Hi All, Thanks for the ... um ... spirited debate so far. I've been far too busy to respond to each of your messages. I'm very much a part-part-part-time gardener. I've learned a lot from your posts, however. I understand that there are no definitive answers, and every point of view has pros & cons. Part of my problem is that I'm not 100% sure on what I want and when I think I know what I want, I don't have the time or the money to get it done that way. Upon one of your advice, I had a local landscaper deliver a big load of mulch (for free), and started spreading that around a part of the yard. That seems like a good way to keep weeds down w/o using chemicals. I'm not particularly afraid of the chemicals' toxicity -- but all else being equal I'd prefer that fewer chemicals be manufactured and used. I also bought a Hound Dog Cultivator to give it a try, and as someone noted above, it doesn't work all that well on rocky soils like mine. If I could afford it, I'd probably buy a used tiller. But I can't. Nor do I have the space to store it. My 1-car garage is jam-packed. So, my plan right now is to spread mulch to keep weeds down, and once I figure out what to do w/ a particular part of the yard, clear the mulch and plant stuff there. Thanks all, and if you're in/near San Diego, come right over and help me garden! There's a cold six pack and some hot dogs in it for ya.

Glad to find this subject on a forum! I have a slightly different question on the same subject. I grew up using a Rotary edger, so now that I have my own lawn, I thought I might get one again. My lovely bride bought me a single wheeled rotary edger for Christmas, with the proviso that I could opt for the two wheeled variety. (That one costs roughly ten dollars more.) My question is this: Is there an advantage to the two wheeled variety and if so, what is the upside? I don't have a huge lawn/sidewalk area, so a single pass probably would be sufficient. I don't want to start using a single wheel only to find out I should have gone for the double... and now can't return the "used" one. Any advice you can offer?

My perspective is from someone who does several hundred "spot-cleanings" a year. I tend to the the routine, "Food and body fluids" and the obscure -- ink, paint, makeup, markers, rust, etc. Earlier this year, I did several hundred restaurant chairs in a tech school's chef training program. (The word I got was "we had them cleaned 9 years ago and it didn't do much good." I got them pretty clean.) Most of what I see in terms of stain needs to be water cleaned. So: Rayon and Viscose are similar. They, particularly in chenille, will not tolerate any water contact. Even a splash from a water bottle will leave a stain. This is due to the way water causes loss of resiliency in the fibers. While it's not "soiled" it will appear lighter or darker in color. 100% cotton stains easily and cleans with difficulty. Many cleaners are too strong for it and the dyes (particularly dark red, green and blue) are often fugitive with light and water. I have seen lots of 100% cotton that were faded, fuzzed, and loaded with spots and all I can say is, "Sorry, I can't clean it." Because it is a staple fiber (fiber length measured in inches, not yards), it is prone to appearing "frosted" as the fibers break with use and abrasion. Silk ; fuggedaboudit. I once had a client that said, "I don't know what I was thinking ordering silk for dining chairs when I have grandchildren." It lasted approximately one meal before becoming permanently stained with gravy. Microfibers: I find these clean wonderfully. If you care for the look and feel, I'd recommend them. Beyond that, some fibers work well in certain weaves or fabrics, and some don't. Below are some paraphrased notes on various fibers: Acrylic Wear resistance across length low. End wear resistance very high, making it suitable for velvets and plushes. Soft feel in end-fiber. Highest of UV resistance due to added screen chemicals. High in price. Cotton Low in wear resistance, especially if not treated with fluorochemicals such as Fabri-Coate. Stains easily and cleans with difficulty. Suited for thin, delicate fabrics such as chinzes. Cool feel due to breathability. Not able to retain "new look" for long. Often found blended, such as with polyester. Nylon High cross fiber wear, low end fiber wear, so normally found in woven and not velvets. Can be formulated for various softness of feel. Full elastic recovery -- does not sag. Very common on auto upholstery and carpets. UV can cause some yellowing and frosting. Polyester AKA Dacron. Retains "new look" for long time. Excellent color and strength retention, even when exposed to UV. Low side flex resistance. Polypropelene AKA Olefin, Herculon. Low UV resistance. Strong and wear resistant. Excellent color retention. Low cost. Flexing can cause "fibrillation" (breaking into smaller diameter fibers, increasing light refraction and giving the appearance of color loss.) Rayon Low flex life, low wear in end or side fiber, "fuzzes" easily. Brilliant colors, excellent color retention, soft feel. Wool Very low in wear resistance. Natural look due to fiber scales. Warm. High price and allergenic. Basic fiber properties Fiber Abrasion Resistance (wear) Flex Life Color Retention (fade) Strength Feel (1=smooth, 10=harsh) Look (1=shiny, 10=Dull) Acrylic 5-10 4-5 10 10 4 1-10 Cotton 3 .3-.5 7-8 6 6 8 Dacron 7-8 4-5 9 9 1-10 1-8 Olefin 9.5 17 2 2-3 1 1 Nylon 10 20 3 7 1-10 3-10 Flex life = number of 90 degree bends x 1000 cycles Source: W. Lloyd Gheen, "Upholstery Techniques Illustrated" Here is a link that might be useful: And some technical information on rayon

dcarch, that's fantastic...but i'm such a 'permy' i suppose that i like being out in the weather... using wood for fuel. Smoking mozzarella on the 4th will be a challenge at 80 temp, but the ice block worked last summer. mustangs, got ya beat on the temp collection...just mowed on over, then another i stuck in the smoker with the plastic sleeve still on, lol. (i should just buy the whole display rack of the cheap ones) I probably could win the 'useless-junk-kitchen-crap' contest...i just spring cleaned out the kitchen drawers and filled a box to go downstairs with all the previous years boxes... I did toy and play with the rubber lid things recently in a cooks supply...the texture is a bit creepy like my silpats and don't care for the microfiber cloths...DH wore one to work stuck on the inside back of his shirt...wiggled down to the, fortunately tucked-in, waistband like a muffin top. Find them inside folded sheets... Not many new purchases recently. Like that thermopop but i treated us to a thermopen for valentines day during their sale and bought red. It has a special spot and is not allowed outside for the grill unless with special care... So i would have to say my maple tree that nature took down over the winter... Many future cooking tools and fuel coming soon. This is just the top 1/3rd and is now safely on the ground-ish. The base 20 ft is still standing. Not at all sad as we have a large herd of them...would have cost a small fortune to have it pro cut so nature did the hard costly work. Designed a dining table a few years ago and now see it may be built finally.