Outsmarting the tree rats (squirrels) around my house is a full time job. This past spring I hit on a new idea. When I plant a container I invert an empty wire hanging basket over the container and the plant gets sun and can be watered but the squirrels can't dig in it. Another idea: I bring in a lot of plants to "over winter" under lights in my garage. I have so many that it is hard to reach my hand under the lights (4 shop lights) to the middle for watering. So I bought a pump sprayer with a long wand and it works great! In late winter I add a little liquid Dawn detergent, few drops, to each gallon of water and not only does the soil get wet easier but the worms that are waiting to hatch into distructive pets just don't hatch. Don't know what it costs me to run those four shop lights all winter but I don't care. It is a small price to pay to be able to "garden" every weekend in the garage. Many people have mentioned that they mark their outdoor plants with a "permanent Sharpie". In my experience there isn't a "permanent Sharpie", they all fade and quickly too. A grease pencil/china marker or expensive "no fade" garden center marker are the only markers I have found that won't disappoint you by fading. Eight years ago I decided to learn about gardening so I tapped into my local library. I checked out nearly every book they had on gardening and learned so much. The Gardenweb forums are also a wealth of information and entertainment. There is always something new to learn and I appreciate all of you who take the time to write in your ideas. One last idea from me...I keep a small notebook on my computer table and jot down any idea I find that's new and I will want to try. Little pieces of paper get lost but I always know where my notebook is and also use it when I order "on line" so I will remember the name of the company and the order date. Tina or Trowelgal

Sorry to dominate my own thread, but I'm 'doing the work' to better educate myself further on the topic of viruses in hosta! Here is an excerpt about the 'Arabis Mosaic Virus' from an article put out by the 'Kansas Department of Agriculture': "Arabis mosaic virus was reported for the second time of the season from imported hosta..The plants were shipped in from South Carolina. The variety was Gold Standard....It can be transmitted by nematodes of the genus.." More on the various viruses hosta seem particularly susceptible to: Several viruses including Hosta virus X (HVX), Tobacco rattle virus (TRV), Tobacco ringspot virus (ToRSV), Tomato ringspot virus (TomRSV), Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV), and Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) are known to occur in hostas (4). This report confirms the occurrence of an additional virus, Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), in hostas in North America. This virus was first identified during the summer of 2004 in Hosta fortunei ÂSharmon in several garden centers in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN. Entire lots of this variety, numbering several dozen plants, showed symptoms consisting of blanching of the foliage similar to those caused by ToRSV and TomRSV infection (4). Symptoms persisted throughout the growing season.B. E. L. Lockhart, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108-6030 Anyone recognize the name of the author of the above article?:O) I guess he should know what he's talking about--hopefully! Here's the link to the whole *read* if you like: The whole article by Lockhart Below is another good read on the visual presentation, or symptoms of the HVX: Here is a link that might be useful: Article on the manifestations of HVX

I got septoria leaf spot on the plants I had purchased from the nursery. Fortunately it did not spread to my seedlings. I was only able to save one, and I had to pull up the other 5, as once I removed all of the leaves, there just wasn't anything left of the plant. The one plant I saved only had a few lower leaves affected, so I removed them and sprayed with Daconil. I am spraying once a week, and I find a few more leaves here and there with spots and remove them, but it is not spreading up the plant as it did with the others. I feel your pain...good luck!

Hi everyone. Like many of you, I'm frantically trying to get my head, house and "other" kitchen in some kind of order for the holiday gatherings. So, unfortunately, and despite my addiction to the KF, I know I just can't linger here as long as I would wish today! But thank you, thank you, all over again for the good cheer you're giving me with your posts. Shucks, I feel like Sally Fields (They like 'em! They really like 'em!) LOL! Here's some quick answers to questions: Farmhousebound: Everything is installed except the "innards" -- baffles, switches,etc. So, no, I haven't even turned it on as yet. Honestly, I had the same reaction as you when it arrived -- it looked humongous. But now that the range is under it, I'm thinking the size and fit couldn't be better. Especially with that barrel-like shape, I can't wait to see it do it's capture thing. I also can't wait to see yours with your Chambers! (Or your whole fantastic kitchen, for that matter). When do you think you'll be done? Downsy, you got the best answer to your question from Claybabe (another Aga 6-4 owner who inspired me to take the Aga plunge and who has an over-the-top beautiful kitchen,btw). I would only add that an Aga 6-4 is a European appliance manufactured and designed with very classic European sensibility about size. There's no doubt that, in comparison to standard American units, the 6-4's ovens are rather small. In practice, however, they are not as small as they look; you can easily get a 16 lb turkey in there, for example? Need more bird? Well, cook 2! LOL! In fact, with 4 ovens, you have a tremendous amount of latitude in choosing to cook big or small -- and using only the fuel that you truly need in the process.