"A 5:1:1 mix may drain too quickly in hot/dry areas." Has this not been a problem in areas that are hot and humid? Is there an adjustment to the formula that would make it stay wet for longer? I haven't seen any actual instructions for making the mix - does the bark need to be moistened beforehand? How would one do that? I also saw someone make a reference to letting the mix sit around for about 2 weeks if using uncomposted bark fines - is this to allow it to start decomposing? "Perlite BB-size to about aspirin or a little larger is good." So this is not the normal perlite that I find at Lowe's or HD. Will the smaller perlite not work in the 511 mix? Are any of the perlite alternatives - Turface, pumice, etc. - actually commonly available at stores? I have a bunch of store-bought potting mix that I need to use up, so I was going to use it in the 511 instead of peat. The potting mix's ingredients are listed as: 55% - 65% aged composted pine bark, followed by spaghnum peat. The mix feels to the touch more or less like normal potting soil, with just a few larger chunks mixed in. Should I assume that this mix will have the same drainage characteristics as pure spaghnum peat, or else how could I adjust the formula? What is the typical pH of pine bark and of peat? I'm assuming that my potting mix is pH neutral, so if I'm using that instead of peat, but still using 5/7 pine bark fines, would I need to add the same amount of lime? At the landscape supply store where I found a great deal on bark fines, I asked if they had dolomite lime, and the guy gave me a bag of "horticultural hydrated lime," which I assumed was the same thing. Now I see that it apparently is not. Can I still use the stuff I got, or should I return it? I have some organic fertilizer that has N-P-K of 3-4-4. It also has 5% calcium and 1% magnesium. If I'm using this, will that be sufficient Ca and Mg that I don't need to further supplement? I also got some bat guano and some powdered seaweed, so I can add more of one macronutrient to the balanced fertilizer. Many thanks to Al, Lathyrus, and everyone else who has contributed on this forum. I also like the idea of making this an FAQ - it would make it much easier to use as a reference. And why does this site have such archaic software? Especially considering that there is excellent modern BB software that's 100% free. It would certainly make the forums a lot easier to use.

I am Sam Sam I am That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am! Do you like green eggs and ham? I do not like them, Sam-I-am. I do not like green eggs and ham. Would you like them here or there? I would not like them here or there. I would not like them anywhere. I do not like green eggs and ham . I do not like them, Sam-I-am. Would you like them in a house? Would you like them with a mouse? I do not like them in a house. I do not like them with a mouse. I do not like them here or there. I do not like them anywhere. I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-am. Would you eat them in a box? Would you eat them with a fox? Not in a box. Not with a fox. Not in a house. Not with a mouse. I would not eat them here or there. I would not eat them anywhere. I would not eat green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Cameron, that is just beautiful! Thanks for sharing. I also like that garden look - the graveled paths with evergreens and short hedges. Tres Monet! The gravel holding moisture makes very good sense. I am sure that is one reason why the gardeners of old used gravel in their gardens. Many of the woody-type Herbs, like sage, lavender, rosemary, and etc., love pea gravel as mulch. They like moisture, but good drainage. Growing up in Southern California, gravel and accent rocks were used a lot in the family gardens. Besides the woody herbs, Aloes, Agave and Succulents of all types grew splendidly in it. It is very dry there in the summer. After May, it seldom rains until late August. The native soil there has a lot of volcanic ash and pulverized granite in it, so it dries to a powder in the hot summer months. I remember watching it 'poof" up as I walked barefooted in it. My little feet would be covered in a grayish or yellowish dust all summer. (LOL) I graveled the spaces between my pavers by the patio and everything grows best in that gravel. All the flowers drop their seeds and they grow readily and best in the gravel paths. I have to dig them up and move them off into the flowerbeds. It does seem to hold the moisture really well. I bought some of that cloth to lay down in my path from the patio up to the arch by the greenhouse. I thought I would set the pavers on top of that and then fill in between with chipped wood mulch for now. I eventually plan to cover that with pea gravel. I like the way it looks. It prevents erosion too. I am setting bricks along either side of the path. It looks so good already. Can't wait to get it all finished. The bricks are from the property of an old house that we are in the process of tearing down. (awful work in this heat). There are literally tons of bricks set in paths on the property, so I am digging them up and hauling them here to use for paving and edging my flowerbeds. I want to eventually gravel all the paths between paver-stepping stones. I am slowly adding boxwood and other evergreen edging plants. I like the neat and tidy look and it's so nice to look out and see green in the winter. One new plant I bought last year that I really like is the Bluebeard, Blue Mist Spirea (Caryopteris × clandonensis (Blue beard, Blue-spirea, Blue-mist shrub) . It freezes to the ground in winter (here) but comes back up in spring and grows really well and fast. The plant has silvery foliage and I just adore the beautiful fluffy blue flowers it produces in late summer. Looks more like an herbaceous flower rather than a shrub. It reseeds itself, and that is good as it needs to be replaced about three to five years. That is a real plus for me. It gives me more plants! They are easy to pull if you don't want them. So far, I haven't gotten to the point. ;) Bluebeard is a VERY drought tolerant plant. They are deer-proof and the flowers attract bees and butterflies. Me like! Cameron, I LOVE your seat and container plants on the side there. That is so charming! Are those small trees Crepe Myrtles? I have one Blue Spire Juniper and it has done really well in our drought. Of course I do water it, but only once a week. It has grown a good 2 ft since planting last September. I planted some Native Carolina Sedge grass by it and it is doing really well too. They mutually benefit one another. The chickens don't eat the Sedge grass and the voles seem to leave it alone too. (fingers & toes crossed so far) I am going to transplant some of the native Prairie grasses growing up in our meadow, down into my garden. Their roots grow way down and can take any kind of weather Oklahoma gets plagued with. The Little Blue Stem and Love Grass in particular are on my list of favorite grasses, but there are others too. They will go out in the North Garden where I am planting junipers and other drought tolerant evergreens that don't require much if any watering. I planted a silvery blue juniper (forget the name just now) that is a bit shorter and has a more slender spire than the Blue Spire, but has the same columnar growth. The Loblolly and Virginia pines are both doing well, and the newly planted Taylor Juniper. Gravel and pavers out there would be awesome! It's a matter of cost for me. I can only do a little at a time. Anyway, love what you have done, as I love all your beautiful garden areas and home. Thanks for all the suggestions. I have most of those same plants...hmmmm. It has caused me to rethink on it. Noted! ~Annie Here is a link that might be useful: Blue Mist Spirea

I do agree about salmon. I make it all the time. A whole salmon whenever i can but more for a family gathering of 10-15 or close friends, 10-20. Special occasion when i get my hands on a wild caught fresh. But then again, if i did this for DH, i would do a seafood theme like a big lobster, king crab bake/boil. Lots of oyster shucking, some on the grill. All outside, newspaper covered table, Salmon and charcuterie inside with fresh veg chips and more snack things....end of June b-day appropriate. Pretty, That is in Ontario. Citarella in NYC does similar for catered parties. Love when i see it. Had it a couple times this past year. Back to veggies... Fresh veg is nice as 'chips'. Us veggie lovers love veg instead of tortilla chips. On a mandolin it is a just a few minutes to zip through a dozen veggies. Best if your market sells singles so you can just but one or two of each and select the big ones. On the left is a quick pickle. Then some i made earlier for dinner....a bed of thin veg under a cod fillet. Same idea that i serve with my hummus. (not the steamed, the fresh) But, you need mandolin skills. It is a super tool and so quick. Should be in every kitchen. It also makes very thin veggie sticks for spring rolls. The new model Benriner is my favorite. A glove is a must. The older Paderno is the best spiralizer i think. I like that it folds up but you cannot make chips on it. I can do so much more on the mandolin. Spiralizer is fun for some noodle meals.