I agree with freak4plumeria. I neglected to cover my Singapore trees when Tampa had its first freeze back in December(since then my trees were moved under tents w/sides when there was any forecast of frost). After observing them for about three weeks I thought I had minimal damage...if any. About two weeks later I got a true idea of the damage. Multiple tips started turning slightly black. After that...entire branches were affected especially after temps started warming up. In February I had to heavily pruned my trees to get to the fleshy, milky white part of the branch. The bright side is as a result of the pruning I now have tons of new growth appearing. Because the trees are over fifteen years old I feel confident some of the new growth will produce flowers this season. Keep an eye on your tips!

Hey thanks, Tropicbreezent and FruitCally, but I decided to tip it now to allow the base to stiffen up and also because I found a triple sprouted seedling next to my planter. We will see how everything turns out in a couple months. Thanks again

I won't be tipping anyone this year for Christmas 1. POSTAL Carrier: I did gift something special to Donna who was our only carrier for 20 years. Since she retired last year the rural route I live on now has at least 4 different carriers each week and the mail is delivered more often wrong than right. Tip? I don't think so! 2. TRASH: can pickup man makes $5.35 per hr more and the driver of the truck makes $9.50 more per hr. than I. They also have better benefits. Often I have to chase down the rd for my trash can because it has been tossed down and rolls away down the hill. Tip? I don't think so! 3. HOUSE STAFF/Helpers: YES How much depends on what I can afford a Christmas bonus and a B-day gift. These are people who have been my extra hands for years. 4. STYLIST/manicurist: I tipped each service, so No to holiday tip. I don't have salon services often. My hair nails and such I do myself or we friends and daughters have "gals night" where we help each other, have snacks & drinks and talk, watch movies or whatever. More fun than a night at a bar or the movies. 5. PAPER DELIVERY PERSON: Yes I had a young man for years who delivered regular and everyday. I gave him a nice gift of cash $20-$25 for the Holidays. He had the paper to my front door everyday on time and made sure it would be dry if it rained. When he graduated and moved on a man and wife took over. I got tired of paying for a newspaper and not getting it delivered or wet, tattered, having to search the bushes for it when it was. So now when I want one I go to the store and pick one up. Tip? I don't think so! When someone does regular services for me or goes beyond the expected I try to gift as generously as possible. For many of us the budget this year is slim to say the least. debby_ab said she tipped "because I feel guilted into it." I can understand that sentiment. I have tipped a bad server because I felt guilted into it by the folks I was with. NO MORE, NEVER AGAIN The next time I got a bad server the tip consisted of a pamphlet of "hints and tips" How to Serve Better & Receive a Generous Tip from a Past Server. When you feel that the person deserves a bit of extra, you have the funds available and it feels good to give then by all means do. In these harder times right now don't feel you have to "Holiday tip" because it is customary or others do. Happy Holidays LIL

Apparently I'm all alone in the no clean up camp. Either that or nobody else will admit to it. I leave everything, including the 8-12 inches of oak leaves that routinely fall on my main hosta beds. After the first killing frost I simply walk away. The birds do love the scapes, checking those out all winter long, even when there is no hope that any seeds remain. It also gives me a nice number of volunteer seedlings every spring. I have not had any problems with pests or disease in the 25+ years I've been doing this, and yes, even the mini hostas will come up through the oak leaves, which by spring have composted down to almost nothing. I do walk through regularly when the hostas start to show green, and manually remove any oak leaves that have pips coming through or showing underneath (alright, I mostly use my foot, but pedally just sounds odd). This is for the hostas in my upper gardens, which are mostly for public viewing. My lower garden a work in progess, and is mainly for growing out divided plants, lining out small divisions, but also has some more landscaped areas. And by landscaped, I mean 98% hostas, but grown more as specimens, with 2% astilbes, bleeding heart, ferns, and a few other perennials. This area gets no attention at all until I'm ready to start dividing hostas in the spring. Maybe a little weeding if I'm feeling up to it, but for the most part those hostas make it all on their own. That area gets some oak leaves and lots of walnut leaves. My only slightly coddled hostas are some very small minis that live in a bed that generally doesn't get many oak leaves. Things like Manzo, Kifukirin Otome, and few other tinies live near cedar trees, but in a mostly sunny area, in a slightly raised bed, and they overwinter very well.