Using seltzer for watering might be beneficial, but for a reason no one has mentioned. Plants can only absorb nutrients if they are "in solution," meaning dissolved. Now the literature normallu says "dissolved in water," but any chemistry student knows water is an extremely poor solvent. What really dissolves minerals in soil is carbonic acid, produced when carbon dioxide dissolves in water. (Things called "humic acids" play a role, too. They are produced in the decay of ogranic matter.) Watering with the seltzer, which is mild carbonic acid, might help dissolve some nutrients. In fact, I wrote U.C. Davis, which is about 20 minutes drive from my house in Sacramento, several years ago suggesting experiments with carbonated water to release the known plentifiul supply of minerlas in most soils.They must not have thought much of my suggestion, since I got no response from them? Fred, even though you say you make your own seltzer, I'm sure the ingredients still cost you money. I've used only free materials- mostly grass clipipngs, with some kitchen sraps, leaves, and crop residues- to fertilize my fruits and veggies since 1972. My tomatoes consistenly grow to 8 feet, supported by a special trellis I developed, and I get over 500 beefsteak-sized maters per plant. I would be surprised if seltzer water produced those kind of results. Plus it won't eliminate weeding, tilling, and significantly reduce watering.

Mosquitos don't have gills. You'll see them ,head down , on the water surface. They breath by sticking their tail end out of the water. That is why putting a thin layer of oil in your water kills them. Oil doesn't let them breath. Might be better off putting some neem or other harmless oil on the waters surface. What is wrong with Mosquito dunks? the dunks also help control fungus gnats in your pots. I'd think dunks in your rain barrel would be a win win if used for watering your starts. Here is a link that might be useful: Moaquito life cycle

I'm assuming you are referring to the hand-held devices that use CO2 cartridges. Over the last 40 years I've owned a number of these. They're kind of cool, I thought, but they are also an expensive nuisance. Never had one that didn't do exactly what it was supposed to but the last 1/3 - 1/2 of the cartridge does a poor job of carbonation and the unit takes up room in the frig. On balance, pre-bottled carbonated water in small bottles is the way to go. Only advantage I can think of to these units -- which was my hot-button -- is that "water snobs" like me can carbonate whatever water we prefer.

I would start with one can of plums and 3 cups of rhubarb cut into 1/2 inch slices. Assuming the plums are un sweetened or in light syrup...mix 1/4 cup flour with 1 cup sugar....make that 2 cups if the plums are unsweetened. Put the plums and the rhubarb into a 2 1/2 quart glass casserole...think that's a 9 by 13. Add 1 1/2 tsps vanilla and stir. Mix the flour and sugar together with 1 tsp cinnamon....and stir into the fruit. Then mix up your cobbler dough.... 2 1/2 cups AP flour 1/2 cup sugar 4 tsps baking powder Mix and cut in 1/2 stick of soft butter until well mixed Beat an egg with 2/3 cup milk 1 tsp vanilla And add to flour mix...mix until blended....don't over mix! and drop into globs ( cobbles!) on top of the fruit.. Bake at 375 until the fruit is bubbling and the cobbles are well browned....about 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm with cream. Linda C