Sammy, This is a significant problem for us as well, as we have steep ground and deep clay: our various slides revealed five feet of clay at least, and no rock yet at the bottom. I don't have any tried and true solutions, but can at least share what we're trying. Maybe some of it will be useful. I've gotten really cautious about disturbing the soil by plowing or earth moving: if it's more than can be shifted by a shovel or a hoe, we leave it alone. All our slides have been in areas in which the soil had been disturbed. And more and more I'm leaving herbaceous plants--weeds and grass--until I have something to put in their place, since, as Elemire pointed out, the ground benefits by the holding power of their roots, as well as by the organic matter they add. (However I totally agree that the poison ivy has to go.) We do a lot of minor terracing (to a height of about a foot in the garden) with boards and rebar, which are very plain indeed but work to define beds and paths, and make the former field look much more like a garden by giving it flat areas. I would use rocks for terracing if we had any. And we have deep-rooted trees scattered through the garden, hoping that they'll be well enough established in a few years to prevent slides, as so far seems to be the case. In the case of ground that requires restoration, particularly in the case of the slide areas that have lost their topsoil, I leave all herbaceous growth (that means weeds) of course, and intend to plant native colonizing shrubs. We've planted seedling trees with minimal success, so I think we need to back up to colonizing plants. The heavy mulch we keep on the ground slows down runoff and allows absorption of rain; at least I think it does. All of these strategies are thoughtful, but we have no training in soil conservation or related topics. I'm returning to Italy next week and will be able to see what my garden looks like after a month and a half here in Florida. My husband tells me that we got two inches of rain last week, which is excellent for August, and makes me hope that we might enjoy a decent fall flowering this year, the first in some years. Florida has been really hot and humid this year, so much so that I've hardly gone outside except to go swimming; and if I had a garden here I can guarantee you I wouldn't have been out working in it. This week the heat has finally eased up a little. In a climate where summers are hot and dry by this time gardens often look really ratty, young gardens especially. Yours looks like you're off to a good start: the roses look robust and healthy. I know that when I pass the summer in Italy I dedicate my garden time to pulling bindweed and Bermuda grass and it's no fun at all, but fall is on the way. I think that when our trees and shrubs get some size on them the whole garden is going to look a lot better, and will be more comfortable with the shade. These things just take time, as I keep telling myself. ...

Yeah, I am coming around to that feeling Eileen!!! or maybe a half way stance - - BUY poppie seed and throw it out there in late winter. This way I can just pull the spent plants once they bloom, not having to look at this incredibly sad mess. I do love the peony poppy flowers I've got, but the bloom time sure is quick. We were on vacation from 7/13 to 7/28 and they were ready to burst when we left, completely done when we returned. It just might be that the spot I have them in is baking hot and thye don't love it.

Lord knows i'm no authority on these plants,but I have many of them.That doesn't look like rot to me!! Mine turn different colors according to how much sun/shade they get. I have some that look like yours and some that have an orangy color on parts of them and they seem perfectly healthy to me. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than I will be along soon with more answers for you. In the meantime,i'd say don't worry. Kathi

This is a late update on the Ugly tomatoes from my garden. After a rocky (rainy) start that caused most all the tomatoes in my garden to be bland initially, we did have some real summer weather later on, but over all I think that it was a little milder than usual. Most of my spring plants survived and revived in the fall when the weather cooled off and fall rains came. A fellow member wanted some of the Ugly seed and I received his SASE today in the mail. Since I only have a very few seed left over from the packet that I had ordered to start mine, I went out to check the garden to see if there was one that I could get some seed from. Sure nuff, there was a red ripe one on the vine so I got some seed out of it. I have not been able to determine whether this tomato is a hybrid or an O.P. but will send some of both seeds in case he wants to try them. The seed packet that they came in does not say, which I think is a little unusual. One thing that did impress me today was the taste of that tomato. It was as good as any tomato I have ever tasted. We have had an extended Indian Summer here with mild days and cool nights with just about the right amount of rain, so that may be what was needed. Consequently, I will be planting them again this next year. Bill P.