I've tried solarization with clear plastic (bought at Lowe's) and it did not work at all. From what I understand, organic matter does not reduce nematode populations. It does create an environment in which plants can survive and produce despite nematodes. This winter I had a pretty huge truckload of mushroom compost dropped off (7 square yards) and it did wonders for the veggie garden, even though the area has been gardened pretty intensively for the last few years. I have yet to find a way to get rid of nematodes except by moving the garden every few seasons. Because I don't have room to do this I'm trying lots of rotations with nemacidal plannts--Golden Guardian Marigolds, Sunn Hemp, mustards and kales. I'm hoping this will reduced not only nematodes but blights, wilts, molds and other soil born pests and diseases. Some people used raised beds and containers and change the soil entirely every few seasons. Bill

With this being only my second year to grow from seed with any kind of seriousness (not counting any year's before that as much more than dabbling), it's too soon to have many favorites, but here goes: Gazanias - took a while to start blooming but are the only annual, other than the African Daisies that are still alive and blooming. Petunias - Loved the 'Prism Sunshine' this year, a real blooming machine. Added 'Alladin Orange' to next year's list. Portulaca - Doesn't need watering or deadheading, and comes in a wide variety of colors. Profusion Zinnias - I've had horrible mildew issues with most varieties, but not a speck on my 'Profusion Apricot' this year. Took a long time to start blooming, but then what a show! Marigolds - I almost forgot about them, but they are also blooming machines, and come in all of my favorite flower colors - red, yellow, and orange, and a must have around the vegetable garden. Don't know if they really repel any pests or not, but who cares. Tomatoes - Out of the nine varieties that I actually got tomatoes from, I'm probably not repeating a single one!!! Yes, I loved the taste of Cherokee Purple, but I have seeds for at least 40 different varieties, so I feel obligated to try new ones next year. There will be more dual purpose tomatoes next year, ones that are good slicers, but also good for sauce making, and less cherries (4 of the nine were cherries, when one or two would have been plenty - I've given away bucketfuls!) Carrots - The first year I did it all wrong, and waited to the end of the season and harvested them all. They quickly became rubbery and limp in the fridge. This year, I planted them earlier, and have been picking them as I need them all summer. Sure they are cheap at the store, but there's no waste. I'm not buying a whole bag when I need one or two. Plus mine are thicker, longer, fresher, and more colorful! Peppers - I will grow more of them next year, several new to me varieties, but the one that will be a repeat is Revolution. It outperformed King of the North by a mile - thicker walls, earlier and more productive. There will also be some type of paprika, homemade paprika powder is way better than storebought! Peas - first year to grow them, and they will definitely be back Sweet Basil - I liked it best out of all of the varieties I grew this year, and is there really such a thing as too much basil? Bonnie

I agree with the other posters. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but now you know why more people don't try to give 2 parties in the same day! Basically, you set yourself up for 10 solid hours (plus pre-2:00 prep) of hosting, clean-up, re-set-up, and hosting again. Who could do their best with that kind of challenge? In addition, even though you are experienced hosts, I think you took on quite a bit here -- entertaining 75 people, including clean up and set up in between, without any paid help -- well, I am sure you must have been exhausted; who wouldn't be? And when you are that tired, it is indeed a big deal to have people stay late. If you had only one party, with either a smaller number or some sort of help, I bet it wouldn't have seemed so overwhelming when people stayed late. I am not sure why you are so outraged that people arrived at 2:00 for a 2:00 party. I agree it's nice to give the guests a little cushion and come a few minutes late, but you really can't get mad or be surprised if someone arrives on the dot. Sometimes people have to leave early because of another commitment, so they come as early as they can. (I've had people show up 30-60 minutes EARLY -- how would you like that? Once I was just getting into the shower!) I also don't understand this at all: "Almost everyone else showed up between 3:30 and 4:30 (the event was supposed to end at 5:30)." What is wrong with that? You said it was an "'Open House' from 2 - 5." My confusion isn't whether it was 5 or 5:30, it's that I don't understand what is wrong with coming between 3:30 and 4:30 for a 2-5 (or 5:30) open house -- isn't the whole idea that people come and go within the time frame? 2:00 is too early, 3:30 is too late -- and this is "laid back"? Regarding people staying late for the evening party -- well, they were having fun, so good for you! It must have been a good party. But here again, I don't understand a few things. First you don't seem to like it that many guests didn't come until 10 -- but you didn't plan to feed them dinner (and evidently were clear about that on th invitation), so perhaps they went out to dinner first or something. People come on time for a dinner party, but they don't feel they must be there at the very beginning for a munchies "shindig" -- four hours seems like a lot for that. Regarding staying past midnight: few adult parties (other than open houses; see above) set end times. Even if you'd put it on the invitation, I bet some didn't remember or even notice it. I also don't understand why you were surprised or resentful that you were in the kitchen: you invited a LOT of people to your home, and you started running low on food, so you did what any good host does: you got something for them to eat. If that happens again, spare yourself the work while your guests are there, and order a few pizzas. But as Lindac says: the most important thing is whether your guests had a great time. And it sounds like they did!

I'm going through that right now. She's a neighbor which makes it worse. This woman calls me every day on the phone expecting to chat for an hour or two or three. My handset has a speaker so I just let her talk away while I clean the house. Nothing I hate more than a person who talks AT me instead of TO me. Have you met people like that? You start to appreciate there is an art to conversation when you meet people who don't understand that it should be TWO WAY! She talks, I listen. I have no sympathy for her problems because she's so self-serving. Has no interest in my life. Day after day she calls mostly to repeat what she said the day before. She lives alone. Talking on the phone is her favorite pasttime whereas when I'm bored I turn on the TV or get on the internet. When I tried to ween her off of me by not answering the phone she started calling at odd hours like 10pm or 9am in an effort to catch me. She would even show up at my door if I didn't answer the phone after a couple days. I can't not ever answer her calls or she'll think I've died or something so now I "return her phonecall" with an email. She hates email because she can't monopolize the conversation and you're in control. That's what I recommend you try. Don't answer her phone call, instead reply by email so you're still being polite. With a properly scripted email you can impart a message without being overtly rude. Doesn't require brutal honesty. The shorter the response the quicker she'll realize you aren't interested in her. If I'm not home when my neighbor calls she'll have a conversation with MY ANSWERING MACHINE! She doesn't just leave a message she will talk until the machine cuts her off. DH laughs that even the machine can't listen to her for very long. She's the only person who has ever run the time out on my machine. A couple of times she's run the battery down on my handset because she's talked so long. I thought we had been disconnected but a slow walk to the other end of my house to pick up another receiver revealed that we hadn't. I just wanted to call her back to explain I didn't hang up on her when I realized we hadn't been disconnected. She was still talking! Completely unaware that there was no one on the other end. Didn't matter a bit to her. LOL The problem comes when people are too dense to pick up on "social queues". Those are the ones we all loathe because they force you to act in a way you'd rather not ...rude, curt, or the bearer or the silent treatment. But when polite hints fail you do what you gotta do!