>>I've been doing some research on pre emergents and I've settled on Tenacity, unless anybody has a good reason not to use it. If the expense doesn't bother you, go for it. Not that it's really all that expensive, I'm still using the small bottle I bought three years ago. It should last another five, and doesn't seem to weaken with age so far. It's a very short-term pre-emergent, however! One month. After that, reapplication will be required. Since your new sprouts will be too new for any other pre-emergent that touches the Poa genus, Tenacity would be your only choice. >>The only thing I don't like about it is that it's not granular. I'm worried about applying it evenly. I don't want to overapply or miss areas. Any advice or tips on this? (Or perhaps an alternative product with the same traits that does come as a granular) Tenacity is currently rather unique, although rumor has it that there are others in the pipeline (not yet available to us common folk). To my knowledge, there is no solid form as of yet. Great care when spraying is your only choice here. If you miss, you miss--Tenacity is also good as a post-emergent, so you always have the option and opportunity to kill it after it sprouts. I have the best luck killing P, annua and P. trivialis with Tenacity either moderately late in fall (October for me) or moderately late in spring (May). It may not actually kill it outright, but it weakens it very, very badly just before conditions get bad (winter or summer). That takes it right out.

Maureen, Thank you for your reply! Voles are a dreadful problem to have; last winter was one of the mildest and most open we've had for awhile in our our very cold-challenged location, so in some ways it was one of my "best gardening winters", however the terrible losses due to the wretched beasts were hard to bear. The day I discovered the lavendars was one of the most heartbreaking ones I have ever had in a long gardening life. I thought about making more cuttings this year, but even these three survisovors were so compromised that I dared not take any branches even for cuttings. By the end of the summer, each had only about 12 three to four inch long stems. Because they were set back so much, they didn't have time for side branch elongation (though they are hardening off nicely, now). Their growth pattern this summer was similar to a situation where they had been cut to the ground in early June, since they were forced to activate deeply dormant buds because everything else was eaten off at ground level over the winter, and worse, the roots were chewed up as well. I consider myself lucky to have these three. Next summer I hope to be able to make some cuttings and would carry at least half over the winter indoors, as safeties. I have pretty much decided to dig these three, even though digging large old lavendars can be hard on them. Still, with only three to do, and really big pots, I can take my time and try to lift them without too much disturbance. When I transplanted them from VA to here, it was a pretty harsh thing as they had been growing in that site for more than a decade. All the references that I read said old lavendars were extremely difficult to transplant, and frankly, discouraged it. I moved 12 big, old, bushes, and dozens of new cuttings made over three growing seasons. All of the old ones survived until last winter's attack; I had about 75% 1-year survival on all the cuttings but lost every one of those last winter, too. I expect the three survivors made it because they had enough stored food energy to push out those late, dormant buds, whereas the smaller, younger plants were completely consumed. I have debated about trying to carry them inside my house, but I think they will do better in a cold, even frozen state, in the barn, rather than in warm, but much lower light situation indoors. The space I am planning on using in the barn is the former milk bulk tank room and has a lot of light, though no heat, of course. Its other main advantage is that I can completely protect the plants from mice (the damned vole's indoor counterparts). As a side commentary on the vole problem, I carefully studied where the damage was worse and I think the problem was much worse in those areas where I had made extra efforts to build a loose, much more organic soil. The voles seem to prefer that over denser soils. I naturally have a very well-drained, somewhat coarse gravelly loam. In many ways it is superb soil for gardening of all types, and easy to add organic matter to, offering spectacular growth in most instances. But all that added compost does provide ideal conditions for the vile little voles. (So adorably furry, but I swear the day I discovered the lavendars I would have been capable of stomping on their heads, had I seen one!) Molly~

That is for sure sad news. That poor mother. Even if you try to minimize risk's accidents can still happen. I do think swimming lessons are important but they will not save a young child if panic sets in or they get a cramp or are too far out and get tired. Some children also believe they are a more capable swimmer than they actually are. We have an indoor pool that has access doors to the front and back of the house and an access door to the rec room. That rec room door has a sliding lock up high and a child proof door handle on it because I have younger nephews. My kids are not allowed to swim in it without supervision. They are all very good swimmers but my boys also play rough as well. Two are teens and one is a pre-teen. I'm not sure at what point I'd allow them to swim without me present, but it isn't yet. Regardless of the precautions we have in place there is always a chance something devastating could happen. All it takes is for someone to leave the door unlocked and if we had a gathering at our house and an unsupervised child then tragedy could occur. And I do have relatives that don't supervise their children. Both myself and my children have ended up as "babysitters" at family functions. With that said, you cannot keep an eye on your child 24-7 and some kids are can figure out child proofing. My middle son had received a broken arm and I saw it all happen. I went in to change his baby brother, was watching through the patio doors. I saw him on the top of a covered ride on car. I yelled for him to get off it. His older brother that was in the car shook the car and he went tumbling off and broke his arm. I saw the whole thing happen. He also gave himself a ligature mark across his neck when he stood on top of a turtle sand box, grabbed the clothesline down to his height, slipped off the top of the sandbox and onto the clothesline. I was within a few feet of him. Accidents happen all the time and of course we need to do our best as parents to minimize them, but nobody knows the circumstances that lead to this horrific tragedy. The parents may have had safeguards in place and the accident still occurred.

Oh how cool is that! I am going to bat this around with my sister-- these outdoor/nature ideas are interesting because it fits their lifestyle-- but as my sister said the other day, last year he was content with a bucket and rocks. This year he's a very busy boy.. perhaps too busy for these kinds of activities just yet. I am not the expert on toddlers so I'll talk to my sister. In the meantime, I think I have a great bag going! (and SHE still needs ideas for easter basket and birthday so she may just use some of these also). Again, thank you all for the ideas.. there are many holidays so what I don't use for this birthday will surely be helpful at Christmas and next year!