An average loam soil will have 4000 pounds of nitrogen, 4000 pounds of phosphorous, and 20,000 pounds of potassium per acre in the top eight inches most of it in forms that are unavailable to plants. Many minerals present in the soil are most available to plants if the soil pH is neutral to very slightly acid. Soil in my region is neutral. We do not run fertilizer through the irrigation system. If your irrigation water is alkaline, you will have to adjust it to increase soil fertility. Your county ag agent is your best source for information. We use organic mulches and green manure crops for soil fertility. We do use bone meal at planting time on our large dahlia crop. But, hey, I think we need to use alfalfa like LizaLily because we want 100 blooms per day on our Chilsean's Pride dahlia. In correcting deficiencies of minor elements, it is important to realize that the difference between a therapeutic dose and a toxic dose is pretty small for some of the nutrients. Essentially, what we use here in the Great Lakes Region is probably going to have no bearing on what someone uses in your area. Talk to growers in your area and your ag agent. We have received valuable information from both.

Dee, I like your idea of putting all the small tools in a five gallon bucket and bringing it with you. I think I am going to try my version of that with a two wheeler and a small beach umbrella. I like bringing shade with me and having a two wheeler to move something if I need it. I also have a way of using the 5 gallon bucket as a work surface while sitting on a riding seat. I had fun putting the whole thing together too. Had lots of places to put things like my water bottle, etc. I did that two summers ago and I forget what happened that I didn't last year. I could move into one of those sheds tomorrow too Dee. Might make a nice get away, right in the backyard. Bring out a cooler and a comfortable chair, a few gardening magazines...make a day of it. :-) Linda, the umbrella is a nice idea when you have to use a space that is too sunny and it helps when it rains to keep things dry if you haven't got any cover. I also made a decision to try using the garage for one season and clear out an area that would be the same size as a small shed and see how it works before I commit to having a shed. sooey, you sound pretty organized to me! pm2

Turmeric root is generally sold fresh in the few markets that carry it. Most often, it is sold in dry, powder form. It is mostly used as a coloring agent, not for flavor. It colors things a bright yellow, and is the reason some curries are that color. Since it doesn't really impart much flavor, you could use the dry without worrying too much about quantities. A little goes a long way, if a recipe calls for an inch piece of root, I would start with an eighth to quarter tspn and go from there. A warning note...the yellow dye is quite strong, and can stain anything from rubber spatulas to hands to counters. Be careful with it. Yes, most things can be bleached clean, but some things take some time to lose the color. The rubber bands surrounding orthodontic braces will turn bright green, and it doesn't wear off. Candlenuts are an oily nut used in Indonesian foods, and are difficult to find. You can substitute macadamia nuts (a close substitute) or Brazil nuts, which are three times as big, so adjust amounts accordingly. You can also use raw cashews or almonds...I'd use about 2 cashews per candlenut called for. Dried shrimp paste is available in most Asian markets. It's quite strong and smells it. I can't really think of a substitute, but I suppose if I was really stuck, I'd try soaking dried shrimp, and then making a puree with it using enough soy sauce to get the puree going. Don't be put off by the smell, it won't make the dish taste/smell like that if you use the amount called for. Lemon grass is generally about as long as celery, and most recipes call for just the white part, which is usually about the bottom third of the whole stalk. Don't worry about the waste, because the rest of the stalk can be used to simmer a nice lemony flavor into soups or teas and then removed. Some dishes will call for large pieces to be simmered and then removed, you can use the green part of the stalk for that as well. The dried lemongrass you can sometimes find is so inferior that you'd be better off substituting lemon or lime juice (I have used a combo of both to best effect)as it is really fit for nothing except brewing into tea. You can freeze lemon grass, so if you find an Asian market that carries it (or decide to plant some of your own) that is a help.

I'm in New England -- in wooded hillside with nearby streams and ponds. After dusk, the mosquitoes get wild. I don't have a screened in porch but wish I did. I would sleep there and listen to whippoorwills and frogs and later in the summer I'd enjoy the crickets. I'd breath in the fragrance of the grass and woodlands a d pond. At dawn and dusk, I'd swoon over theusical flute like call of the wood thrush. For old time sake, I'd light a kerosene or Coleman lantern and playing cards or an attic fragrant board game. No screen porch, but large windows with screen in a woodland home. If you are lucky enough to have a screened in porch (floor too), count yourself lucky and enjoy every second on it. Breath deeply. Totally relax.