Anyone need help? I know, it is probably early. If you know someone, you may ask me to send seeds to them. Thanks, Robin

I must report the sad news that some earthworms were harmed during my core aeration. Poor little fellows - I hope they left some off spring in the soil. However, the good news is that even with a good 18 hours of steady rainfall and some of it torrential my yard held up very well. I have no idea how much rain we got, but would guess at 3-4" minimum probably closer to 6. I'm convinced that the core aeration made the soil much more capable of absorbing that amount of water. Sunday was a "fix a few rough spots" and seed day. Put down a 50/50 mix of tall fescue and perennial rye (5.2#/1000) and added a little KBG for grins. Just got through getting my Orbit timers programmed and set up so watering begins in earnest tomorrow morning. My biggest problem now will be keeping the leaves off.

Thanks for the input, especially from zone 5/6!! Gardenweed, I actually have 5 which were started from seed this year. I start some every year for fear the winter will take some of the ones in the gardens. but so far I've given them to other gardeners the following spring since mine are sturdy buggers. :O) Cameron, I probably wouldn't worry about this so much if I was in a zone 7. Your zone seems to be the ideal zone for these plants. They are not completely out of the soil so I will try Linda's approach of pruning and combined it with your tie-down. I will also be mulching them this year which I don't normally do. Thanks for the feedback and all the best!

Spelling doesn;'t count in a storn but SAFETY does. Ensure you have an evacuation plan. Remember that others will be attempting to leave the same route you may have planned and you could get into a gridlock on the highway. LEAVE EARLY. You can always come home if the storm bypasses you. Have your necessary documents and family papers in as water tight box that you can store them in. Leave them in this box year round so that you can pick it up and go. Store family pictures on disk and be ready to pick them up and go. Have sufficient prescription medication on hand to cover you for a week and have written prescritions from your doctor in case we suffer like New Orleans did. HAVE CASH - can not say that often enough Take pictures of your garden so that you can remember it the way it was in case of the worst. Remember, we have warnings with hurricanes and can prepare and leave. With tornadoes we have no warning. GET OUT AND STAY OUT when law enforcement tells you to. YOUR property is not worth your life. We would miss you terribly and would not have you to sommiserate with after the storm. Stay in communication with family and friends. Cell phones may not work after a storm nor phones. You may have to contact the American Red Cross so they can send a ham radio message to the chapter where your family lives to let them know you are okay. DO NO PROCRASTINATE Remember this is a tropical area and after a storm and immediately before one supplies will be hard to come by. KEEP LOTS AND LOTS OF INSECT SPRAY FOR AFTER THE STORM You will need it in the steamy hungle that will be your life for a while. Others, please add your tips.