-mmqchdygg, I took a look at the stock image site (openstockphotography) they mentioned. It was REALLY strange, because when I went there the first time all the images on the Scrophularia (the plant in my pic) page were blocked out and said something like they were 'pending removal from WikiCommons'. Today the page is totally empty! -Mindy, no appology. At this point I would rather not hear from them again. Maybe they wanted my address to send a dozen 'sorry' roses? Lol! More like skunk cabbage and poison ivy. :-] -quick side note-you mentioned above that you couldnt get Scrophularia auriculata to overwinter? That is interesting since mine seems super hardy. The basal foliage is even semi-evergreen. Thanks one and all for the support in this. I am so glad it is over. Now we can get back to to pleasant garden/plant talks! CMK

Hi Homey Bird, If you want a natural non-chemical feeding programme for your plants, it is still possible to a degree; you don't have to use chemical fertilizers, it's just that I've found the ones I mentioned in my previous answer have worked for me, give good results and they're convenient, chemically balanced and consistant in quality whereas animal and other natural manures are not. True, Guzmanias and other bromeliads grown in the wild, rely on natural fertilizers such as bird and small animal droppings falling into the plant as well as the broken down leaf litter which eventually forms into a soup (liquid manure) in the plants vases. These are all natural products without any chemical content introduced by man. I would imagine to copy this natural process in the home garden, you could apply a small amount of some type of old animal manure, cow, chicken, turkey, rabbit or sheep are the most popular ones. This would take the place of the bird and animal droppings in the wild. Sheep manure is said to be very good as it doesn't tend to be as hot as poultry manure and some of the others and besides, it comes ready made in a handy size pellet. I have applied this as a topping for orchids and other plants with good results. If desired, these can be supplemented with a liquid manure also, which can be made from any of the above manures by just mixing with water and allowing to stand for a week or two and then diluting with more water before applying. This would then take the place of the natural "soup" made from decaying litter in the wild. Likewise one of the many good liquid seaweed fertilizers now available on the market could also be used. This is also a natural product which is usually made from kelp, a type of seaweed which is also a renewable resource. In Australia we have a wonderful product called Seasol which is not so much a fertilizer but more like a "tonic". If you just Google "Seasol" you can read all about it. It is exported to other major countries so I imagine you should be able to get it. In summary, to take the natural route, you can mix any one or a combination of the various animal manures in your mix initially and when growth appears to have slowed down, add a topping of one of the manures decribed. This can be supplemented with feeds of liquid fertilizer made from animal manure throughout the growing period along with a seaweed preparation which can be applied right throughout the whole year if desired. You just have to work out what works best for you. The rule is to start off with little and increase gradually until you find the right balance. As a final question, is natural really chemical free? Remember even some animal manures contain chemicals as the animals are often fed on chemical supplements, growth hormones and/or antibiotics. It then stand to follow that the manure and animal parts used to make products such as Bone Meal, Blood and Bone or Hoof and Horn Meal may still contain traces of chemicals, so how do you guarantee something is absolutely chemically free? I don't know the answer. All the best, Nev.

Lucy... I'm in zone 9 and have had the EE I've had in the ground at this house for 20 years--over that time we had several very cold winters and they all survived. I received mine initially from my BIL who lives in zone 5 and he did pull them out every year, just shook the soil off them--did not hose them down (it is supposed to do with the transpiration & the roots...and soil can act as an insulator??) and then he placed the 'extremely dry' bulb in a double brown bag and stored them in his basement. He has this awesome compost pile and his humungeous plants were over 6 feet tall and the leaves were so HUGE across the surface!!!! Remember the juice from EE can destroy a good shirt!!! Good luck Lucy!!! ~MJ

Don't forget about online farmers markets! Do you have any local farmers who are doing delivery or drop-off ? I placed an order with my online market and was able to get some of the meats and produce I normally get. There used to be a drop-off refrigerator at the campus loading dock, but they had to close it. So, now I have to go to a pharmacy, and they will come out and deliver your bags for pickup while maintaining distance. Also, I emailed one of the farmers who is not on the online market but one of the general farmers market which is postponed, and he will have some things in next week. I'm looking for a pork butt/shoulder roast so DH can smoke or I can use in the crockpot so we can have BBQ and meats for tacos, etc. As long as you order an amount that is equal to the mileage, they will deliver for free. Some farmers markets are still open and have rules to maintain safe social distance. The one near the airport is on gigantic acreage owned by the state and can separate farmers over the location. Others are limiting the # of customers who can go in a time. ETA: article: farmers market online and delivery