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Thx much -- I've heard of the water-uptake issue but thought it was just another facet of "the syndrome" of poor performance by the tomatoes. I'll check into the fertilizers you cited. That said, I understand that here, nematodes are a big problem, and I lose plants every year to wilt (late...

I'm doing a small raised bed (for the 1st time) this spring; I've filled the huge "bowl" with store-bought potting soil, "mulch" -- which I think is only ground-up limbs -- and so-forth. I'm considering planting a few tomatoes in this. But now, I'm thinking I don't really want "natural" soil...

Thx a million, all, for the input. I feel better about it. A clerk at the shop asked me once, "How much [grounds] do you want?". I said, "About 5,000 lb, if I can get it!". Only half-in-jest .... Mitch

This spring -- for the 1st time in several years -- I'm pouring beaucoup 5-gal buckets of used coffee grounds (from a local coffee shop) into/onto my veg garden, berry vines/bushes and fruit trees. Can anybody think of (or know of) reasons why I should limit this? Are there any studies or data...

I bought a nice quantity of all sorts of hot peppers at a farmer's market this weekend. I'm wondering: can I dry the peppers in a "food dryer" -- fairly low heat -- for several days w/o killing the seeds? I'd like to save seeds for planting next spring. If I don't dry the pods, can I just place...

Hi -- I thought for a second about poison, but ... then again, it would go through the food chain (potentially); I don't want dead birds on my conscience. Somebody locally told me she found a dead bald eagle (!!) near her store not long ago, and suspects it ate some poisoned animal. Lousy outcome.

Much obliged, bug -- I see that was a mistake on my part -- not to protect the roots in the 1st place. Then again, I've been here a long time and never, ever, never saw any kind of damage to roots or trunks. A new experience for me -- and I'm a quick-learner after a disaster ....

Howdy, catfish -- I'm in NC, too -- Greenville. Right in the middle of town, and I'm pretty sure I'm the only one in my n'hood growing veg's/herbs and with a major # of fruit trees. Folks here do love their dogwoods and azaleas, and make their yards a desert for the other animals. When I moved...

Thx much; I wish I'd known this website existed before now! I've been growing things since I was a kid --have learned a lot, but know there's plenty more out there. Part of the fun, huh? Mitch

Howdy, Steve -- I flood any holes when I find 'em; pour gallons of pond water down, but the vermin always just create other "run" holes not far away. Tunnels must be all over the place! Mitch

Hi -- my n'hood has lots of cats .... and they love to visit my yard to eat birds and frogs! Maybe they'll catch a vole sometime, but .... my gardens are fenced, so cats don't go in those, and those are the primary vole-infestation areas. Complex situation.

I'll bet this has been done to death at this site, but I'm new, so .... here goes: I've been on my (city) property 17 years and never saw a vole or vole damage (to my knowledge). Lately, holes're popping up in the garden, and worse yet, around 2 young apple trees. One seems dead -- no leaves...