Just a note "Dio Tenaceous" earth is actually "diatomaceous earth" (aka "DE"), as it is made of diatoms. :) When you use it either for garden or pet, there are some cautions to take. First, always use "food grade" DE. Pool-grade DE is too sharp and can be harmful; it is not meant to be ingested or used on pets or plants where humans or pets could ingest (or lick). Fresh-water food-grade is best, but most organic gardening places and many online shops sell food-grade DE. Second, as with ALL dusts, please do not use so much that you can really see it or breathe it, and always make sure either to not breathe it and use eye protection if there is a wind (and cover your pets' eyes), or use a dust mask, etc. One way of distributing it is by using a pizza cheese sprinkler. Planting tomatoes: When you plant them, pick the leggier plants. Pick off the lower branches of your transplants, and plant the tomato at an angle / Various: Look up "companion planting" there are many plants that grow well together. If you plant companion plants at the base of taller plants, you will have to do less weeding, and you will water more efficiently. One example is planting greens between onions, or basil at the feet of tomatoes. Strawberries. Plant radish patches near your strawberry patches. The radishes will draw the lygus bugs away from your strawberry blooms. You can them vacuum them off of the radishes or use your organic chemicals there without hurting your delicate berries.

where abouts in Durham are you? I saw bridalwreath spirea for sale at witherspoon rose culture (on 15-501) last week. I got my sweet betsy and a lot of my old fashioned plants as cuttings from my husbands grandmother so I can't help you with that. I would try the Durham farmers market, there have been plenty of people with plants the last couple weeks, lots of vegetable starts but also a good number of perennials. I've also had good luck at For Garden's Sake on 751. The Southern Bulb company has some very nice things including spider lily (they are only listing the spring planted bulbs right now) and Old House Gardens has spider lily, snowdrops, suprise lily, and silver bells. http://www.oldhousegardens.com/index.asp http://www.southernbulbs.com/servlet/the-Spring-Bulbs-cln-Zone-7/Categories

You are probably talking about P. coronarius but P. lewisii is prevalent in commerce at this time due to interest in native plantings. You might as well plant the native, unless there is something about P. coronarius you are trying to capture. If you want to see who had what (among the many participating nurseries) some years back see The Plant Locator - Western Region (2004, Black-Eyed Susans/Timber, Portland). I like P. lewisii 'Blizzard' because it has dark purple stems that contrast with its profuse flowers, making it more than just a green bush with white flowers.

A couple of comments are in order here: First, I think my concept of a "pressure cooker" needs to be updated. I guess I was recalling the "pressure CANNER" that was my total experience with pressure pans of any sort, until I got a long handled pressure pan as a wedding present way back in 1958. And the TIMELY MANOR....what a great name for a house! You caught it yourself, MamaGoose, and then you tracked it down in that other naming thread. It is a truly inspired name. With hints of British humor, much like Fawlty Arms. It could be a TV series. Also, because of THIS THREAD, I cruised by the small appliances in my trip to the WalMart pharmacy yesterday. I saw the KitchenAid mixer, sitting there in all its glory. Everything else cost under a hundred bucks, but the KA cost $199.99 so they are still proud of it. Any thoughts I had of buying it must wait until I get the kitchen done. I sure did like the looks of the stainless bowl and the heavy duty blades. It is a design which has endured. I also looked at other small appliances. You know, they make so many different shapes in SLOW COOKERS....what I used to call the CROCK POT is actually a BRAND NAME, like saying I want a COKE when I want a SODA POP. I have a "slow cooker" now which can bake cornbread or otherwise act as a tiny lidded oven. It really can get confusing if what you want to do is take all day to cook something and avoid burning it. Some things should not multitask, they should stay the same!