what is the reference for them being toxic? ie, is this printed somewhere, or from a thread etc? Just wondering if you meant truly toxic or if it just made someones dog vomit. In other words, grass isn't toxic yet i don't want my dog eating it cause enough WILL lead to an innocent, concerned look on his face right before he coughs it up on the carpet (always just one or two feet away from easy to clean tile floors, but i digress). Just curious as what you were referring to. I doubt it was a chemical toxin, but i can think of a few reasons why it would make a dog vomit. Tim Chapman

Thanks Cocomo...actually did not expect anyone to reply back..so did not check back for a long time.Just as you said it took a few more weeks from the time i started this thread...but both my ginger and turmeric have sprouted.Infact all 3 of my turmeric roots have sprouted and have gorgeous long leaves and the plants are about a foot tall.It was absolutely exciting to see these things come to life after a long time. Btw what location do you plant them ? Is full shade fine.Also plant them in 5 gallon coantainers or in the ground.Do they survive the winter in Z10 or do they die back? Thanks , norma

Lol... I suppose the blame for 'telephoned' lies with me (if I'm thinking right, this refers to that old game where one person whispers a long sentence in someone's ear, and they whisper to another person, and so on until it 'returns to sender'. When it is finally repeated out loud, it can bear no resemblance to the original message.) I really did not mean to cause trouble lol. I just wanted to make the case that if the test isn't readily available, or if - as one person posited - that California no longer offers tests through the University and County Extension Services, that a test is not ALWAYS necessary. Like I mentioned above... there are some very good reasons, in some circumstances, where a test is of more value and importance than in other situations. However, it is sobering to realize that human civilization was built on agriculture. Total ignorance about how to manage land can lead to future problems, but if all you have is a small plot (some people only have a 4' X 4' bed, or even a few containers) then one should really take a sober, reasonable approach to a $100 commercial soil test! And again, before someone challenges my opinion, I'm not saying that it's wrong to get a soil test - there are real benefits - but all one really has to do is drive around one's neighborhood if they want to see what grows well in their native soil, or get on Yelp! if they want to read reviews of locally available mediums. If you have the extra money, are having problems you can't solve, or are seeking to optimize your return, then by all means... get the test. However, if like my Great grandfather's lifetime of gardening... the soil test is not available, or is beyond your means, then just plant already lol (I'm not talking about Nancy, just in general.) Ecc. 11: 6 - "In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good."

My personal rules for planting citrus in sandy loam soil is, do not amend soil, plant it in the native soil only (southwest Louisiana). Make a reasonable effort to keep grass back from the trunk of the tree, and don't mulch. In our humidity mulching is asking for problems on citrus. Don't feed for the first 2-3 months, and don't feed anything after July if you are in an area where there is a chance of freezing weather. Though honestly mine often get grass growing near the trunks, which has not seemed to stunt their growth on average. I planted 5 new citrus trees here 2 years ago, 2 of them are now over 7 ft tall (an Armstrong Satsuma and a Cara Cara Orange), of the 3 others, one got knocked back to being knee tall after a 14F freeze in January (new growth only in the first 6-8 inches above the graft line), the other 2 are in the 5 ft tall range now. After the First year I feed once per month from Feb - July, using something around a 5-2-3 NPK range (I am currently using an 18-9-11 fruit tree blend with micro nutrients from a local fertilizer place 50 pound sack for about $12, also using it on other non citrus fruit trees, though in the past I also used Epsoma Citrus Tone) , though even there basic 8-8-8 will likely work in our general climate range and soil types.