because the rules have all changed since we were young. Today, looking at somebody crooked can get you dead. We shouldn't have to live in fear, especially when we honestly want to help somebody. But, on the other hand we do want to continue to live. So, it comes down to self-preservation out of necessity. I did a stint as a law enforcement officer, and I've never been able to look at any situation in quite the nonchalant manner I did before. Anytime anything is the least bit unusual, the gears start cranking on a conscious level. A month ago, I stopped for a pack of smokes at a convenience store near a highway late at night. Directly behind me another car pulls in and the driver neither wants fueled or enters the store. He just sits in his car and watches. I stand there chatting with the clerk and then at the risk of sounding paranoid, really felt like I needed to mention his presence to her. I kept asking myself which I'd rather do, feel foolish or read about it in the paper the next day. I've been the recipient of wanton acts of unselfishness from total strangers and know how one small act of kindness can mean more in a moment of need than they could ever know. You want to be able to pass that forward. The way I have to look at it, however, is that people in risky situations i.e. panhandlers and hitch hikers already have a problem on their hands and you are inviting it into your life. Our community, like most, has numerous facilities to house the homeless or transient, or abused, or overwhelmed, or victims of crime or impoverished or mentally unstable. Granted they are underfunded and overused, but nobody is turned away. You have to ask yourself why a person chooses not to take the helping hand and..............they do..........and there is a reason. You did the right thing. If I was very concerned about this person, and knew he was in for all practical purposes stranded along a highway I would have called the appropriate law enforcement agency and they'll evaluate the situation.

Most mushrooms live on dead or dying wood and dying roots, so it's hard to see how they could kill the grass. I suppose if the mycelium is really thick it could use nutrients that might otherwise be available to the grass, but I've not seen it happen. I get about three kinds of mushroom-type fungi coming up in my lawn and I always welcome them. They don't seem to hurt anything, and are always beautiful. I think it's a matter of taste. Lots of folks don't want ANYTHING in their lawn. Lainey

First, give it as much indoor light as possible. Take it outside to a shady spot on warm days and slowly acclimate it to full sun. Protect it from frost either in the garage or in the house. The pale green leaves should green up. Water it, but go easy. You will need to do this until the threat of frost is gone. Those pale green leaves are tender.