Prestons: I had to look that up because I've never heard of it. Appears to be a pH meter of some sort. Maybe no one here has used one? Even if they have it may be unlikely they will know much about the ingredients of the 'conditioning wipes.' You may get the prize for obscure question of the week. :-] Have you asked the manufacturer?

My citrus trees are all in the ground, but all these posts have been so interesting. Now I'm wondering if I should have a shallow trench around the outside of the canopies rather than a birm of dirt. The more I think about it, I must find another way to water. I think that just too much water is being put down in the half hour watering (10 gal.). I change the position of the hose every ten minutes and place the hose on top of the birm so that the water flows under the canopie; water flows to the trunk (probably because the water is going down too fast). The trees sunk a little more than was expected after planting, so I have to keep an eye on the level of dirt that will easily slope toward the trunk when the dirt in the birm moves little by little.

Should have posted this sooner but here is a reply I got back from an inquiry - Thank you for your interest in the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Regarding your question: (My sent message) Background, I am a home food preservationist with an extensive history of home sausage making (both with hot ((refrigeration required)) and some cold smoking ((humidity and temperature controlled to produce country cured sausage, no refrigeration required)), home canning (pressure canning only, I do not trust water bath under any circumstances) and extensive dehydrating experience. I have done a little pickling under the recommendations that the USDA has out in regards to fish and hardboiled eggs (including the need for refrigeration). However in my research into historic preservation techniques I have found references to pickling (especially) fish preserved at room temperature. The references also stated that the vinegar solution used at the time was homemade and was of strength higher then the present 5% available for modern commercial sales. Given that botulism spores growth is inhibited at a PH of 4.6 and they can not therefore produce the toxins, the fact that! a 10% or 15% acetic acid can be readily produced using food safe glacial acetic acid (99.85% available commercially mixed in proper ratio with water (yes, acid to water, I remember basic chemistry) and the PH of the 10% solution is approximately 2.4 and given that 1.5â x 1.5â x 0.75â pieces of fish would readily equalize PH is this theoretically a safe preservation method. Please do not give me the standard rely of not recommended or approved due to lack of experimental data etc. brush off, I am just looking for a theoretical answer. (The reply) This is Elizabeth Andress, Director of the National Center. I personally apologize for not getting back to you sooner, but we have been trying to keep up with people needing help with more standardized recommendations and methods of preserving. I can tell you that under the circumstances you describe with the low pH environments, that theoretically botulism spore germination and toxin production does not seem likely. But that is indeed as much as I can say. You would want to make sure the fish pieces get below pH 4.6 throughout fairly quickly to keep it longer at room temperature (probably at least within 24 hours). It is not a brushoff but a fact that no one here has any practical experience with pickling fish at room temperature (or for that matter, at any temperature). We do not have USDA pickling or smoking for fish on our website or in the USDA canning guide, but there is information from Oregon State University we have shared on smoking fish. I have pretty much relied on contacts in Alaska, or formerly in Oregon, for issues related to smoking and pickling of fish. You also might find an actual food microbiologist actively researching with bacteria at Univ. of Wisconsin who knows more in detail of C. bot. patterns. Thank you, Elizabeth Andress

Im guessing the meter is about 40 feet from the panel. So if your saying it would be 100% my cost, that would mean it would also be my finacial responsibilty to remedy the other side of the service/property? Theres a main breaker inside the house, the only use I can see for the outside disconnect (and lock box) is in a tennant landord situation. I have never seen them in our area except in that situation. I guess im freaked somebody can switch me off from the outside.