Lantana.

That is it. Thank you very much. I am going to pull it. I will go ahead and store the leaves to possibly use as a spinach substitute as many sites are suggesting.

Hi Melissa -- did you ever get that email I sent you about digging a swale to capture rainwater on a hillside? I'm working on a similar project (slowly) and thought of you. Fundamentally I agree with you. It's best to grow plants that want to grow in the conditions you can offer them. I have a couple exceptions. You mentioned blueberries. I just adore blueberries. If you stick to the newer southern highbush varieties such as Misty, Oneal, and Sunshine Blue you may have better luck. Sunshine Blue in particular is said to be a little more tolerant of higher pH. Try a raised bed filled with compost, wood chip, and peat as a growing medium. I'm experimenting with the same mixture, some soil and sulfur added, dug as a trench in the ground. It is too soon to tell, but so far all but one of my blueberries are growing well and not chlorotic. I did lose one, but think that I lost it to hot dry weather when I was away. They do need water. I don't begrudge it to food plants. My other exception is that I planted a couple of avocado trees because Tom loves them so much. I'm not convinced that I'm going to be able to make them happy, but we're giving it a try. After killing about two dozen rhododendrons, I've given up on them. I have two left. One under the redwood trees actually looks reasonably happy. The other, alas, is on its way out. I do so love rhododendrons. At least I have roses! And apples. And plums, and figs, and citrus. Really, so much does well here that it is silly to sigh for the few plants that won't thrive for me. It means that when I go garden visiting and see favorite plants I cannot grow well, I have the special thrill that comes from seeing the less accustomed beauty. Rosefolly

I pull the flat of plants from under the LED lights every couple of days to inspect their growth and monitor water. I installed the red & blue lights under a lower shelf so I am not especially aware of the color as I work in the basement! You're right - it messes up my eyes! I am not going to purchase white LED lights. I only have the red & blue ones thanks to my brother, who decided not to use them. I am a cheapskate - I will simply stay with the fluorescent shop lights for the rest of my plants as I have had very satisfactory results using those over at least 20 years, proving to me that actual grow-lights are not really necessary (at least to a li'l ol' backyard gardener like me). My hundreds of seedlings each year turn out stocky and a nice dark green (part of the latter thanks in no small part to my worm compost in the transplant mix, I am sure!).