On the contrary, leaves that once were green, then going through the stages of yellowing, browning, eventually turning black is definitely a cue that you are overwatering. Leaves turn black because they are not able to further take up moisture. The roots are sitting in too much water...forcing the plant to draw water up, until such time, the plant is unable to proceed any further. Root rot sets in....the leaves are the first sign of any problem that is caused from such watering practices. At the stage of blackness, it has gone on far too long. Yellow leaves might be the first sign of overwatering---along with other possible causes...but overwatering, being the one biggest reason for trouble, should be thought of first. As the water is no longer able to do anything for the plant....even tho, water is sitting only a few inches away...the leaves are unable to draw any more, they are saturated...and so will turn black. I think one of the easiest ways to have such result is by not having something between the soil and the drainage holes and letting the drainage water sit too long under the plant causing it to draw water it once got rid of, to be drawn back up and if the plant cant use it, it sits there, drowning the roots. Distilled water is a viable choice if you believe the water from your tap has something in it that might cause problems. But there are other sources of water without going the distilled route. Bottled water---very common these days...water that has sat for days in a watering can or water from snow you have brought in and allowed to gain room temperature can be used. Plants react to changes that are abrupt. Cold drafts from floor vents or open doorways can cause yellowing leaves. Too high nighttime temperatures can cause browning tips and edges.

No, leave the unopened flowers alone. If I'm remembering right from my veg crops class (from thirty years ago), you can refrigerate the pollen flower, and use it the next day on another open female flower. I've read it's best to pollinate squash early in the morning, soon after the flowers open. As to the brassica's, it's actually close to the time to start them from seed- around August 1, to get a late fall crop. Or you can buy plants in about a month to set out. Still, you will need to be hyper-vigilant to keep cabbage butterflies from laying eggs on the plants. Supposedly you can buy lightweight floating row cover fabric from nurseries to protect the plants from insects, but I wonder it the cost is worth it for as little as you plant, you don't want to wind up with 5 dollar a head cabbage! To be honest, I gave up on trying to grow them long ago, it was too much trouble. If it wasn't worms, it was aphids, sigh. Do you like snap or sugar peas? they get planted about mid September, after the last hot spell of summer, and are foolproof once they get a few inches tall, so snails cant eat them in one gulp. Beets, chard, potatoes, onions, garlic and lettuce tend to be easy. Carrots need sandy soil to do well, and radishes in the home garden usually wind up too hot to eat, but they're fun to grow. Still, don't be afraid to do what you want, and see what happens, it's the best way to learn.

Whoa, I think the conversations are going OT here - let's get back to Phoggie's concerns, which in re-reading I note she mentioned wanting to sell her house, but nothing in town is selling. It's pretty clear the current environment is to the buyer's advantage, not the sellers. You can certainly sell your house, but you will have to take much less, in some areas up to 25-30% less, than it was worth two years ago. If you can afford to take the hit and absolutely must sell, then find the very best RE agent you can, and make sure you take their advice about how to best market your property. If you can hold on instead, you will be a much better position in a couple of years. The real fall-out is not banks failing or home prices falling, it's the tightening on mortgage applications. A rather large percentage of folks can no longer qualify, as excerpted below from the WSJournal (a link to the full article is provided as well, but you need to be a subscriber to read it): "...But even borrowers who think they're well positioned to be approved for a mortgage "can't assume anything," said Guy Cecala, of Inside Mortgage Finance. And they'd better be prepared to shop around to get the best rates "Cecala estimates that a third of the people who were able to get a loan in 2005 and 2006 no longer qualify for financing today. That takes into account the disappearance of subprime and Alt-A loans as well as the tightened requirements for getting prime mortgages, he said. "Mortgage credit is as tight as we've seen it in a generation," said Cecala, publisher of the industry newsletter. "When does it get looser? When people feel that the housing market is stabilized, and that's really not going to happen until we start seeing an end to rising defaults and foreclosures, and housing prices have stabilized in markets throughout the country." "If he had to guess, it'll be another year before getting a mortgage becomes any easier. "In some cases, lenders are even looking beyond the numbers for proof not only that an applicant has a job with a steady income stream but is also likely to keep that job, said Bob Moulton, president of Americana Mortgage Group on Long Island, N.Y....." It's a rough time for many. Watch your expenses, take care of your health (maintenance being many times more cheap than procrastination). Talk to your neighbors or friends about ways you can save money together, even in little ways. Look at your town/city with new eyes, there might be free events you passed by before - if you give them a try, it will at least be something different, and you won't be out any big $$. And you might find something new and interesting this way, that you would have missed otherwise. Get together with a friend, take a walk in good weather and just talk. Come back home for coffee and a home-made coffeecake. Someone posted on the Caregivers forum about a friend whose DH was just given 2 months more to live - it reminds you that truly, the best things in life have little to do with money. Here is a link that might be useful: WSJournal article (subscribers only)

Thank you for your responses. Emma, I can't help but remember that the home my grandparents built in probably the 1930's was sold for the sake of his new wife. But, I in no way harp on the fact of the home it's way in the past. I just brought it up in the post as part of the things that have gone on since he met his wife. It probably bothers me more that she has many of my grandmothers belongings displayed throughout her house & never has bothered to ask me if I would like anything that belonged to my family! The room that she once made her mothers room (she has since passed away) consisted of an antique wood bedroom set that belonged to my father & his brother as children. Justmetoo, I have always given her respect for her continued care of my dad. It's probably one of the main reasons for never disrespecting her besides keeping peace & being able to see my dad. If I had fought with her all these years I would have never been able to build any memories for my daughter. My daughter told me recently that the times I sent her for a few days to stay with my dad when she was younger,he would take her home with him to give me a break i worked full time & was a single mom. his wife would treat her like she was a grow up instead of a little girl. They took her to a water park & told her (at 8 years old) that she didnt need sunblock she was too pale n needed some color! My daughter is an auburn-redhead! very fair skinned. The kids here get summer reading & his wife told my daughter that she always winds up with all the cr*p no one wants to do because she had to write a summary of the books & I would send her with her book to read & if she finished it she would have to write the report. My son is only 3 & will more then likely never know him or remember anything about him. He has only seen him maybe 5 or 6 times since he has been born. I think my dad forgets he exists at times. We call his forgetfulness Chemo-brain as a jest but since the cancer he has never been the same. Aside from his body slowly giving way he is constantly depressed. I spoke to him yesterday a quick call to see how he was doing. I told him I'm just calling to see how you're feeling cause I don't want you talking too much. I would love to go see him next week for Father's Day but I know my daughter will look to see her dad & it's her grandmothers bday as well. I hate to go see him without her so I guess I will make another day to celebrate with him. I'm sure his stepson will be there & it's hard for me to be in the house with his wife. Last time I saw him I drove up & took him to lunch with my kids & drove home again. It was a nice afternoon, just wish I had more time with him. Your right, I would walk over hot coals to be there for him & will continue to do so as much as I can. I'm lucky I still have a tongue I've bitten it or years! Lol. My baby's blood disorder makes it very difficult to go anywhere without fear of him getting sick, he's like the boy in the plastic bubble just not as severe. I know my dad doesn't have many years left & I hope I can hang on to our relationship that i thought was once an unbreakable bond. Thanks again for listening & letting me vent. I don't confide in people or go on like this to anyone I feel it may annoy them & I speak to my daughter as much as I can but don't really get into things that will upset her. She is on to college in sept & need her to focus on getting her career together. The last thing I need is her being more upset then she already is at everything that goes on.