In the container forum, Tapia has discussed using wicks in containers. in my experience growing tomatoes in containers, if you don't use a wick in big containers, the tomatoes don't thrive. the exception is a self watering container that doesn't have a wicking problem because the soil wicks moisture up. so yes, it could be a drainage problem. I would expect the other tomatoes to also develop the same problem over time. Michael in Hampstead....40 tomatoes in containers!

Trust me on this--this is a 'bat your head against the wall' situation. You CANNOT change your parents. You CANNOT change your brother. All you can do right now is step back, see the situation for what it is and realize that your parents are going to give this deadbeat whatever he wants, for the rest of his life, and there will be nothing for you, ever. If you speak to professionals in the field, they'll tell you it's common for parents to over and over again put the 'needs' of a deadbeat child over the good of their other children and even ahead of what's good for them (the parents). Parents will often let one child bleed them dry. And oh yes, they will from time to time go to one of their other children, complaining about the drain on their finances--BUT they rarely really want any help. And if you do attmept to push them to do the right thing--guess who will be wrong and will be on the outs with the family? You. Not only have I seen many other families go through this same scenario, but let me tell you about DH's family. His one sister has always been a taker. She's got all sorts of explanations as to why she needs money--mind you, her husband has a very high position with the government and has made 6 figures for years. Anyway, this deadbeat, over the years, has gotten her parents to pay for: her kids' braces, her cars, her appliances, new roof for her house, and dozens of other stuff. FIL and MIL used to go to DH, complaining about the drain on their finances. DH would get all upset, worried for them, and make good suggestions. They didn't want to hear anything reasonable. Eventually, that SIL finagled and got control over their finances. the stress she put FIL under killed him way too early. Then she STOLE over a quarter of a million $$$ from MIL (who by that time had Alzheimer's). Cost us $20,000 so far in forensic accounting and legal fees to stop the hemmorage of $$$$. It's been 7 years, and the case still hasn't been completely resolved. And honestly? There's no money left in the estate for the rest of the children to inherit. I don't care if I NEVER get any money from someone else's death--that's not really how I choose to make $$$, but darn it, it's grossly unfair for one child to steal the estate from the others. If I knew in my eary 20's what I understand now about these family relationships, we would NOT have allowed ourselves to be victimized the way we were. We would have walked away years ago. I know that sounds cold, but we batted our heads against the wall for 35 years, always doing the right thing, never taking a penny from anyone that wasn't ours, and none of it was appreciated. ever. I know this isn't the advice you want to hear, but truly, the best thing you can do for yourself, is to handle your own fiances responsibly. To protect them from others, and to make up your mind that if your parents choose to give away their money now, to a child who should be able to pay his own way, they ARE NOT your responsibility in the future, when they are down and out because of it. Do not feel guilty if they come to you for help later in life and you feel you need to turn them down. They made their choices, it's not up to you to pay the consequences for others mistakes, truly.

When I heard this, I was sick. Not just because I know this family but because of the teenagers. What would make friends turn on one? Do they really think they are invincible, that they'd get away with it? I saw the news today and the teens were making their first court appearance. The faces on the parents of the accused were so incredibly sad. Imagine your child guilty of murder....

I know how you feel, Kath. When my kids were at UW-Madison I would get email notifications when any crime that did or could involve students occurred. It would freak me out until I heard from them. DD lived off-campus in a house with non-students in the other apartment. They didn't even lock their door! Nothing we said made any difference until one of the girls' exes became a stalker and entered while they weren't there. I just couldn't believe these supposedly smart students could be so stupid. Thank goodness nothing ever happened. So sad about the student, what a waste.