It is a learning experience for me too -- our tap water is Acidy... so I gotta go see about a PH meter to make sure I don't wipe out all my little trees when I start spraying this year... And.. Oil just seems so simple and foolproof... Who would think you could kill everything so easily... I was planning to spray at night -- wind is low, bees and wasps and neighbors are asleep and the Moths and Curcuilos are out in force... but if I gotta have good, fast drying.. I gotta do it in daylight after the dew and fog burns off on a bright, sunny day instead. I did some more reading last night, and Arsenic also has similar symptoms... Arsenic Sources: Pressure treated wood (Did you burn some and dump ash under the trees?) Creosote? Rat poison... Especially watch out for fresh, newly purchased PT stakes that you would use to stake up plants.... I still believe you need to get a tissue and soil sample tested to see what is going on... Copper and Arsenic would probably be persistent in a tissue sample (Maybe in soil too)... Oil won't. Thanks John

I grew Reisentraub this year for the first time so I don't have a past experience to compare it to but it was advertised as a vigorous, heavy bearer and it was neither. But none of my tomatoes did very well this year. Last year I would've had a big harvest if it had not gotten so hot so soon. They were literally boiling under their skins. I'm not a big cherry tomato fan, I was expecting the Reisentraub to be bigger. I've grown black cherry, sweet 100, and Tess' Land Race. The latter were so small they just became too much trouble to pick and the birds and chickens got most of them. I didn't really intend to bother with cherry tomatoes again.

Wow so many with the same situation, although mine is not because of him losing a job in this economy. I always seemed to find the really nice guys that lacked motivation - I married two of them. My first husband was in finance, and figured that he could work fewer hours and manage to make enough. I was working and had two young children and he did not think that his free time was for housework or watching the kids even when I went to the gym - I had to get a sitter so that he would not have to commit to being home. No matter how much counseling or discussion between us could make him see how it felt to have him sitting on the front porch reading the paper while I was going crazy in the house getting lunches ready and the kids and me out of the house every morning. The neighbors even noticed! I felt if I was going to live like a single parent, I might as well be able to date, so I divorced him. And then I did the same thing again! What the heck was wrong with me?? When I met my second husband, he had a job, but all of his jobs were not long-term or careers -- he was also an under-employed carpenter. He was an awesome person, and a great step-father to my kids, but the housework was not even on his radar. However, with his more "flexible schedule", he was the one that could get a sick kid at school or be home if needed, so he was a bit of a house husband and that allowed me to concentrate on my job. But once the kids were off at college, I joked that he was my oldest child, but it really wasn't a joke. Unfortunately he died suddenly a little over a year ago, and although I miss him terribly, I am not going to make the same mistake again. I'm fortunate that I can support myself as I've been doing it for years anyway. If there is a next guy he will have to be at least where I am financially (which is not much!) and be interested in a true partnership. We all have to put up with stupid bosses and policies, but how can these men think it's OK to put their pride before their employment because they won't tolerate whatever they don't agree with? You can't be an employee and do things any way you want - we all have to suck it up for a job. If these guys didn't have a wife, I wonder what would they do? Please understand, I'm not knocking your hubbies - especially after the men I married! Many of you seem to be adapting to the new normal in your households. What makes it work is a sense of teamwork between the two of you, each doing what needs to be done. A wife can't be the breadwinner and then come home to housework & cooking while the husband plays - that situation won't last long without resentment.

Thanks. The feeling took me so off-guard! Prep-wise, I was only needed for the last minute Amazon orders (venue in another state,) and dealings with the vendors, so it definitely wasn't overdone. I can't exclaim enough about how wonderful it was to have a point-person that day, as moms are usually used to taking care of everything, especially the details. It was nice to let go. I do realize this is a ridiculous in light of real problems and sadnesses, but was wondering if anyone else was blindsided. Working is certainly a big help, as it was after my mom died last fall.