I have used water soluble liquid and granular fertilizers for many years and have never, ever had a problem when watering normally with those products. Nor have I ever seen one that warns you not to touch the foliage with the liquid. On the contrary, most of them have directions regarding foliar feeding, specifically. It makes no sense at all to sell a soluble fertilizer product that is going to kill the foliage. Think about it. Soluble fertilizers have always been my preference as I believe that the sticks or 'pills' can end up causing the burning of roots. I suspect that you are either misreading the directions or using something that is not fertilizer. Fertilizers in a liquid carrier are formulated to be distributed in enough water to move throughout the soil/root volume. You should never water your plant (with plain water) in little sips and that applies for liquid fertilizers, too. I'd be most interested in seeing a picture of the label, if possible...or at least knowing the name of the product so that I can look up the label. Plants get more use out of soluble fertilizers if taken up by the roots. Foliar feeding is usually considered as a temporary measure. Some plants even close up their stomates when they are misted. Caveats: don't get a lot of strong liquid fertilizer on a wilted plant and don't let it accumulate on tender flowers.

I tend to be willing to pay more to support local businesses and to sustain good relationships with them, but $400 is a bit of a jaw-dropping amount. Yes, I would ask, but (a) I would not necessarily ask for the full $400 difference. After all, if she says no, you have roll up this rug, take it back or be there for someone to pick it up, order the other one on line, see if it's in stock, PAY SHIPPING, wait for it, unpack and unroll it... well, you get the idea. Depending on how complicated its removal is, $100 or so worth of your time may be secured in the fact that this rug is already in your home. (b) watch the timing and the tone. Keep in mind that if she says no, you still have to arrange and complete the return transaction (and finish the couch transaction if I understand correctly). In fact, if it's easy to roll up and handle (negating point a), you could even roll it up, put it in the car, and go ask her in person - then if she says no, it's a quick return and clean getaway. Also remember that if the online seller turns out to be out of stock, you'll want to come back! (c) maybe you could tie it to further purchases for another rug, if she has something in her store that you like. As in, if I buy this one and a smaller one, could you discount both of them? Finally, rugs off craigslist - keep in mind that you probably would want to get a CL rug cleaned right away, and that usually costs a hundred or two. You also often have to spend hours on CL looking for the right size/colour combination to come up, plus arrange a time to view and drive to wherever the rug is. In other words, it's about your time again. I've pretty much found that what I save in money shopping on CL, I spend in time and gas (I have driven an hour out of town to get a $15 lamp after exchanging 300 emails trying to find a mutually convenient day and looking at lamp listings ad infinitum. Was it really a $15 lamp?). So it all depends on how important your time is. Those are some of the things I would be thinking. Above all, check what the online seller would charge to ship the rug. Price plus shipping is the real competing price. KarinL

Your peonies look planted at the right depth. You would not normally have the tall blanched stems you have this year, from having been in too little light before you got them. Those stems are too delicate for full sun, protect them with some shade until they get hardened off. I agree that peonies in California sunshine often benefit from some protection from the west sun. Al

I'm sure most tiles will pop up easy but grinding off the old thin-set residue can be a chore of a job. I would think the choice to do this work will depend on how much noise and dust you can stand and how strong you are. Often saving tile is more work than replacing it. Do the work to reduce land fill waste - be green. Don't do the work to save time and money....