Nice set up, Mes111. Yes, Appleseed70, over the fence is fair game. Although I'd like the kids to wait because they'll grab them unripe and sprayed. I'd give them better apples anyway. The two trees show up there are basically the same. The bushy one is more overgrown because that's how it produces, but I am working on thinning out the top to get more sun to the lower. I'm not sure what the last tree was in the picture in '09. Judging from the description it was sawed off and grafted onto because I didn't like the variety. It's basically the same but bigger. Free standing and ready to go wild now. Hopefully should bear this year. Which reminds me, I want to get out there and put some more room between tiers. I've got two more both spur type this time. If the Macspur survives the fireblight that killed 2 and hurt it and another last year and starts producing the bushy one will be removed (maybe grafted to a free standing spot since it seems to withstand fireblight). The Earliblaze on the right is much better behaved than the Macspur on the left which is acting more like a semi-spur than it did on the free standing one which died. This was the Earliblaze last year before picking and pruning.

Rhizo1, last year arounnd fall, I discovered lots and lots of caterpillars on the passionflower vines I'd planted in with the star jasmine. It turned out to be gulf fritillary cats. I let them eat to their hearts content! In fact, I planted several passionflower vines so they might consider our yard a haven . The winter was very cold, and I do not know if any of the larva survived that, but this year I'm watching for more such larva. I like to plant the hosts for different butterflies, such as the milkweed plants that grow here, and I do seem to have many butterflies frequenting the yard. I had a book about butterfly gardening, showing the host plants, and the nectar plants, and I want to make sure before I "do in" a cat that it is not something spectacular. My criteria for a 'nasty' is gypsy moth or cabbage moth or some other veggie eating borer...because we do plant squash and cukes in my DH's veggie garden. You know, I did not realize that GW had a butterfly gardening forum, so I will take a run at that spot too. Thank you for the link to the Butterflies and Moths of N.A. I would not want to be an indiscriminate destroyer of nature. Might as well have plastic plants if I was.

I want to add a comment about a wonderful hybrid snacking peppers Yum Yum. So sweet, productive, few seeds. Better than grocery-store tomatoes. Smaller plants. Can plant 12-15 inches apart. Would be great in pots. It is a hybrid. Please do not try to save seed. Carmen mentioned earlier is very prolific, and not very good-tasting. I won't grow again. After trying many cultivars, my bells are almost all California Wonder. I read through many lists on garden web, and found that many people think it is still the best bell.

Terri, Thank you for your reply and I have added your favorite garlic to my list for next year. I received an email from one of the CF members who very kindly sent me a wonderful link that I had not found in all my garlic searches. I was blown away by all the different varieties of garlic available! I have already placed my order for this year and it will be shipped this week. I look forward to having really fresh garlic for the very first time. I hope it is as juicy as the beautiful garlic that ann-t posted earlier. Jessica, I have several times planted some of the sprouted garlic and was disappointed when it just disappeared never to be seen again. I was surprised that even the stuff I tossed onto the compost never grew as I have had herb, flower and tomato plants pop up in the compost. I finally decided I needed to get a totally different kind of garlic if I wanted to grow and harvest it successfully. I posted here because I read the cooking forum on a fairly regular basis as I donÂt get to spend much time on the forums and I spend even less time on the garden side. Most of my computer time is at night and it is limited. Today I just have about 30 mins for this gardenweb visit before going to work. So the cooking forum is about the only one I visit. Thank you both for your replies. Kat