From the FAQs here: "Blossom-Drop" is a condition suffered by tomatoes, peppers, snap beans, and some other fruiting vegetables where the plant blooms but fails to set fruit, the blooms die and fall off. It may be caused by the use of excess nitrogen fertilizers or dry windy conditions, but the most common cause is temperature extremes. Tomatoes, peppers and beans are especially picky about the air temps when it comes time to set fruit. If the night temps fall below 55 or rise above 75 or if the day temps are above 90, the pollen becomes tacky and non-viable. Pollination cannot occur. If the bloom isn't pollinated, the bloom dies and falls off. Control: Water the plants deeply once a week, mulch heavily to maintain constant soil moisture levels, establish windbreaks as needed, avoid using excessive amounts of nitrogen fertilizers, and wait for temperatures to moderate and stabilize. Earlier timed planting can help attain fruit set prior to the on-set of high temps, and the use of protection can compensate for cool nights. Some recommend attempting hand-pollination with an artist brush or a gentle shaking of the plant/cage/support prior to the hottest part of the day will also help. Fruit set will resume when temperatures moderate. Dave

Pictures are in the shrub gallery. Looks like bag worms on a leyland cypress. Here is a link that might be useful: Bag worms

Sherrie, LOL! (That was a yell!) Florida definitely has a whammy against itself, with all the development plugging the "pores" that might allow some replenishment of ground water. If there were ways to just pump runoff into the sinkholes with some temporary hoses and pipes, that would be a step in the right direction. I have relatives in Florida who told us - years ago, before the last time they had drought - that someone had estimated that Florida needed the equivalent rain output of NINE hurricanes to get the groundwater back to "normal." (I would not wish one hurricane on anyone. But it sounds like you've had even worse than that, just not as much wind and tide damage.) Anyway, good luck with a drying-out soon Sherrie, and here is a safe bet: someday everyone will be paying lots more for water than for oil or gas, and we'll all be yelling alot more, pipes or no pipes.

I'll echo the saying, "be careful what you ask for!". Thanks, that is exactly what is happening! Two months of dry and now we are in a wet pattern. Good rain chances 6 of the next 8 days. It is pouring outside as I type this. I was hoping to miss it tonight, try to lightly work up some ground and get some fall crops (turnips, rutabegas, daikon radish, green onions, and more carrots planted), but that is out the window. With late fall plantings, everyday is critical! I figure I have about 10-14 days or it will be too late. I will plant them when I can and hope. I am planning on putting up low tunnels over them and harvest as long as I can. Maybe I can get fall transplants started tomorrow instead, after I wade through the mud to pick melons! Jay