So is this yer way of letting me know I have a presentation to do for our club in July? :-D Works for me, you know me well enough to know I'd never do it if I had to actually think about it!! Speaking of my pics, after much nagging encouraging by some of the lovely friends on the Violet Reflections Forum, last night I finally got up the nerve to submit some of my photos to Joe Bruns for potential use in the FC2 program... Well, I'm on cloud 9 today 'cos of the compliments he gave me--apparently he really likes them a lot!! Looks like there'll be some "m3rma1d" pics in a future FC2 update! :-o

Yeah! Hi Debra! Fantastic pictures as usual :) Willow Dean Smith is the BOMB! Not sure if you remember I always wanted that plant! I want to hybridize for a plant that is universal & rock star no matter where it grows, not just a pretty face, although that is hugely important as well. Plant habit has always been hugely important to me & after living down here I've been educated just that much more. You would be surprised how many northern plants are rust resistant & can live in this zone although they are dormant & what not! A lot of northerners buy plants from down here for hybridizing & that is where the problem lies. How does anyone really know when you are masking it? I don't blame the southern mecca for what they are doing, they are only doing this because of the stigma that goes with rust :( I sold on the LA to purge before moving down here & it was still a question up there as to whether I had acquired new plants. It got 10x worse when I moved here as I grow them all in containers & need to purge faster, LOL! Let us save ourselves & the environment. Let's teach rust who's boss, yes? Crazy is most of my cultivars are new intros so what does that say as to what is truly going on :( I can't wait to get home & update my spreadsheet! I will have a lot more info when I do. Oh, 1 more thing I want to share quickly. There was question as to whether or not opening had to do with weather & heat when I was posting back then. NOPE!! It's genetics! I had a very poor opener living in WI & it's still just as crappy down here. I even visited the hybridizer's garden & witness a whole clump stuck not being able to open, LOL! I wish I would have had the nerve to ask why it was ever introduced, LOL! What an education this has been!

I found the following from the Univ. of CA, Davis: Mike ________ Wood Ashes as Fertilizer  There has been considerable talk lately of recycling yard prunings and clippings as mulches and composts. Another source of recyclable materials is the ash from the fireplace or barbecue. At one time wood ashes were a chief source of potassium and much used in farming and horticulture. While not an important fertilizer anymore, gardeners with a supply of ashes often want to know if they would be useful as a fertilizer or soil amendment.  The answer is yes, if used appropriately. The benefits derived from ashes depend on your soil and the rate at which the ashes are applied. Generally, ashes contain potassium, a major plant nutrient plus a number of minor nutrients. Wood ashes contain all the mineral elements that were in the wood, except for nitrogen and sulfur which are lost through the burning process. Potassium, calcium and magnesium carbonate or oxide are present in comparatively large amounts giving the ashes a strongly alkaline reaction which can neutralize acid soils. However in soils that are already alkaline, high application rates can be harmful. A further compounding problem is that about 80 to 90 percent of the minerals in wood ashes are water-soluble, so that high application rates can cause salts to build up in soils, resulting in plant injury.  As a plant food, ashes contain 5 to 7 percent potassium and 11/2 to 2 percent phosphorous. They also have 25 to 50 percent calcium compounds. Hardwood (e.g. oak) ashes contain more potassium than those from softwoods (e.g. pine). If left out in the rain, because these nutrients are water-soluble, the ashes will lose their nutritive value. The less soluble carbonates which cause alkalinity will remain longer.  So how to use ashes? An average application is 5 to 10 pounds per 100 square feet, scattered on a freshly tilled soil and raked in. For a pre-plant treatment, it is best to apply ashes 3 or 4 weeks in advance of planting. They also can be sidedressed around growing plants or used as a mulch. A ring of ashes around a plant may ward off snails and slugs because the ashes are irritating to them.  In order to avoid problems of excess salinity or alkalinity, the applications should be limited to once per year. Avoid contact between freshly spread ashes and germinating seeds or new plant roots by spreading ashes a few inches away from plants. Ashes that settle on foliage can cause burning. Prevent this by thoroughly rinsing plants after applying ashes. Because they are alkaline, avoid using ashes around azaleas, camellias and other acid-loving plants.  Remember that ashes contain very little nitrogen, so your plant's need for this element must be met by other sources in a regular fertilizer schedule.

((((Phoggie)))) I am so sorry for the loss of your DH!! That is so sad and I hope you are doing well in spite of all this stress.. Glad you got away from DH's son. Ironically things between DH & I have fine-no further signs of his looking, nor really any time for him to do so. I really do think in hindsight he was just doing some internet ogling. But SS and his new wife have financially overextended themselves (again!) and I am growing tired of DH paying their phone bill plus paying their household bills before ours. I'm not sure where it's going but he cannot and will not let this adult child struggle through any hardship even of his own doing. Therefore he never stops indulging, buying, vacationing etc-and we can't do or go anywhere because we're tight on money. In fact I cancelled my vacation with my family in July we were so tight on funds. I have a kid in college working his butt off full time and carrying 16-20 credits each semester and I'd like to be able to help him with a few bucks-yet he (my son)wouldn't even dream of me paying his phone bill. So sick of these kids in their 30's making more money than DH & I combined bleeding us dry. I'm just not understanding it. Part of me wants to leave him over it yet other than this our relationship is comfortable and happy. I guess I am resentful because my Ss & his wife just buy, buy, buy, vacation, get go-karts, hunting stuff etc. The never want for anything-and then they come crying to my DH when then run out of money and cant pay their bills. Our dil actually was worried because she couldn't breast feed their newborn due to mastistis and they couldn't afford formula. Really?! Come on! When do I get to go on vacation or buy new furniture without worrying about paying my bills? Oh and they want to have another "big" wedding/party this fall now that dil isn't pregnant, DH is all for it (good thing cause he'll probably be paying for it). But when I wanted to renew our vows after ten years that was stupid-He said once was enough he didn't need to do it again. Calgon take me away. Just seems like DH & I are expected to make all the sacrifices so the kids can continue to live beyond their means. Can't discuss with DH as he gets very defensive about it. Nothing is to much for them. I don't mean to sound so bitter, but it's tough to see my husband killing himself with a very physically demanding job, I'm working full time and going to school and we are barely squeaking by. But all SS & DIL have to do is make bad financial decisions and they get rewarded for it. It's wrong and they don't care that DH has nothing left to retire on. It makes me feel jealous & resentful that DH feels they deserve everything he's got before we take care of our own stuff. I love them but I think they are so very selfish to do this to us at our age. :0( ~Cat