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NHWM, we have a downspout that feeds into a rain barrel. A soaker hose comes out at the bottom to water plants that grow against the dry northeast side of our house. Our passive solar overhangs are 3’ or 4’ (I should know this) and most storms approach from south and/or west.

I also water from our pond so I don’t drain our well. Nutritious fish and frog manure.

Alva, copper sulphate (sulfate) was used as a fungicide, or herbicide. Blue-green crystals. Likely dissolved and sprayed. Used to keep tree roots away from weeping tiles, etc. I remember my father buying it 50 years ago but it may be restricted now.
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My plumbago is growing new leaves since I pruned back the frozen part from the last freeze, so it looks like it will bloom soon.

Plumbagos are hearty! I love the blue flowers.
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Ana.

Thanks, that’s good to know. I find that the rainwater really perks up our plants.
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Ages ago(before Arnica was in stores)my friends horse had some leg swelling. The vet suggested cold hosing& Arnica lotion. We finally found a store brand lotion & it helped. Natural products have always been interesting to me
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Some of you may remember that my street was under construction last year, today they have returned to finish up our driveways and put down topsoil and new grass. This morning I was pleased to see some scilla (or maybe chionodoxa?) blooming where I used to have a flower bed and I planned to go out and move them, but they are already gone 😭
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Scillas grew here for a while. Very pretty. Did a neighbour remove them?
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Ha, it was two men with a great big machine! I just wasn't quick enough :(
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I love to see everything blooming! I just wish that I didn’t have horrible allergies. I’m allergic to just about everything. My father was too.

Spring and fall are the best seasons. We don’t get the beautiful fall foliage here but our summer season is brutal so I am always ready for the fall.
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Somehow I have catnip invading my garden area. Literally taking over everything! I never even planted any. Where did it come from? How to eliminate it?
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I've never grown catnip or catmint but I have grown lemon balm and it managed to pop up all over the place. All mints are a little invasive but I don't think either of these are too difficult to eradicate, just don't let it go to seed!
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I have to find some new plants for my bathroom.

I have two purple orchids in there now. One on my window sill bloomed for years! It stopped. The other one by my tub is dropping orchids on me when I bathe! LOL 😆

Is the bathroom too hot and steamy for orchids? What plants survive well in a bathroom? Keep in mind that I take long, steamy hot baths and showers because of my allergies.

I like indoor plants but most of mine end up dying.

My mother in law grew beautiful African violets. She had them for years and years. After she died, my father in law didn’t care for them and they all died.
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cw,

How do you get rid of invasive plants in a garden?

I love mint but have avoided growing it an an area where it would take over.
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Common mint and many other mint relatives are indeed a nightmare in the garden and yard, pulling the plants and roots as best you can and then smothering them under thick newspaper or cardboard for several seasons is the only solution I know of. Better to grow your mint in pots!
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The storms and wind bent over the Cape Honeysuckle in the front corner of my home. The vine had grown as big as a tree, and now is unstable at the roots.
It was constantly blooming orange flowers for the hummingbirds.

When cutting it back, pulling out the branches caused the roots to be more unstable.
(I did not do this). It is one hot mess now and looks unsightly.
However, it will grow. We just won't be able to allow it to get taller than 4 or 5 ft.

I could rent an auger to drill down, placing a post deeper down, add a brace underground, or a dead man brace above ground.

Wondering if I should keep it, try harder at more expense to stabilize it. The physical labor required was too much for both my husband and I working together. But we are in need of some shade for the summer.

Feeling conflicted. Taking it out fully could hurt us. Tying it to the porch looks really tacky. Any trellis we tried is not holding this thing up. My dH wants to keep it. It was so beautiful!

And then...we planted some vegetables to grow in the sun. I did this so poorly that doubt anything will grow. Peas, spinach, lettuce, carrots in gal. bottle containers to start. Nice effort, but that too was just too much with pain from fibromyalgia and arthritis. I will be amazed! I guess that I should have a watering schedule now. 😜

Wayyy too much for me. I am so happy! That is what feeling conflicted is all about.
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I would let it grow, you can always change you mind later if it doesn't behave. Can you hire someone to put in a sturdier post? A company that does fences should be able to do it.
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Thanks Cwillie, that sounds like it would work better than hiring a gardener.
Yay!

Also, it is the known habitat for Zink, the skink. We last saw him about a year ago, when he jumped up the stairs onto the front porch. We should protect the area.

In the meantime, I am studying dead man posts. When we were Camp Hosts at a State Park, the ranger there taught us to bury a post but put a cross beam at the bottom to make it more secure. Then it does not need to be buried so deep.
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Crazy warmth has spring in full swing here - some volunteer lettuce seedlings have sprouted, the daffodils and forsythia are blooming and even though it didn't really need it I got out my mower yesterday to give the grass a little trim. But it's only April so there's snow in the forecast for next week, that is going to feel so miserable.
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I have some hibiscus bushes that usually don't show life until at least mid May. They are looking green already! Daffodils and crocus have woken as have the scilla.
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Glad, your garden of catnip is a cats dream come true. Haha
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Amazed, there are vegetable seedlings already popping up, planted 4/12.
A mirage or possibly a delusion, I am sure!

If it's that easy, I am going to shop for my favorite: Sweet Pea flowers!
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SH, What kind of veggies are you growing? It's very awesome how quickly they're sprouting up!
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Catskie,
Some are lettuce, broccoli, spinach, carrots, and peas.
I will need to check which ones have popped their heads out of the ground.
Maybe it was weeds, but I don't think so. Dh told me because he has watered them the last 2 days. He is a master of misinformation, maybe I should have waited to confirm the news. I don't get outside every day. Still recovering from the work it took to plant the seeds.

However, I placed a Garden Cloche over some of the plants. It acts as a greenhouse. It does seem early to me too. I will get back to you on that.
The internet: " About Lettuce Seed Germination. ‌Lettuce seeds can germinate as soon as two days after planting, or it can take up to two weeks.‌"

Funny, I do not recognize my screen name as SH. Everyone has always called me Send.
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Lettuce and spinach have 1/4 inch of green showing.
One looks like a very short dichondra lawn.
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SEND :)
That must be pretty awesome watching the veggies sprouting up. I have a black thumb when plants are involved. Totally opposite of my late dad. Even at 95+ years old he was watering the garden.
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The rain and snow have arrived, just as well it was very dry. Plus all the spring flowers were so early, maybe they will stay longer around longer with the cooler weather (as long as it doesn't get too far bellow freezing).
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Test
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I’m thinking of growing alfalfa sprouts in my windowsill. I grew them years ago and ate them all the time on sandwiches and salads.

Produce is so expensive in the store. I eat a lot of salads and I spend a fortune on produce.
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Sprouts from the store are such huge vectors of salmonella, listeria and e coli that I don't buy them anymore, they will be much safer if you grow them yourself.
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cw,

I do buy them from the store because I love them. Didn’t know about the issues of salmonella, listeria and E. coli with the store bought ones. Interesting…

My farmers market has a vendor that sells alfalfa and mung beans sprouts, plus micro greens. I buy from him occasionally.

From what I remember, they weren’t difficult to grow and so much cheaper than the small packages sold in the store. I grew them on a large baking sheet.
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Hello NHWM, glad your issues with tech and access to the website are mostly resolved. I continue to have delays in receiving messages. 💫

Catskie, Yes, these little vegetable will grow no matter what color my thumb is.
Lol. I am only a helper when I water them. It is fun. 🌱

CWillie, That explains why I cannot find sprouts in the markets. The farmer's Market sells micro greens, but the expense is prohibitive. I will do without.
Thanks for the info. 🌾

We never know who we may be helping when we post. 🤸‍♀️
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