Turtleman, the trouble is, I have no idea what kind of nectarine or rootstock, since the previous owner of the property didn't know. It appears to be a dwarf variety, about 10 feet tall. The fruit had a lot of red coloration in the flesh, especially close to the pit. I was watering it twice a week during the hottest part of the summer, moving back to once a week now. I pruned it very lightly last season; it has a good, open vase shape. I believe I need to prune it more heavily this winter, as well as picking off more fruit when it first sets, there were too many per branch. So what do you think? Thanks!

Humic acid is a principal component of humic substances, which are the major organic constituents of soil (humus), peat, coal, many upland streams, dystrophic lakes, and ocean water. It is produced by biodegradation of dead organic matter. It is not a single acid; rather, it is a complex mixture of many different acids containing carboxyl and phenolate groups so that the mixture behaves functionally as a dibasic acid or, occasionally, as a tribasic acid. Humic acids can form complexes with ions that are commonly found in the environment creating humic colloids. Humic and fulvic acids (fulvic acids are humic acids of lower molecular weight and higher oxygen content than other humic acids)are commonly used as a soil supplement in agriculture, and less commonly as a human nutritional supplement. As a nutrition supplement, free form (unreacted) Fulvic acid is found in a liquid form along with mineral colloids。 Fulvic acids are poly-electrolytes and are unique colloids that diffuse easily through membranes whereas all other colloids do not. Fulvic acid supplements consisting of a neutral pH are very weak fulvic compounds and do not deliver the benefits of free form fulvic acid (fulvic acid that remains unreacted with other substances or unboundto minerals) that exhibits a much higher concentration and lower pH[citation needed]. Fulvic acid branded as “ionic” is not free form fulvic acid, more accurately they are fulvic compounds or fulvate salts. According to the International Humic Substances Society all fulvic acids are colloids. Formation and description Humic substances are formed by the microbial degradation of dead plant matter, such as lignin. They are very resistant to further biodegradation. The precise properties and structure of a given sample depend on the water or soil source and the specific conditions of extraction. Nevertheless, the average properties of humic substances from different sources are remarkably similar. Humic substances in soils and sediments can be divided into three main fractions: humic acids, fulvic acids, and humin. The humic and fulvic acids are extracted as a colloidal sol from soil and other solid phase sources into a strongly basic aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. Humic acids are precipitated from this solution by adjusting the pH to 1 with hydrochloric acid, leaving the fulvic acids in solution. This is the operational distinction between humic and fulvic acids. Humin is insoluble in dilute alkali. The alcohol-soluble portion of the humic fraction is, in general, named ulmic acid. Gray humic acids (GHA) are soluble in low-ionic-strength alkaline media; brown humic acids (BHA) are soluble in alkaline conditions independent of ionic strength; and fulvic acids (FA) are soluble independent of pH and I. Chromatography and liquid-liquid extraction can be used to separate the components that make up a humic substance. Substances identified include mono-, di-, and tri-hydroxy acids, fatty acids, dicarboxylic acids, linear alcohols, phenolic acids, and terpenoids. Chemical characteristics of humic substances Example of a typical humic acid, having a variety of components including quinone, phenol, catechol and sugar moieties A typical humic substance is a mixture of many molecules, some of which are based on a motif of aromatic nuclei with phenolic and carboxylic substituents, linked together; the illustration shows a typical structure. The functional groups that contribute most to surface charge and reactivity of humic substances are phenolic and carboxylic groups. Humic acids behave as mixtures of dibasic acids, with a pK1 value around 4 for protonation of carboxyl groups and around 8 for protonation of phenolate groups. There is considerable overall similarities among individual humic acids.[4] For this reason, measured pK values for a given sample are average values relating to the constituent species. The other important characteristic is charge density. The molecules may form a supramolecular structure held together by non-covalent forces, such as Van der Waals force, π-π, and CH-π bonds. The presence of carboxylate and phenolate groups gives the humic acids the ability to form complexes with ions such as Mg2+, Ca2+, Fe2+ and Fe3+. Many humic acids have two or more of these groups arranged so as to enable the formation of chelate complexes.[6] The formation of (chelate) complexes is an important aspect of the biological role of humic acids in regulating bioavailability of metal ions. Here is a link that might be useful: Saint Humic Acid

Man did I ever start something with the Indonesian Peanut Butter Chicken. :) Too funny! Here is my recipe in case anyone wants to try it: INDONESIAN CHICKEN SATE WITH PEANUT SAUCE 2 whole chicken breasts (I usually triple the recipe) 1 clove garlic, crushed 1/2 tsp curry powder 1/2 tsp cumin powder 1/2 tsp chili powder 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsps soy sauce 4 tbsp chicken bouillon broth Mix everything but the chicken breasts in a bowl. Use this as a marinade over the chicken. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade (reservind the marinade). Bake in oven 350F (I use clay pieces to cook my chicken on - really good results). If on clay, no need to turn. PEANUT SAUCE (If you triple the recipe for the chicken/marinade, then triple the peanut sauce. 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 shallots (I don't use this) 1 tbsp brown sugar 1/3 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter 2/3 cup water 3 tbsp whipping cream (I use 2% milk) Pour the reserved marinade in a pan, add the peanut sauce ingredients and thicken. Serve marinade over chicken and rice. I like to saute some nuts. It's good to put sauted peppers on top. It's delicious. Tell me if you try it. ---------------------------- Jess, that was a good website. Carol

Fily: A question regarding to what you wrote: "I am thinking of mulching twice a year with my homemade compost and oak leaves underneath the weed barrier/lava rocks." I hope weed-barrier doesn't mean landscape fabric. Such weed-barrier blocks out rain water and hurt roses (higher demand for water than other plants). My best result is a few pieces (no more than 4) of red-lava-rock FIRST, then pile up acidic leaves & organics on top. When the leaves decay it releases acid (along with acidic rain) to break down the red-lava-rock (pH 8.2). Plants like neutral pH best. Rain is acidic at pH 5.6, same with decaying alfalfa (pH 5.8), pine bark is too acidic at pH 4, and drops even lower if soaked in rain .. so the red-lava-rocks under a layer of acidity helps to buffer and make it "neutral & safe & plus slow-released nutrients" to roots below. Here's a pic. of my experiment, taken this morning July 10. CAUTION ON GYPSUM: works great for my alkaline clay with pH near 8 ... alkaline clay buffers the acidity of gypsum well, but gypsum was harmful to Jess' acidic-red-clay, and it will be harmful to sandy soil plus acidic rain. Sandy soil doesn't have "buffer, or neutralizing" ability against acid like my alkaline clay. Dolomitic lime raises the pH too fast for Austin roses (prefer slightly acidic). The safest would be red-lava (pH 8.2) for potassium, and pea-gravel which raises the pH much slower, plus supply calcium/magnesium lacking in sandy soil. If tiny pea-gravel is not available, Azomite dust is 2nd best at VERY SMALL amount .. it's sold cheap on Amazon $10 for 5 lbs (supply potassium, calcium, plus a bit of salt). Sandy soil leaches out salt easily, so the 0.1% salt in Azomite is no problems. Re-post today's info. (July 10) in my "experiments in fungal disease" thread: Above is end of experiment, after 24 hours of soaking in ACIDIC RAIN WATER at pH 5.6, plus additives: Vase 1 has pea-gravel, leaves are firm & perky after 24-hours in acidic rain-water. Both blooms are perky. Pea-gravel is slow-released, so it neutralizes the pH slowly, yet supply needed minerals (calcium & copper) to keep leaves firm. Zinc, copper, and calcium are anti-fungal agents. Vase 2 has dolomitic lime (pH near 9) .. that dissolved too fast and made the solution too alkaline. Pink Peace (French Meilland) rose likes alkalinity, bloom looks good & more petals thanks to slower opening. But Mary Magdalene, an Austin rose, can't handle such alkalinity and wilted immediately. Vase 3 has gypsum (acidic with 17% sulfur) ... that dissolved immediately and brought the solution from pH 5.6 (rain-water) to very acidic below pH 5, which resulted in WILTING of Pink Peace, but Austin rose Mary Mag don't mind, bloom still perky. But leaves of both become limp & wilt in this acidic solution. I will keep them soaking until day 3 & day 4. Normally Pink Peace break out in blackspot if soaked in rain-water for more than one day. All leaves are clean, but I don't like how limp & wilted leaves are in the too-alkaline and too-acidic solution. Vase 2 has dolomitic lime, but calcium is NOT available due to tied-up with magnesium at high pH. Vase 3 has readily available calcium (gypsum), but the 17%sulfur component of gypsum is too acidic. Below is pic. of pea-gravel: