Hi - guess I've been holding out - but inspite of 5 days of almost constant rain and flooding, the veggies are thriving in my back yard. We are still on the established every-other-day water rationing schedule, but guess that is one chore I won't have to worry about - maybe for at least a month or more. The ground is saturated, but cutting lots of lettuces, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, bibb and romaine types. Earlier - the end of summer - we had so much cold weather, that I thought the peppers would surely die before they turned red - but with patience - they survived and managed to get enough warmth in Oct/Nov to do so - and are still hanging on for daily picks. The mandarin orange tree is loaded - as usual, with many harvest for the freezer, and a Christmas dish of mandarin, pineapple, fruit cocktail and whipped cream is planned. The banana tree looks a bit forlorn, but holding up strong against the south facing concrete block wall, and maybe I will enjoy some fruit this year. It has sprouted 2 or 3 pups and maybe I can find room to start a plantation (perish the thought), although have very little gardening space left. According to the locals - the beach was only habitable for 2 days this summer - although our usual influx of "zonies" (Arizona summer birds) were only too happy to visit and find respite from their unbearable summers. They bought lots of warm weather jackets to withstand the beach chill tho. Some seedlings of cabbage and broccoli are still in their cups, being hardened off, waiting for the floods to recede, and hopefully some warmer weather. The fruit trees are sadly in need of dormant spraying, but just like last year, the rains kept coming and they didn't get it. Funny thing, we had a bumper crop of apricots, peach, almonds, plums, etc., last year. Stay dry and if you come to Ca., bring your water wings! Bejay

Thanks Windeaux, so it is. I had done a search on Vintage and came up with nothing, but just now found it by going down the list. It's listed under "Hybrid Teas - Custom Root". Thank you also for linking the thread on the discussion of "St. Helena Cemetery Very Double HT". I was going to say that it answers my original question, that is IF "Arcadia Louisiana Tea" is the same rose. Evidently Vintage doesn't think they are the same as he still lists both roses separately. Also describes their bush sizes as different. However, "Arcadia Louisiana Tea" is certainly close to the rose I have, especially if you allow for differences in climate. Plus roses can 'morph', so to speak. For instance, the Prairie Sunrise I got from Sam Kedem years ago has many more petals and tends to quarter where the specimen from Chamblees does not. All in all I'm very glad to get this much information. Thank you all so much! "St. Helena Cemetery Very Double HT" on HMF: http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.58345&tab=36 Here is a link that might be useful: Arcadia Louisiana Tea on HMF

I professionally managed an urban prairie restoration for a couple of years that was initially overrun with canada thistle. There are a few herbicides that specifically target things in the asteraceae and fabaceae familes that did a great job on thistles. However, for those without the license to buy these chemicals, RoundUp (especially the concentrated powder forms) work wonders. Mix it up a little stronger than recommended and dribble it into the actively growing tips of the plants. It will keep them from flowering and if they don't die, a second application often does the trick. Like others have said, it will take a few years for every last root to die, but the worst thing you can do is to try and pull them out. They have a rhizome that sends up thistle plants every few inces, pulling the plants can break the rhizome and essentially creates more independent plants. A friend of mine recommends applying herbicide with 'The Hand of Death'. He takes a chemically resistant glove and puts a worn-out winter cotton glove over the top. He dips his gloved hand into the herbicide and grabs the plants he wants to kill. He says it works like a charm. And NEVER use wildlife as an excuse to grow invasive weeds. Native animals prefer native plants.

Welcome, Dee, Becky and Lisa, glad you could join us! I spent the day dealing with my groundhog problem. He has cleared my back flower bed, and the hole he is digging is going to undermine my shed. Time for solutions! I called Animal Control and they gave me a list of people who will come to your home and trap the critter. Great. I called the first one and he wanted to charge me $100 to trap my groundhog. I'm serious. AND, I guess as an added bonus, he said they would also take it away. NO?! Really!? And I was thinking the critter would live in that trap in my backyard forever. Sorry for the sarcasm, but come on. In any event, a friend of a friend is, hopefully, coming over sometime this week to trap the groundhog AND take him away, free of charge. This guy has already trapped 13, yes, 13 groundhogs at his home/yard this year. This wasn't the most encouraging news I've had recently. Hey, on a more postive note: The first swap for FOTESS will be posted Saturday! Are ya ready!!? Shirley!