To MaryAnn This is not the thread that will get the most replies to your question. I am willing to write what I do. I use 4 gallons of rainwater -- or water that has sat in the sun for 24 hours --in a 5 gallon bucket. I add something: molasses feeds bacteria; kelp meal and other additives feed fungi . Or so I am told. I've added either or both and I've added fish emulsion fertilizer. Just playing my hunches, I'm inclined to think the best use of tea is as a spray when competing with other fungi. So when I spray roses, I'll add one of the alleged fungi foods. I areate the water and the additive with an airstone aquarium bubbler for about 15 minutes. Then I put at least a pint of vermicompost into the bucket. Sometimes more. Cocoons will bubble up around the edge of the bucket. I pick them up with a cup and pour the cup through a sieve & then put them in a bin with worms. I keep it aerating until it is gone. I used it in the test . Other than that I like it for the emotional satisfaction of nurturing any plant that needs it: Either as a "drench" that is, putting it in the soil, or my favorite trick is to "dunk" the roots in the bubbling tea. I grow strawberries: I think this helps them through renovating. When the tea is almost used up I strain it. I use paint straining bags because I don't have to deal with it immediately. This is a little tricky: A big colander that will sit on a bucket is a plus. I can tie a knot in the bag and put it in a bin & think about what else to do. ( I can post a picture of this if necessary.) Some VC leaves a lot of uneaten bedding and some VC leaves hardly any. I tend to brew before the VC is dense with castings for the health of the worms. What my test told me is that VC and tea make healthy plants: They don't compete with fertilizers "showing off" quantity of fruit-- especially not compared to the best complete organics with all the minerals and fungi etc. like the BLO. The Miracle Grow was a disaster in a pot. Might be O K in the ground. It would need extra pruning and more care than any other amendment. (More than half the fruit got blossom end rot which is a calcium absorption problem.) There are lots of small unripe fruits. The others have ripened fruits. I've dehydrated a batch which is my preferred method of storing. The tea plants are only slightly different from the control plants. A tea plant was the first to show fruit and the first to ripen. That could be for a number of reasons, but there it is. Also, it is relevant that the control had good dirt including a compost/dairy product. They all started with that & that is plenty good enough for growing a tomato in a pot, In the future I'll put VC in with the plants when they go in the ground or in the pot & I'll use a little COF (Complete Organic Fertilizer) from a store closer to me than Black Lake Organic. The Jobes brand had at least one blossom end rot & is a decent fertilizer but not as complete as COF. In case there is any doubt, usually it is better to put a plant in the ground than in a pot -- all else equal. We are having a summer designed for tomatoes. If we had had spells of rain in the middle of the warm weather, plants in the ground would suffer. In pots, keeping the moisture EVEN is a challenge. It may be that slightly underwatering improves flavor as in strawberries. WHEW. Pictures are easier. Tomorrow I'm going to Chehalis for burlap. I hope to be able to do a one -time taste comparison test. because I'll have ripe fruit from most of the plants. The trick is labelling them (for one thing). For the record in case there is any question, all the soils from all the pots will be reused after thorough mixing with what ever I am using for next year. ( See the Design a Bin thread). I bought a LOT of Black Owl Biochar and will be "charging" it in VC and tea as well as just mixing it into the soil.

Eandhlnot in a way to necessarily draw meaningful conclusions A cousin has a child with her boyfriend who is black, but Dude and my aunt absolutely detest each other and always have for whatever reason I dont know, but Im quite sure hes never met my cousins boyfriend, highly doubt hes spent meaningful time around my cousin since she had the baby and if so not when I was around to witness and besides which any response would be affected by his feelings toward my aunt. But there is my SIL who to look at her is blue-eyed blond-haired fair-skinned white as can be white girl but had a grandmother who was native american. As I said, in the past there have been plenty of "discussions" you cant judge people by where they were born what language they speak what color their skin is etc, and, more than once in my presence (and Im not around a lot) SIL has pointed out to him that 1st of all it is becoming more rare for anyone to be "pure" white, more and more people are mixed heritage, in fact she herself is not all white but has mixed ancestry. My observation is that he has basically ignored her; no apologies, no recognition that he has insulted her, her heritage, (and oh btw if my sil, my niece and nephew also), and he has obviously not stopped nor has my mom said anything. SIL or brother never really pushed the issue, and he probably doesnt really take her seriously since she looks white, to him I think thats all she is, but he still doesnt care shes insulted, my best guess is he will not care if he is insulting bf either (although BF is 63" and an athlete, dude is not, is there some guy rule that you dont insult other men to their faces when they are bigger stronger younger faster than you?) Youngest brother said when he still lived at home he had a friend female, black, pregnant, he was really tempted to show up at home with her for the fun of letting dude draw obvious conclusions and watching his head explode. But never did. He thinks I am not properly appreciating the entertainment value inherent in the situation. (yes, but I might still want bf to like me after, there are easier and cheaper ways to break up with someone that dont involve plane tickets and vacation days) (I do know he is joking or I would have to swat his behind even if he does think he is a grown man not still my baby bro)

I haven't thought about Snickerdoodles in ages. Yummy. I have a dear friend with a glass fridge, but she barely eats at all, and when she does it is usually out. They are childless and now that NYC will allow dogs at sidewalk cafes, she may never eat home again. Her fridge, I swear it, is staged. The next time I visit I should take a surreptitious iphone photo.

Patti, yes, I guess a leaky heart should be looked into. And loved your approach to the doctor! Way to go! You must be SO proud of your SIL and that whole family! That's doggoned impressive! And thrilled for your son and getting his bride-to-be back here, a little nervous about her getting in without any glitches. Exciting times for you! Does she speak Mandarin?? What part of China is she from? I just did cart seeds inside for the first time last year. It was surprisingly easy with the good help of all our smart friends here. They were even more help advising where and when and what to plant and filling the raised beds. Last year, I had no idea how to tell what I wanted in a tomato or pepper (or anything else--I'm sure you all remember my ignorance); I have learned so much from you all in the past year; and I had to laugh at Rebecca saying that she bet I wouldn't buy seed from (I don't know who it was, some big box company). And it IS true that I've become very uppity about seed companies--but it's all y'all's fault! You know it is. I didn't get started on seed-planting today, Dawn. Maybe tomorrow. We are still staying away from: church, and schools. So maybe I'll get up and begin tending the garden for God. :) I'm a little bit freaked about IT, too. I bet all of you who have only recently started all the seed-growing stuff are feeling about like I am. . . So technically, this is only my second year. But it was so easy last year, I'm not too freaked out. Mostly by the nightmares of potting up, the taking all those flats out every morning, bringing them all back in in the evenings. Too funny. It's like running an orphanage, pet shelter, daycare. Constant attention, right? I'm thrilled that in what is going into my 4th year here, I have SO many perennials, self-seeding annuals, and shrubs going. SO appreciated the additional info on drip irrigation tubing. I'm still on the edge, there. I think I will maybe NOT do it in the flower beds, cept for the cement block raised one, and the raised veggie beds. Maybe soaker hoses, though. I really don't much care about the worry over sprinklers getting leaves wet, when I remember the 20" of rain we got May into July for two years in a row. The saving money part, sure. But I have those oscillating sprinklers, so can narrow down the watering to the immediate bed being watered. That's gotta help some. HJ and Dawn both posted while I was starting on this, so had to change windows to see what they had to say. lol Liked the way you tied Rh into gardening, HJ. Very creative. And now, HJ, and I am very worried about your babies since dogs seem to be about. (Which is one of the two main reasons we won't have them--the other being times we have to go to Wy or Mn.) Amy, I had to google the car accident you mentioned. How very sad. They still haven't released the names. We only go to Wahoo Bay occasionally, because you know my distaste for traveling. It's probably 25-30 miles from our house--as you know, we're north and east of Wagoner by 10 miles; Wahoo is south and east of Wagoner by about 15. We go down there a couple times each summer. Actually, that's where GDW is going to crappie fish--a nice heated dock not too far north of Wahoo. And he is on a mission now. We got his moon jigs, his special bobbers should be showing up Tuesday, and then he just KNOWs he'll be catching all kinds of crappies. That was funny, you mentioning your Mom ears. I have them, too, with the new kitties. Speaking of them. . . . uh oh, I fear they are into their teens, full blown. Jerry's actually the troublemaker; but Tom is the dangerously funny one. They were both obsessed with getting into the pantry, because of the hole in the wall where the water lines are. But mostly because it's a shut door. If a door is shut, that's where they want to go. Garry fixed the door once (previously it shut and stayed shut, but didn't latch.) But didn't fix it good enough apparently. Last night, one of the cats came racing in here with a prize--my brand new fancy dancy fuzzy "feather duster." Score!, he thought, and you could all but see them doing "high 5's" about it. All I could do was laugh. The fuzzy part is a foot long, and then has a wood handle that's another foot long. Hysterical. So I put it back and shut the door. This morning before I was up, GDW got to witness the same thing. But so, he FIXED the door good today. The cats are so ticked off. BUT, now, I fear the cabinets are next, as Tom was interested in seeing in what was one of them when I opened it today. . . and they, of course, do not latch. You could almost see the little light bulbs going off in his head. They've been rowdy today. . . SO rowdy. So funny. They're both also SO affectionate. I plunked Tom down 4 times earlier today when he was being obnoxious and in my face (AFTER I gave him 15 minutes of uninterrupted time), and four times he jumped back instantly. But he also has been in either GDW's lap or mine every time we have sat down today.