Epsom salts is a chemical compound (MgSO4). Coffee (and tea) are known for their toxic alkaloid (caffeine) content and their allelopathic affect on plants as well as autotoxic (poison to their own seedlings) effects on future generations. Caffeine interferes with root development by impairing protein metabolism. This affects activity of an important bio-compound (PPO) and lignification (the process of becoming woody), crucial steps for root formation. We also know that the tannins in both coffee and tea are known allelopaths (growth inhibitors). I used one fertilizer that supplies all the essential elements plants normally get from the soil (Foliage-Pro 9-3-6), but it's a soluble synthetic and not a fit for your all organic approach. I respect your desire to remain all organic, but fertilizing efficiently (without over-supplying some nutrients and under-supplying others) is much more difficult, in part because you usually need more than one fertilizer to cover all the bases, and there is no real way to know when the nutrients locked in hydrocarbon chains will become available; this, because you depend on soil microorganisms to free the salts plants use as building blocks - the same salts that are efficiently and precisely supplied by soluble synthetic fertilizers. Unfortunately, changing cultural conditions cause soil organism populations and their activity levels to vary widely in container culture, which has a significant impact on nutrient availability. Al

Or you could just ignore them and not worry about it. Plants tolerate holes in their leaves with no problem and plants all develop holes in their leaves over time from all sorts of things, not necessarily some bug. Sometimes we just need to relax and remember that most of the bugs in a garden are good guys and that no plant or garden is ever perfect. Dragging out pesticides, especially when you don't even know what bug you may be dealing with, usually only makes thnigs worse. All of your posts are about various bugs. Gardening is never bug free and should be fun, not a source of worry. Let your bug fixation go and just enjoy your garden. Dave

Thanks for all of your help. I'd be happy to share the recipe. Chickpea, Chorizo and Chicken Stew with Mount Tam Cheese yield: Makes 6 to 8 main-course servings A slightly firm, mellow triple-crème, Mt. Tam cheese softens into this stew but doesn't melt. We like to add a little extra Sherry just before serving. Ingredients 1 pound dried chickpeas (2 1/2 cups), picked over 2 medium tomatoes 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 ounces slab bacon, rind discarded and bacon cut into 1/4-inch dice 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 5 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons fresh jalapeño chiles (about 3), seeded and minced 2 large celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 fresh poblano chile, ribs and seeds discarded and chile cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 large carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 small fennel bulb (sometimes called anise), stalks cut off and discarded and bulb cut into 1/4-inch dice 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California 1/2 cup sweet Spanish Sherry 10 cups chicken stock (page 314), or 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth plus 3 cups water 3/4 pound fresh chorizo* links (spiced Mexican pork sausage) 1 1/2 pound chicken thighs with skin and bones (about 4; preferably organic) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 4 fresh rosemary sprigs 1 (8-ounce) wheel Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam**, or other soft mild triple-crème cow's-milk cheese such as Explorateur, at room temperature Prepare chickpeas: Soak chickpeas in water to cover by 2 inches for 8 to 12 hours, then drain. Cut an X in bottom of each tomato. Blanch tomatoes in a saucepan of boiling water 10 seconds, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water. Peel, seed, and dice tomatoes. Toast peppercorns and cumin seeds in a small dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant and cumin seeds are a shade darker. Cool completely, then finely grind in grinder. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide 6- to 7-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add bacon and cook, stirring, until just browned, about 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter and heat until foam subsides, then stir in garlic and jalapeños and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Increase heat to moderately high and stir in celery, bell pepper, poblano, onion, carrot, and fennel, then cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until vegetables are browned, about 20 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaves, and ground spices and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add Sherry and deglaze by boiling, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot, until most of liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add chickpeas and stock and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are tender and liquid is thick and saucelike, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Prepare chorizo and chicken while chickpeas simmer: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Prick chorizo links several times with a fork, then brown in remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in an ovenproof large heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and chill, uncovered, until cold and firm, 10 to 15 minutes. Slice chorizo into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and chill, covered. Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat remaining tablespoon butter in cleaned skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sear chicken, skin side down, until skin is crisp and browned, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and place a rosemary sprig on each piece. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until chicken is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes, then discard rosemary, skin, and bones and shred meat. Keep loosely covered. Finish stew: When stew is thickened, stir in chicken and chorizo and simmer until sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Divide stew among 6 to 8 bowls and top each serving with 2 or 3 thin wedges of cheese. *Available at Latino markets. **Available at cheese shops, Murray's Cheese Shop (888-692-4339; murrayscheese.com), and Cowgirl Creamery (866-433-7834; cowgirlcreamery.com). Gourmet, 2004

You can make beans without soaking them, they will take a little longer to tenderize so keep sampling, plan on them not being ready in the normal amount of time. I know the consensus is mixed on whether or not soaking, then rinsing helps with the after effect of beans - the gas. I've had them unsoaked (my mother never soaked beans), quick soaked, and soaked overnight. Beans can sometimes be a problem for us. We like them, they don't always like us in amounts for a main course. I'm trying to be discreet here, and not give you more information than you are interested in ;) Just a couple of weeks ago I soaked flageolet and pinto in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator almost 24 hours, rinsed well the next day, made my bean and ham dinner.. The beans were flavorful, tender, we enjoyed them very much two nights in a row - no after effects. Maybe a coincidence, maybe we've increased our daily fiber and are more used to it, and it had nothing to do with the beans soaking....but chances are, I'll do the cold water long soak. Just hope I'm not soaking all the nutrients out of them :)