Hi, Read through leisurely and them go back to what you can do to make it your 'best'. There will be others to do the same thing with, unless they think I've pretty much covered all this brug forum family's known ideas...lol...and a couple ideas not so well known. Still I might of missed something...lol Find out when the approx. last freeze is for your area. One month before then, start watering thoroughly about once a week (depending on how warm it is where they are - if it's cold the water won't really go anywhere so either use a water meter or a dry stick to test it out. Only keep in moist or on the dry side if you can't tell. Add light if you have some available. I don't really think it matters that the chlorophyll can't kick in yet, as it didn't with mine last year. You'll get some yellow growth before it can get put outside and these can always be removed if they don't perform well. There are too many exotic brugs and crosses for anybody to speak with certainty on such a matter. It'll be your choice. Also, try to make it warmer around the roots, lets say up on a box instead of the cold basement floor. The idea of all this is to soften up your roots from the overwintered hardened state they've become. OR, you can always just treat them like you are now until after the last frost. They like to eat so try and get compost - that's one factor that will make a big difference. I personally am limited for room for more dirt so Miracle Grow would be used weekly/biweekly. Now this part is what I'll be doing or at least know that I should do if at all I can. This is what I consider the best I can do for the best outcome. Before planting in a compost enriched hole or the biggest pot I can get them in - (some dead roots will have to be pruned and new nutrient rich potting soil added if no compost to be mixed in the old) I also add the water polymer crystals specifically for plants - some peatmoss is always in the mix as well as perlite or vermiculite. The roots of smaller 1 year old brugs will be soaked in SuperThrive for 24hours. This year I have acquired mycorrhizal fungi to be mixed with some diluted molasses and superthrive of which will be applied to the roots - either sprayed or 'painted' on with a brush. If I had to choose between which one to use it would be the mycorrhizal fungi. This is new to most people but worth looking into. It will also be used on all plants that I can get at their roots with it. Epsom salt on hand is worth having - see other posts or online associated with plants. I spray new growth with very dilute Neem oil to keep the aphids away in spring and haven't had an issue with them on brugs. Hopefully you'll just note down what you can do this year as best as you can from all the tips that will come your way. If you happen to have a high nitrogen ferilizer, use it the first month and no more and ONLY on brugs that still need to Y. This will accelerate green growth and strengthen the plant but it will also inhibit flowering when used and at least a week or two after, until it's flushed down out of the surrounding soil and no longer in conflict with blooming nutrients/fertilizers. Anyway, not necessary either. I guess I'm going through this as much for myself as you or anybody else who's working on their tactics for our brugs this years. We all have different expectations from our brugs, some don't have that much to call their own so want the best out of them. Thus my own obsession with the 'best outcome'. Any other special tips - like maybe orchid bark might have something in there that might be worth looking into. Sulphur has also been mentioned but I believe epsom salt has sulphur. Maybe Ruth Anne will share her Mushroom compost secret. Maybe it's as simple as throwing mushrooms in the mix...lol I've actually been looking into growing mushrooms - seriously...lol I need some spores though - I think the ones at the grocerers are dead...lol I don't have time to review this...lol...so if I didn't catch something, please feel free to correct me. -Sandy PS. I don't know what's causing your soft tips on such big mature plants - I've only had them dry out.

I saved about 10 different kinds of seeds this year including some blue lake beans. Surprisingly they were my biggest challenge. Those that matured wanted to rot but I did get a few. Wait until the pods turn brown. The pod will hold the seeds. You don't need the stocking.

I strongly agree with the recommendations to smother & WAIT. Think of this as a long-term project. Immediate results are not likely to be the best results in the long run. In my experience, weeds are one thing -- grass weeds are another beast altogether. I like the idea of using natural fiber carpet rather than plastic b/c the water can still get through. Otherwise, you can have runoff issues. If you start this in the summer, you'll have an even better chance of killing off everything. I know it's been several weeks since you started this thread, but in Dallas, we're in the middle of a run of triple digit weather, so its the perfect time for us to smother.

I do like the cider brined pork roast, but I never let it sit overnight, and I only use my own pork, the commercial stuff is nearly always already full of "flavor enhancers". I tried brining the turkey/chicken/pork etc. and just didn't care much for it and I seldom marinate beef either. I guess I just like the flavor of the meat itself, without adding anything. Plus brine just seems to add too much salt for my liking, I can taste the salt over everything else. Sorry about your pork loin, though, that type of experience is why I seldom buy prepared foods. I'm picky and I usually just don't like them. I don't think I've ever eaten any product at all from Smithfield, so maybe they just aren't good, as Beverly doesn't like their ham either. Annie