Robolady, I would be honored to have you post it on your webpage. I'm always looking at your page for ideas! You have the best ideas!!!! So creative! Grannytoo, I use vinyl clips to attach things to the siding...although I have been known to add a screw now and then (with sealant around it) if I want soemthing to really stay. SHHHHHHHHHHH! Don't tell my wife. Hee hee. Cindee and Breakdishes, I am considering eventually moving the door to an entrance of one of my gardens...perhaps on a new rustic arbor I plan to make this summer. Want to find some cool rustic hinges. So, Cindee and Breakdishes, you could come "visit" my door when it's hung. LOL Kirk

I think that was my post but I can't find it now...My friend and I have done a garden themed sale for 2 years now and had tags we made up on the computer with a cute, funny, tongue in cheek, informative bit of info for each one. Well, until the last crazy day when we realized we had more than we thought and not quite enough tags made up and maddly started hand-writing them! We also sent out great mailers and made sure everyone signed our guest book. We are planning our next one now! Actually I post under another name on the "other" T2T site and we have commented back and forth in the past...who could I be??!!

Yes, you burn it until it dies down and starts forming coals and then extinguish it. But no, you don't want it to just smolder. You need it to burn well or it won't be charcoal all the way through. It helps if your burn materials are at least somewhat dried out. The charcoal I've made ended up largely broken down into small pieces. Most pieces that were still identifiable as sticks or branches would easily break and crumble in my hands. Any pieces that don't crumble didn't pyrolyze all the way and get tossed into the next burn pile. Not sure what to tell you about your neighbors and the fire department. You might check with your town or county to see if you really have a burn ban. It would be too dry and dangerous for me to burn in the summer, but I can do it over the winter and early spring. But yes, I guess you could do small batches in your barbeque grill. I think there are several reasons why you don't find "fertile firepits" at campgrounds. First, it's not just charcoal alone. There has to be organic matter added also. Second, the charcoal has to be broken up enough to be mixed through the soil. Not just big chunks sitting on the surface. Third, all the wood in the firepits I've seen eventually gets burned down to ash. All the carbon is gone by the time it's ash. Also, ash makes soil alkaline and it has such a fine texture that water leaches it out of soil very quickly, so what little fertilization it provides tends to wash away. That's why you may see "slash and char" described as a big improvement over "slash and burn" in Terra Preta articles.

I will be planting a couple of Gieger Trees in my yard in the near future. The Gieger Tree is beautiful and the perfect size for the location I have available. I have had a number of Gumbo Limbo trees in my yard over the years and have been very happy with them. I feel the Gumbo Limbo is an ideal fast growing shade tree that is easy to shape and maintain. In fact, I am able to do must of my trimming and storm-prep with a long handled pole saw while standing on the ground. The fact that they will grow from cuttings and are native/established to South Florida makes them even better. The Gumbo Limbo may grow faster and larger than desired for some persons. I think the choice depends on the size and shape desired.