I love garlic scapes stir-fried, my chinese neighbor has also introduced me to a dish made from over the hill lettuce, once they start to elongate and before they set seed he cuts all the leaves off, does a dish using just the stalks, another dish he does is with over ripe pickling cucumbers. He grew up in northern China nothing was wasted. The dish he makes with a potato is really good, the potato is cut into very fine julianne (sp) soaked and then stir-fried with other things (can't remember what), really delicious and crispy. I think we might be missing the boat by composting some of our veggies too soon. Annette

Thanks all. my apologies in the delay in responding. I've been away and have just returned. I try to keep within the soft tones but I do love to mix things up every now and then. I always wanted to feel like I'm in a large meadow garden and so my yard is filled with tall airy type plants. It's quite a compact space but because I prepared the soil well, there's plenty of root space for these plants to thrive. My town's horticultural society recently presented me with a front yard recognition sign -which means one of my neighbors honored me by nominating my yard. I do get lots of people dropping by to check things out. Greylady - that's right. it's to encourage birds. I've also gourd birdhouses around the yard. I'm sorry I cannot name the clematis because I'd already forgotten it. I just recalled I needed white to balance out that spot. I have that Jackmanii type now blooming but I'm rather disappointed with it. There's also a pink one which unfortunately wasn't able to bloom as much because someone doing construction broke the vine... -- what you might find interesting is that I used eyehooks glued on to the brick, and wire to create the trellis which disappears amid the foliage... so the plants look like they are just climbing up by themselves. Philip - thanks. I love your little paradise too. Lots of unusual plants I would love to incorporate here. I will continue to upload photos into the album... Oh my sweet peas have finally bloomed and this late in early August.

This is in a situation where they are beyond the hose reach in wild woods out back on a ravine slope. This is not a garden situation. More a land restoration of forests. I have rocky limestone marl over solid hard limestone shelf that I can't dig in.. i am trying this in hopes that it helps my trees survival rate.. I am placing them about 6" or so from the tree. I place them at the up hill side of the plant hole with the perforations facing the tree. For many of the hole, I have cut the pipes down to 16". It is impossible to dig further . I am lucky to reach 16". With the back to back La Niñas , I feel a drought coming on. This fall is very dry and our streams are starting to dry up. No real rain since the hurricane Harvey's 8" (end of August). They are saying that we should expect below average rainfall for the next 6-9 months.I probably should not be planting now, but I have trees. So far I have gotten in 3 Anacho Orchid Trees, One 3' Quercus buckleyi, 2 silver Peso Texas Mountain Laurel seedlings, three redbuds, 2 Mexican Buckeyes and a Carolina Buckthorn. I have 11 Kidneywood, 4 wafer ash, and 6 more Redbuds to plant . These are small 6"- 16" seedlings, but they get a big hole. The holes usually are 75% rock, so I bring in a mixture of Decomposed granite gravel mixed with non shrinking compost ( Either composted cotton burrs or rice hulls). I use the rock to build up the down hill side berm . It looks like really rough stuff , but it is nothing compared to what they will be growing in. Normally I wouldn't add soil but the rocks are just too big and too many to be putting back in. Maybe I am wrong. I am wrong a lot. I just keep trying new things. I am trying to diversify the forest which is heavily dominated by Mountain Ashe Juniper. I cut this Spanish Oak out of the ground where it was in the wrong place by our buildings and I nursed it through the summer and then planted it out in a bare spot. Red Bud Carolina Buckthorn Anacho Orchid Tree I need to cage these tree still.... Darn Deer.

Thanks Babs. I sometimes see a few scales even now, and I just pick them off with a Q-tip with a little alcohol. But when it's outdoors, when it's warm, I actually really blast the whole tree with the garden hose. I go all over, under, around etc. with quite a strong spray of water. I hold each leaf and make sure it's clean. Really not that hard to do, and only once is fine. It really helps to remove debris, scales etc. The plant seems to enjoy it!