Hello Holly. If those "small shoots" are what I think they are (vertical sprouts off horizontal branches?) then they can all come off at any time and should. There's no rule that will keep you from taking off any excess wood right now (although: be aware that if you have fireblight, which can happen on new growth and blooms, you need to take special precautions.) So remove that rampant growth, and any diseased or dead wood, and while you're at it take out branches that clog the center of the tree. When two branches cross and rub remove one. You should be able to do most of your work with nippers and loppers, and if you need the saw use it cautiously until you gain a little feel for what you're doing. Provide for air and light to all parts of the tree. Remove stuff that points straight down or straight up. Step back often while working and look at the tree. There's several people on this board that can give you more experienced answers, so be prepared to get other, better opinions. I write as a relative newbie but one with perhaps an insight to the challenges facing the less experienced, as I am one ... :-) Good luck, Mark

Yeah, I started my broccoli from seed too late this winter, and it bloomed last week on that warm day, so it's pretty much out of the question this late. Like 'mams' said, I just planted seeds for carrots, potatoes, and radishes. Some baby lettuce and spinach, but I'm not sure they'll produce much before it warms up... Your summer plants (tomatoes, beans, cucumber, peppers) can be started from seed inside, but not put out until it stays reliably over 50-55 at night, usually late April or early May (especially peppers, they need that warmth). Being very lazy, I will not start inside, I'll just put seed in the ground in April or buy seedlings in April. For seeds, that shortens the length of production and harvest, but as I said, lazy. Nurseries and hardware stores are starting to stock pepper/tomato/bean seedlings now, but it's pretty early. They will mostly survive, but waiting a bit will get you healthier, more productive plants. As for zuchs, you can plant seeds directly outside as early as now. They are a bit more cold tolerant than the other summer standards. If buying zuch seedlings, maybe not now, but sooner than the others (early april?) On a side note, I'm trying brussels sprouts here in Sunnyvale for the first time. I planted in fall, and they've been sort of overwintering (not growing much, but staying alive). Does anyone know if I they will still grow into summer? I've always thought of them as not very heat tolerant, and If they're gonna end up not producing anything, I could use the space for the afore mentioned zucchini seed planting...

You have several possible alternatives, jardineratx. You can transplant them now, you can temporarily put them in a large enough pot for later transplant or you can provide shade until fall or winter and transplant them then. 1. If you transplant them now, you will have to keep an eye on soil moisture because the plants will be suffering from transplant shock at time when temperatures are at their highest. Transplant shock & the temps may make the plant wilt very often. Transplanting works better when the plant is dormant in fall or winter but, in some cases, it is necessary and must be done at the worst possible times. If you transplant, make sure that your soil stays moist and use 3-4" of any type of acidic mulch slightly past the end of the new hole. Try to move as much of the root ball as possible/practical and be careful not to disturb (too much) the fibrous roots near the surface. The goal should be to transplant as many roots as you can (within reason of course) because the more roots that you "move", the less stressed the plant will be. Have the new hole ready first and choose a cloudy day to transplant if you can. Do not dig the shrub out one day and transplant the next. While transplanting, I like to dump the root ball in a solution of water with liquid seaweed. You can also use Superthrive, etc. etc. etc. 2. Some people who are busy and lack time will temporarily move the plant into a pot or container until they have the time to properly move the shrub. This is a little more stressful to the plants and requires constant monitoring. You also have to have a properly sized container (15 inches or more) for each of the three shrubs or you have to go and purchase new ones. 3. The third suggestion happened to me when a Crape Myrtle lost some branches due to hail damage. I basically delayed doing anything until the CM recovered. At first, the hydrangea underneath started getting too much sun. But I knew the CM would recover in less than a year so I did not want to move it. Instead, I temporarily provided some shade in the form of a screen on top of the plant. It was not very elegant but I had the materials available. You can use this approach to delay moving until the plant is dormant. From the information that you have given, I would choose the first one (transplant them now) but, do it if you have the time, if you have three new holes ready for all three plants and if you have the time to monitor the shrubs almost daily until the temperatures go down in September. It is hard to gauge if the plants will be stressed enough to have less blooms. Hydrangeas are pretty strong bushes so it all depends. The critical months will be now through September when the sun and the temps are in the 100s daily. Decide which way you want to go and then maintain the soil moist and well mulched. Do not fertilize until next year as the plant is going to be stressed enough. I would consider not pruning this year with one exception. If you transplant the plants and cannot move a majority of their roots, then give them a haircut so the remaining leaves can be supplied with enough water by the remaining roots. Does that help you, jardineratx? Luis

If you get the baking powder wet, it'll do its thing (or half if you have double action). The eggs can turn weird too. Can you assemble kits? Stir together all the dry ingredients and seal them in a ziploc, or just a covered mixing bowl since you'll be baking tomorrow. Measure out the wet ingredients individually in jars, and put the jars for a single recipe in an open container to keep them together, along with the whole eggs. Or maybe just use a food marker, or a piece of tape, to label each egg as to which batter it goes in so they're easy to grab. You could color code each recipe so you don't have to read the labels. Freezing is different than chilling. If you refrigerate the cakes, they could get tough. Cold causes the starches to tighten, which is what "stale" means. Better to make cakes that can be frozen a couple of days ahead and freeze them (freezing should suspend the starches rather than tightening them, plus cakes can be softer and fluffier after freezing), than closer to the day and refrigerate them. Good luck! That's an ambitious load, but it sounds delicious!