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Re: early tomato flowers
I just let 'em go. I want those tomatoes as early as possible and tomato plants don't stunt easily.

Re: early tomato flowers
I say let them flower, but prune side branches and stick them in the ground too.

Re: mint
A farm i was familiar with lined the doors to the greenhouse with copper tape. I can't say with absolute certainty that it works, for it would be impossible to know. What i can say that i know is that there was no slug damage in an area that had slugs EVERYWHERE! : )

early tomato flowers
first i just have to say that i really appreciate the wisdom and generosity of this tribe. it seems like every other day i have some simple little question that i really should know, and that i feel silly asking about, and yet i ask, and you all answer, and don't make me feel like an idiot. so thank you! so my question of the day is, how big do tomatoes need to get before you let them flower? mine are about a foot tall and it seems like i pick the flower buds off every single day. they're actually twice that tall, i trench planted them, they've been growing since mid-february. and they really want to bloom! i've only grown starts from the nursery before, and i remember them being at least 3 feet tall before they even started to think about flowering. so maybe mine are happier? or maybe they're more stressed? they've been in the ground a whole 3 weeks or so. what would you say is a minimum height? and if i do let them start fruiting, will they really slow down their vegetative growth, or will they keep growing since it's so early in the season?

Re: mint
Here are my penny-thoughts, though first I'd say that maybe this is a newer area and some experimenting of your own could end up providing information for others? It seems that companion planting may work both ways - that the vege/herb relationship (if the right one is found) may be good for both. Most companion planting charts include both herb and vege friends and foes - just look at the herbs. My initial thought, though, is a pest-repellent approach - find out which herbs repell which pest and group a few of those together. Probably more helpful if you know what you're combating. My herb book lists the common pests for each herb, and you could plant an herb that repells that pest next to it. Or, like when arranging flowers or cooking, go by your own nose - what smells nice together will most likely (as nature works this way) be good for each other. In any case, nature is a wonderful guide - weeds/herbs/flowers are scattered amongst themselves in nature, so probably the more you companion the happier all will be. :) Let us know what you discover! (The link provided, btw, was nice) Lynn

Re: mint
That would be great. I'd much rather deter than kill.

Re: mint
i saw a copper tape that claims to repel snails and slugs. The copper reacts with their slime in a way the snails don't like and they won't cross it. Or so.. the package claims.

Re: companion versus rows - seeding instructions
the seed packet thinks in terms of monoculture, the companion planting book in terms of sharing. I would go for sharing. =)

Re: Canada's Police State Bill C51 Camouflaged as a Health Bill
Some background on some of the commercial interests resisting regulation.... The Truehope / www.stopc51.com connection: It appears the Registrant and Administrative Contact for www.stopc51.com is one Ian Stewart of Raymond, Alberta: http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/results.jsp?domain=stopc51.com Ian Stewart, acccording to the Globe and Mail, is ?the director of regulatory affairs for Truehope?(a company based in Raymond Alberta): http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080513.NATURAL13/TPStory/TPNational/Politics/ This confirms what was already clear from other evidence (such as the fact that the contact phone number for www.stopc51.com rally organizing and the Truehope office number are the same): www.stopc51.com is an industry front, disingenuously created and promoted by a vested interest ? one that has already been involved in extensive legal wrangling with Health Canada, and which has already been the subject of multiple health advisories.

Re: mint
In my cool shady spots I have a snail plague. Unfortunately for slugs and snails nothing says "please go away" without being lethal- I use Sluggo but you can also set up "slug pubs" (tuna cans filled with cheap beer) and they will die happy-also giving you evidence about whether that's your actual problem. If they munch big holes and chew leaves halfway off it's probably snails. Regarding the original question, most herbs thrive on their own and don't need the support of other plants, although bee balm will probably appreciate something that flowers and also attracts bees, and marjoram needs to stay moist and slightly shaded so it would do well beneath a well-established tomato or peppers (I'm just guessing here).

Re: quinoa??
Beans do it tooo! Thats where I get my heriloom bean seeds from. Our Co-op gets the anzanazi beans and jacobs cattle beans... YUM... there is NOTHING like fresh grown beans! (yes dried and then cooked... YUM)

companion versus rows - seeding instructions
So my companion plant book has very different instructions for row spacing than my seed packets. Is this just common old-school rules on the seed packets and companion planting has a different approach? Any suggestions? In particular my peas packet says 3 feet between rows, but if I'm companion planting my book says 1-2 feet. And what if I'm throwing in something like borage for ground cover - can I put that inbetween the pea rows? .... I'm not sure I'm very clear with my questions :) but I'd appreciate input. THanks! Happy Garden Time!

Re: quinoa??
AWESOME! Thanks for asking :)

Re: quinoa??
so let me get this straight- regular ol' quinoa from the store, triple washed for eating and all, you can plant and it will grow???? wowee! will any whole grain do this (i'm thinking barley, teff, flax seeds, spelt...)?? what a rich source of bulk seeds!

Re: quinoa??
Here's some info on it from your area. In my area, the blue ridge mtns. of VA, the main problem is that we have a wet autumn, and there is a problem with quinoa sprouting in the head before it's harvested. http://www.saltspringseeds.com/scoop/powerfood.htm

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