I for some reason put more emphasis on texture or in many spots in my garden with shallow soil raising the level. I have also used grass clippings on top of newspaper. And Rose Tone. Occasionally Composted Cow Manure and some Milorganite. Then I have several old coompost piles that have been lying there overgrown with vines, covered with fallen tree branches and otherwise somewhat inaccessible. In short I have been too lazy to get at them. I promise to do that whenever the soil thaws. I've had at least a couple of soil samples done by Cornell that I find not very useful. Both have come back with the conclusion that NPK is high. Organic level 4.6%, no comment as to whether this is high, low or adequate. The analysis posted on GW brought a response that the iron level, 7#/ acre, was low. Have been adding iron lately that seems to help. I notice in checking the last one that the pH is on the low side, 6.2. Might be a problem so will add lime again. Anyway I'll give a lot more attention to adding organic matter!

Hello all, I am a newbie, living in western ,NY, don't know the zone,sorry. first time in cottage gardens. I just had to write, because I was just watering the Lemon Balm I bought last week , it is in a pot in my garden window and I thought to myself, I should plant that outside !! ..haha i am so glad i came on here. I am finally getting my back yard to use for growing plants and for letting the wild things grow:) Before with 4 very sport minded kids it was a basketball court and vollyball court, now I have let part of the wetlands grow as it likes ... we keep it mowed in a manageable size, well I think we will be able to manage it. I also let some of my woody are grow free and now I have wild rasberries I think? and lots of stuff I don't know what they are. I also threw some cosmos seeds and other seeds my mum brought me over from england. so I will be back here with pictures for help, as soon as i can figure out how to work my new digatal camera, and upload picture, i am a newbie at everything, I guess my garden life begins at 6o:) Oh I have one queation, I have a bush/tree tha that what looks like golfballs on it, does anybody know what it could be, if they had a nike mark on them I would use them.. Thanks for any help you can give, sorry this is so long I am just so excited to have found this site. Cheerio for now, Rose

"I'll never be like that because I can stop anytime I want". They always say the first sign of addiction is denial. I remember when a friend whose garden was growing in size said the same thing. A few years later when I still had some control myself I reminded them of what they said. And was told to read her lips. And she said I said anytime I want and I don't want too. That is my boat now. My family and even friends wonder why I spend so much time gardening but also appreciate the produce they get. Of course this year my sister is beginning to wonder when the tomatoes will start coming. Another sign is when you can't wait to check the mailbox to see if a new catalog has arrived. But when someone says something about you receiving so many you say I can't figure out how I got on all of those lists. But just let them throw away one of the 20 plus and you'll notice it before you turn in to sleep. And the seed companies are like the people selling Christmas goodies. Start earlier every year. Now we can blame them for keeping our addiction growing. And then when they why weren't you at the wedding you were invited too and you say oh I didn't feel like going. When the truth is you wanted to take advantage of the nice fall day and spend it in the garden. And then when they say you were seen in the garden you reply I just went out to check on it and time got away. It is nice to be around a bunch of fellow addicts. Because we all need company and a non addict can never understand. Jay

Thanks,i'll have to try it.I have a blue stain on the floor by my toilet that got there when the ring underneath the toilet wore out and the toilet had one of those blue deodorizers in it and it seeped out onto the floor.I have tried everything,including the Mr.Clean eraser and so far nothing has worked. Kathi