Keep in mind that when vinegar is used as a herbicide, the contentration is fairly high, and you're supposed to use it when the sun is out. Many things that are fine or even good for plants are toxic at high conentrations. I've given a fair amount of vinegar to shaded weeds, and they were fine (they didn't even flinch). I imagine a little calcium acetate on the plant isn't going to hurt it. Fertilizer foliar sprays generally aren't done when the sun is out, and the concentration is very low. So, you're unlikely to kill the plant, unless you use the wrong ratio of fertilizer to water and/or apply it in the sun.

My entire family has always fed the birds and gone on bird watching weekends, etc. my sister also raises chickens, and introduced me to live meal worms as a source of protein for birds (and fish and pet reptiles and even humans). But, they are especially beneficial for nesting birds raising chicks. As I read about the precipitous drop in the numbers of pollinators, it only makes sense that other insects might be threatened as well. And, if there are fewer insects, there might be less food for the birds to feed their chicks. Plus, I need another hobby, right? So, I raise live meal worms in my basement and feed them to the birds. Now I have robins looking in my window each morning wondering when breakfast is coming. I'm looking forward to when the babies start to fly and can visit the feeders themselves. Martha

Here are my garden themes: (October) 1. Your most bizarre - Anything that really stands out due to unique characteristics. 2. Your most tasty - Any edible you grow season after season, because it's just that good. 3. Unusual Solanacea. 4. I'll take mine rare - Anything you would consider rare/hard to come by. 5. Respect your elders - Your favorite heirloom. 6. There's a pharmacy in my garden - Rare medicinal herbs. 7. Gothic Garden - Black, or nearly black, flowers, edibles and herbs. 8. Bulbs, Corms, Tubers, etc Outside of seeds/plants, here are a few others things I'm interested in: Root Pouches or Grow Bags Stacking Pots Gourmet Chocolate Homemade Goodies: Jams, Jellies, Salsas, Dried Pepper Flakes/Powder, Baked Treats, etc. Books on herbalism or foraging (I'm northern CA/west coast) Your very favorite recipe – the one that you could not live without I love, love, love seeds and plants, particularly anything that's unusual, rare, or medicinal. If it happens to be edible, that's even better. My favorite colors are black, purple, and blue. I also like pastel colors. I have two very spoiled cats and a wonderful husband. I garden (duh), write, cook, and can. I grow a lot of edibles and herbs, with a few ornamentals scattered here and there. My favorite seed stores are Baker Creek and Sacred Succulents (love this place – he carries many extremely rare plants/seeds, many of which are medicinal).

kilian, I'm between Ann Arbor and Ypsi and the lack of birds lately is really bothering me. My husband reminded me that our Cooper's Hawk may be the reason so tomorrow morning I'm going to move my feeders away from my windows and closer to our huge conifer lot line, where I had them last year. I, too, got more birds of all types in Spring and Summer. However, this year I am not feeding after June 1 and not before November. I said that last year, but hope I follow through this year. I do think the lack of snow and very cold weather recently is a contributing factor. I feed safflower in one feeder, BOSS in another, a mix in another, and 2 or 3 suet feeders. 2 of my neighbors also feed, but I haven't talked to them about their business. In this drab weather I am really disliking the BOSS shells piling up on the ground. I wish safflower seed was not more expensive because I would put it in all my feeders as House Sparrows here didn't eat it. The millet in my mix just stays on the ground and I rarely see a Junco or native sparrow anymore. Even the chickadees are rare. I want to feed everything that comes to my yard too -- one can keep so-called bully birds with a mix in its own feeder away from other feeders if one wants to. Squirrels will go to a mix on the ground too. I don't understand the lack of birds either, but we'll see if moving the feeders makes a difference. I have baffles on my shepherds hooks, and 18-inch domes on feeders hanging from my eaves to keep the squirrels on the ground. I want to feed the doves and squirrels but I want them on the ground. I can't help you, kilian. I think the weather is a factor for you. I will keep you posted and you do the same. We're really lucky with our weather, compared to other parts of the States, so I don't really want to complain too much. Pat .