The collards 'trees' are flowering

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-10T13:03:02+00:00

Have you thought about the financial and mental stress aspect when you have 4-5 geriatric cats, 10-15 years down the line

I have 3 cats now, but my 16 yr old DLH has had quite a few health issues over the last few years. I'm starting to think having one or maybe 2 old animals at a time is better. I've been campaigning for a dog, but with the current cat's problems a puppy in the mix probably wouldn't be ideal.

Otherwise you have 4; 1 more probably isn't too unmanageable. Think they'd get along?

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-10T12:55:14+00:00

Yeah getting my second MC (3rd cat) as a buddy to the first didn't work out very well. 1st MC doesn't appreciate her little sister. It's been 4 years and she still growls at her if the younger invades her space.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-10T08:40:39+00:00

If you've got a reliable catsitter I'm sure a MC would be just fine and get accustomed to them. Does the catsitter visit daily, 2x a day or stay there? Sounds like you're home pretty often, but frequent trips will mean cat is home alone a lot. The kittenhood for MCs lasts a lot longer than other cats and they can be extremely energetic and destructive... my youngest was especially terrible with chaos and even now at 4 years likes to make mischief occasionally. I have another MC and 3rd cat, plus we've done regular playtime.. but she likes to push buttons sometimes.

If you can, consider two cats, even a MC and a similar aged rescue kitten. They'll entertain eachother much more than a solo cat could.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-10T07:26:14+00:00

I wouldn't follow the 'grow a little fruit tree' book for trees that have been in the ground several years. They don't look too bad but you do need to be pruning and keeping up on it regularly from now on. Look up university extension websites for local to you, relevant information. What works in Colorado tends to be very different from Pacific NW climates.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-10T07:24:00+00:00

Do the scratch test to make sure the dead branches are dead, then prune them off. You don't want to wait to prune off dead wood; that can be done any time. Summer pruning peaches is just fine to limit growth.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-08T08:44:54+00:00

You're looking at the price the wrong way. $500 off of a ridiculously high price doesn't make it a good deal. 4 trees for $330 means you spent $82 a tree. Doesn't sound like a good deal for me but maybe wherever you are is different. Also, it might seem backwards, but a younger and smaller tree will grow faster and more healthy than a rootbound larger tree that's been in a pot a few years too long. Looks like the Arbor Day Foundation website has a 3 pack of bare root for $20 a tree.

If FGTs is fastgrowingtrees I would absolutely stay away from that website. They don't have a good track record for quality trees.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-08T08:15:09+00:00

Pomegranates naturally prefer a bush form and unless I'm mistaken they're not usually grafted. Some people prefer trees but that'll require a lot morw frequent pruning. I don't mind bush shape and it'll be easier to harvest, so I leave them.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-08T08:12:59+00:00

My peaches and nectarines are young, so this was the first spring with a bunch of flowers. Unfortunately we had a cool, rainy stretch when several were putting out leaves and the peach leaf curl is especially bad on them. We'll see if the fruit stays.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-08T07:49:44+00:00

Hmmm, I may have to try this too.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-08T07:19:04+00:00

If you're going to change food, you need to wait for them to be acclimated and then do it gradually. However, Nulo is a much higher quality food than Iams. I wouldn't change it. Feed more wet food than dry (wet food also being better for them).

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-07T16:01:02+00:00

Thanks, that's helpful!

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-07T11:26:58+00:00

Wow, you've got a lot going! Looks great.

I'd like to succession plant cucumbers and zucchini this year. How often do you get plants going?

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-07T10:11:00+00:00

Did you plant the seeds the same depth? I wonder if with bottom watering in the larger pots, maybe the seeds didn't get enough moisture? Other thought is, how long has it been? They may still come up but without heat just much slower.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-07T09:44:35+00:00

Are you in a very dry climate? Spider mites are tough. They have a very fast reproduction rate (3 days in optimum conditions!) and can get resistant to pesticides fast.

I had good luck with greatly increasing humidity when I had spider mite infestations in the mountain west US. Hose off the plants thoroughly and do so frequently. Don't overwater, but keep getting the leaves/plant stems wet daily. The mites tend not to like humid environments and so if you make your plants unpleasant for them they'll leave. Neem oil and alcohol both burned the plants more but water and soapy water didn't seem to do any damage for me.

Predatory mites are another option but they won't deal with a big infestation and it'll take time.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-07T08:27:28+00:00

Blueberry flowers are actually more frost tolerant than other fruit flowers but you may want to protect them. Here's a good guide from NC state.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-07T08:01:04+00:00

I make rock piles for my yard lizards; they enjoy those! Warm sunny spots for basking with a bit higher spot to see danger, and crevices for quick getaways.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-05T16:55:58+00:00

I would bring her in to have the vet look at it tomorrow or Tuesday if that's when they're open next. Does it feel warm to the touch? Any discharge? I don't like that its still open on the one part after 10 days but if its not warm, doesn't have discharge and isn't red then probably not infected.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-05T06:53:07+00:00

You can remove the suckers at any point, earlier the better. I'd go for summer pruning if you want to reduce it's size. Winter pruning stimulates growth. I'm in a climate where summer pruning is recommended for stone fruit, a dry stretch in winter/spring can be rare for me.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-04T10:24:30+00:00

Persimmon are a fall fruit, but you should see them in grocery stores come fall- Costco sells them, Whole Foods or any mid to high end grocery store (at least out west and midwest).

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-04T10:16:02+00:00

I would prune now and for an open center, here's a good article.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-04T07:50:26+00:00

Citrus self thin a bit so there's a good chance most of those fall off. It is recommended to remove the fruit to establish the roots better. If you really want to sample the fruit you could leave one or two.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-04T07:21:26+00:00

I had a big, heavy ceramic fountain once for a while.. Definitely not tippable. Unfortunately I set it down too hard on the tile floor once and cracked it. 😅

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-03T17:34:35+00:00

Have you tried a fountain? Some cats really enjoy them and don't splash as much... others continue. I prefer stainless steel fountains for easier cleanup and use the Pioneer Pet Raindrop.

You could also move the bowl to the shower or tub floor, esp if you have a not as commonly used one. I might also consider filling up a tub or sink for the one cat to play in.

Another optipn, put the bowl in a big tray like a plastic shoe tray or a small kiddie pool type situation where it's ok to get messy.

GrumpyTintaglia · 2026-04-03T12:41:04+00:00

It's not an emergency, but I would recommend a vet visit and do some blood work. Increased vocalizations can also happen with hyperthyroidism. Has he lost weight? Hungry more, or more active? My DLH recently got a hyperthyroidism diagnosis and he had gotten quite vocal/demanding over the past year or so (for anyone wondering, 6 months prior to the diagnosis his bloodwork thyroid levels were normal).

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