esh, I can understand that ragweed is not good to have around because of its pollen produces severe and widespread allergies. But why Mimosa? Every time when I get plants identified here, I check those plants out on the web to find more information about them. I googled mimosa, and there are nurseries even selling mimosa. Some of them are even expensive. That's funny! One thing I can tell is that mimosa seems very invasive, because they are all over in my yard. Is it the reason why I should pull it?

I have to be honest with YOU. Staghorn Sumac trees are seen in my area as "weed trees", in other words, they are trees that are seen as being like "weeds". They had been growing wild along the driveway near mine and my neighbors house. AND, somehow Staghorn Sumac seems to have been given more respect from my neighbor, than it should have been given. Even though the Staghorn Sumac is a kinda "Trash tree" of a tree that is REALLY seen as a UNLOVED tree. I really DO welcome that anybody who see's the "Staghorn Sumac" as being a SOURCE of HORRIBLE news about just how much looking into the problems between the actual ":bitching about what is wrong", could ever be able to show the actual conflict about the problems could ever be clear enough to solve the mystery.

Sumacs are a second generation forest plant which means when a field has been left alone (no farming)Sumac along with other species will start to regenerate the field and turn it back to forest after the first generation of plants (weeds such as goldenrod) unless you have a couple of acres I would not plant them - yes you will be kicking yourself - you could try them in a five gallon pail with the bottom cut out of it - but their nature is to spread along the surface of the earth - I'm not sure how this would affect the plant by going against this nature - you still will have the seeds to contend with - wildlife do enjoy them in early spring late winter. I have seen small plants that will send a shoot up 50 feet away usually in sandy light soil. cheers Jeff

Ok, we lost the last game, and since this tournament was decided on points, came in who-knows, as the rest of the teams were playing later, and we came on home. The beans are "Kings Banquet", originally given to me by some folks whose grandparents homesteaded here, and we've looked and researched around earlier - Seed Savers Exchange has this as the only place they've been seen. Maybe it's some other variety, but with a different name, or it well could have been brought in by the Italian migrants to the area, or some other source. I just have no idea. I sent some to Steve a few years ago, and he's still alive. I've sent some to some market farmers out in California, and they say it's a customer favorite. I sure like them. Great fresh, for me, anyway, they have some flavor. They also do a long time on the vine when they're tender, can well, and the dry seeds are good as well. I usually plant them in the same row I do the peas - peas come out, these go in. I'd suggest picking them at different sizes to see what / where you like them the best. As with any pole bean, as long as you pick them, they keep producing. Re multi-colored sorghum, this is fun. The plants look like corn. I dunno how old that seed is, maybe 4 years? Anywho, best results ever were planting 3 seeds per cell about now, germinating them, pinching off all but one, then setting them out after frost about 1 ft spacing, for as much room as you want to devote, but at least a 6 ft by 6 ft plot. I used a 15 - 15 - 15 fertilizer, spread it about 1 pellet per dime, watered well through June and it was established. once in July, once in Aug. Things were over my head. You could also plant them directly about now - just thin them to 1 / sq foot. Re that Salvia grandiflora, again it takes until the 3rd year to get up to knock 'em dead status. So year one and two are establishing the plant. Pinch the shoot tips when they're 6" high. Then again when they're a foot high. That for the first 2 years. The third year, pinch the tips every 6" of growth until either you get fed up with it, or it's August, then watch the show. All good fun ;->. We're up to Grand Junction for another tournament this coming weekend, then we start swimming season.