[FamiliarFace]

We’ve been having rain off and on for a few days. It’s hard to get outside to mow the lawn. Everything is pretty and green though!

The 4H center is having a Master Gardener show. Hoping to bring home a couple of hard to gets. A few years ago I purchased some Virginia bluebells to put under a tree, and they are growing very nicely. Would love to find a few more, but they are usually expensive.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

After a string of really nice days, where I’ve pretty much exhausted myself prepping the garden, we’re going to get cooler again with rain on and off.

I LOVE sales like that. Went to one quite a number of years ago with a friend up in Green Bay. It was a fundraiser for the college kids in AG and it was before everyone was into ‘Heirloom’ this and that so we got some (then) hared to find tomato plants. We also saw Black Pelicans that were on the move, so it was a memorable day. :)

[heartwood]

Virginia bluebells divide nicely. Do it when the leaves are yellow and dropped, in a month or so.

They like heavy soil, and they are fine in dry shade, they enjoy the spring rains and sunlight, and go dormant in the summer.

[daniel1212]

If collected from your rooftop, rainwater contains traces of organic material. While the water is very clean and should run clear, it has been exposed to anything on your roof. We’re not talking about chunks (these get pre-filtered out on their way into properly-designed rain barrels)–we’re just talking about contact exposure to leaf litter, pollen, bird droppings and the like (which perhaps not surprisingly are great for your plants). A rain barrel hosts a beneficial biology to keep the water alive – literally. It’s like a light application of fertilizer every time you water.

But would amount of chemicals from old trash barrels of much significance, esp. after many refillings?

I was given two more barrels by a brother in Christ which I added to the collection. $12.00 1100GPH (before hose restrictions) 12V immersible pump, attached to vacuum cleaner hoses, powered by covered PC power supply, pumps water from first barrel to others. No need to cover yet. Plus another brother gave me a roll of water permeable ground coverings (at top of image to right. Praise and bless the Lord.