imstillatwork, I have been tailoring my fertilizer compositions according to plant type and quantity in the 'Tainers. For tomatoes, I add in 1/2 Cup Starter fertilizer (either EB Stone or Espoma Starter Bio-tone) plus 1/2 cup of the above BEST 19-6-12 CRF fairly deep down, when I am mixing in the 3 Cups Dolomite Lime. I then use 1 Cup each Tomato-tone in the 2 fertilizer strips along the sides of the 'Tainer. For all other crops, a little different. For corn, Peppers, Snow Peas, cucumbers, etc. I work in 2 Cups of BEST 14-14-14 CRF along with 2 Cups of dolomite lime about 6 inches up when filling the 'Tainers. I like the BEST 14-14-14 better than Osmocote Vegetable as it contains an entire group of Micros: DESCRIPTION: A PROFESSIONAL, COST-EFFECTIVE 3 TO 4 MONTH* FERTILIZER INTENDED FOR TOPDRESSING CONTAINERS OR SOIL INCORPORATION OF LANDSCAPED AREAS OR FIELD APPLICATIONS. A PORTION OF THE NITROGEN IN BEST LANDSCAPE COLOR IS UNCOATED TO HELP ESTABLISH THE PLANT. THE REMAINDER OF THE NITROGEN IS CONTROLLED-RELEASE TO PROMOTE OPTIMUM TOP GROWTH DURING THE GROWING SEASON. BEST LANDSCAPE COLOR ALSO HAS UNCOATED PHOSPHATE AND POTASH TO ESTABLISH EARLY ROOT DEVELOPMENT, ENHANCE BLOSSOMING AND ALSO AN EXCELLENT MICRONUTRIENT PACKAGE TO ENHANCE VIGOROUS GROWTH. BENEFITS: BEST LANDSCAPE COLOR With the addition of an expanded minor element package, BEST LANDSCAPE COLOR provides the plant with all of the nutrition required in most conditions during the growing period.  The controlled-release nitrogen in BEST LANDSCAPE COLOR is derived from POLYON® Reactive Layers Coating (RLCÂ) to provide the most precise release of nutrition available in the industry. Release of nitrogen is controlled by osmosis and is not affected by media type, moisture level, pH, or microbial activity. GUARANTEED ANALYSIS: TOTAL NITROGEN (N)............................................... ............................ 14.0000% TOTAL NITROGEN 4.15% Ammoniacal Nitrogen 4.15% Ammoniacal Nitrogen 9.85% Urea Nitrogen * 9.85% Urea Nitrogen * AVAILABLE PHOSPHATE (P2O5)............................................ ................ 14.0000% TOTAL PHOSPHORUS SOLUBLE POTASH (K2O)............................................. ........................... 14.0000% TOTAL POTASSIUM Magnesium (Mg).............................................. ........................................... 0.5000% Sulfur (S) .................................................. ........................................... 3.0000% Copper (Cu) .................................................. ........................................... 0.0500% Iron (Fe) .................................................. ........................................... 1.0000% Manganese (Mn).............................................. ........................................... 0.0500% Molybdenum (M0).............................................. ......................................... 0.0005% Zinc (Zn) .................................................. ........................................... 0.1000% SOIL / MEDIA TEMPERATURE RELEASE RATES 50°F 10.5°C = 6 months 60°F 15.5°C = 5 months 70°F 21.0°C = 4 months* 80°F 26.5°C = 3 months 90°F 32.0°C = 2 months At $0.80 per pound I think this is a better option than the 14-14-14 Osmocote CRF that is about $4.00 per pound. Plus, it has the Micros that Osmocote lacks. My goal with the CRF is to do the one fertilization treatment at the beginning of the Season, and with the release rates as stated in the datasheet, I should not have to fertilize again. Here is the link to the full datasheet: http://techsheets.simplot.com/Best/7...cape141414.pdf I then use the 1/2 Cup Starter plus 1/2 Cup 19-6-12 CRF up nearer the surface 3 inches in the 'Tainer. I do not use fertilizer strips on these crops as the stem density throughout the 'Tainer precludes finding a central "trench" location. I find it better to simply disperse the 2 Cups of 14-14-14 in the mid depth section of these 'Tainers. So far, each crop is responding well to these specific fertilizer treatment methods. Raybo

I know that this is an older thread, but I came upon this because I desperately want to save my row of 35' tall Cryptomeria. There are 15 of them, each planted on an incline about 8 to 10 ft apart professionally by a landscaper 18 years ago. They were 10' tall when planted. Until we had a bad drought and watering was limited, they were wonderful and green and full. But over the past 8 years, the brown intermixed limbs, which are predominantly within the lower 15 feet, have developed brown sections, and the greenery seem to be overall thinning. To have these all removed would be hugely expensive, and it would negatively impact our now-private backyard. I have installed a drip irrigation zone during the time of drought we we noticed they were super stressed, but I have no idea whether to water or not now that I read this thread! Any suggestions!? Thank you so much for helping!

The Burrito Method requires hard wood, dormant cuttings, after winter when they have sufficient stored nutrients to hold them over while they are leafless, wrapped in damp paper in the dark. The "Advanced Burrito" has nothing to do with wrapping, therefore is a misnomer. I coined the "Burrito Method" in an effort to give folks a mental image of what I meant. Advanced Burrito is simply a softwood cutting, actively growing, but a single bud one, instead of longer, multiple bud lengths. "Leaf Bud Cuttings" would be a much more appropriate term to use for it. If one were to attempt to used the Burrito Method with actively growing, leaf bud cuttings, they are pretty much guaranteed to fail. Too many people tried it at the wrong time of year, with the wrong type of material, under the wrong range of temperatures and repeatedly reported total failure. It takes a long time for a dormant, leafless cutting to root when processed and used as softwood cutting. Softwood cuttings fail when all foliage is removed and they are wrapped in dark, damp, cool wrapping because they don't contain a sufficient store of nutrients to permit them to develop, and, since there are no leaves and they are in the dark, they can't create their own resources. Each method is appropriate for different types of material, at different times of the year. Both can be used by virtually anyone, just at opposite ends of the calendar and with opposite types of cuttings.

Yes, I know exactly what you're referring to. I seem to recall first hearing about the cannibalism theory at one of the visitor's centers for a national park/monument - cannot for the life of me recall which one though. The evidence of trade with Mexico fascinates me, as does the network of ancient roads that have been mapped out. How cool is this: When the Spanish first arrived in the southwest in the 16th century, they recorded feather trade and the keeping of macaws among Pueblo peoples (Hodge and Lewis 1907:106; Schroeder 1968:98-99). As evidenced by Lyndon Hargrove (1970), macaw skeletal remains make their appearance in the American Southwest by 1000 AD. Most significant are the remains of the scarlet macaw (Ara macao) whose native habitat only extends from the jungles of South America into lowland Mexico. The presence of scarlet macaws in the desert southwest illustrates the importance of trade in exotica between the cultures of the southwest and Mexico. The earliest macaw feathers that have been recovered in this region date back to 750 A.D. These feathers indicate the start of a large trade network between the southwestern cultures and Central Mexico. Turquoise from New Mexico and Arizona have been found in Mexico, while marine shells from the Sea of Cortez, copper bells, and cacao from Central Mexico have been recovered in the southwest. Of course, my dad liked to remind me that as some of these civilizations flourished, cathedrals were being built in Europe, but that makes the mud-bricked ruins no less amazing in my mind. ;-)