July is usually a good month for gardeners, with home-grown tomatoes, sweet corn, peaches and summer apples for main course items. Watering can be a major effort in continuing the garden and the following items should also be considered:

Enjoy home grown sweet corn. In general, the shorter the time interval from field to table, the better the flavor. Early season varieties are good, but not as good as the mid-season varieties yet to come. Some of the new sweet gene corns are excellent. Home gardeners have time to make another planting or two for fall harvest some 70 days later. Local growers have corn for sale if yours fails to develop.

Side dress long season vegetable crops such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers with nitrogen (34-0-0 or other formulations) at the rate of one pound per 100 feet of row. Keep the fertilizer off the foliage. Irrigate or cultivate immediately following the treatment.

Cabbage is maturing and it will store in the garden for a week or two. Heat splitting can be reduced by using a spade to cut roots on two sides of the plant. This reduces water uptake from rain or irrigation.

Cabbage worms are most effectively controlled by using Bacillus thuringiensis, a non- toxic bacterial spray sold as Dipel and Thuricide. Use according to directions on the package.

Tomatoes may show early blight and blossom-end rot. Early blight is when the lower leaves show spotting, turn yellow and drop off. Spray or dust with tomato fungicides. Blossom-end rot infections appear on the bottom of the fruit when ripening. Mulching and watering is the best control.

Keep trees, plants and gardens watered as needed. Apply enough water to soak into the root zone rather than very light waterings. Remember, an inch of water normally moistens six inches of soil and it takes 0.6 gallons of water per square foot to equal an inch of rain.

Cucumber vine wilt this year is generally from bacterial wilt. This disease is carried in the bodies of cucumber beetles and the plants are inoculated when the beetles feed on the cucumber plants. Kill the beetles before they feed by application of carbaryl on a five day interval and the wilt will be prevented.

Make another planting of cucumbers, summer squash and snap beans early in the month. Seed the fall garden crops of beans, broccoli, cabbage, spinach and turnips late in the month.

Harvest onions when growth has stopped and tops have fallen over. Begin the curing process by undercutting the bulbs and leaving them lay for 24-48 hours. Then tie in bundles of 10-15 onions and cure by hanging in a dry sheltered area.

Source: David Robson, Horticulture, University of Illlinois

Edible flowers have entered into a new age of popularity. Pansies, daylilies and squash blossoms now appear nightly at popular restaurants around the country. Basil florets, chive blossoms and coriander umbels adorn herbal luncheon plates. Colorful assorted petals now garnish salads of trendy mixed greens. The general population is being conditioned to accept the idea that flowers are edible. In general, this trend is a healthy one for specialty producers of herbs and flowers, but this emerging awareness holds a hint of danger. While many flowers and plants are tasty, nutritious and even therapeutic, there are, among the flora of the world, plants that are not good to be eaten and others which may actually be deadly. It then becomes crucial that responsible herbalists and restauranteurs stress the importance of proper identification of edible flowers and strict avoidance of the unknown, no matter how succulent, beautiful or beguiling.

Common names can sometimes contribute to the confusion, since the same name may apply to a tasty edible and a deadly poisonous plant. Botanical nomenclature is one tool to help avoid mistakes within the industry, but many citizens in the general population are resistant, if not openly hostile, toward Latin binomials. The next best procedure is to stress the need to know exactly which plants are safe and edible and to avoid anything with unknown properties. There is both a need and a responsibility within the herb industry to provide enough education to the public so that they can recognize and bypass dangerous plants.

A second note of caution involves taking care not to eat or recommend routine consumption of commercial flowers, due to possible pesticide and fertilizer issues. Bedding plants may be routinely sprayed to keep pests at bay in the greenhouse during their production. Many are also fertilized with overhead watering that may leave fertilizer residue on the leaves, buds, and flowers. Most cut flowers today are grown in countries around the world that may be subject to less stringent pesticide regulations than the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands and other developed nations. Even locally grown flowers may have residues on them that it might be best to avoid. Using only flowers grown specifically for edible usage, by those you trust or those which have been growing under your care for an extended period is the best policy.

Following is a list of some flowering plants that should be avoided when sampling edible flowers. Some of these are well known for their dangerous nature, while others may come as comparative surprises. It is by no means a complete list, as there are thousands of plant species whose consumption may have negative consequences. Just a caution is the rule when eating wild mushrooms, remember to consume only those flowers and plant where there is a high level of certainty as to their safety. Never ever sample a small amount of a flower or plant "just to see."

Like so many other activities, eating flowers can be a wonderful experience if done intelligently and responsibly using adequate information.

1. Colchicum autumnale Autumn Crocus, Meadow Saffron (not Crocus savtivus, true Saffron)

Toxicity: The alkaloid colchicine is concentrated in the flowers and bulbs. Can cause death. A popular mystery novel poison.

2. Convallaria majalis Lily-of-the-valley

Toxicity: All parts contain cardiac glycosides covallarin,convallamarin and convallatoxin. Can cause death.

3. Gloriosa superba Glory Lily

Toxicity: All plant parts contain colchicine and superbine; flowers also contain lumicolchicine. Can cause death.

4. Ornithogalum umbellatum Star-of-Bethlehem

Toxicity: The bulbs contain convallatoxin and convalliside; whether or not the flowers are toxic is not known. Can cause gastrointestinal upset with nausea.

5. Amaryllis species Amaryllis

Toxicity: bulbs and seeds contain alkaloids such as haemanthamine, hippeastrine, lycorine, tazzetine, amaryllidine and others. May cause gastroenteritis, vomiting, diarrhea and shivering.

6. Narcissus species Jonquil, Daffodil

Toxicity: Bulbs contain alkaloids such as galanthamine, haemanthamine, lycorine and others as well as calcium oxalate crystals. Flowers - unknown content. May cause death in large quantities; petals and sap may cause contact dermatitis.

7. Humulus lupulus Hops

Toxicity: Contains variety of volatile oils such as humulene, myrcene, caryophyllene and farnesene. May cause allergic contact dermatitis with eruptions after contact with leaves, flowers or pollen.

8. Fagopyrum sagittatum Buckwheat

Toxicity: A napthrodianthrone derivative known as fagopyrin causes photosensitization in animals. May cause hay fever and skin irritation in humans.

9. Mirabilis jalapa Four O'Clock

Toxicity: roots and seeds contain unspecified toxins. May cause nausea, stomach pains, gastroenteritis, vomiting and diarrhea, especially in children; handling roots and seeds may also cause dermatitis.

10. Agrostemma githago Corn Cockle

Toxicity: seeds contain the saponin githagin and the sapogenin githagenin. May cause severe gastroenteritis, nausea, abdominal pain, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea and slow, labored breathing.

11. Saponaria officinalis Bouncing Bet, Soapwort

Toxicity: The seeds contain githagenin; also saponins saporubin and saporubinic acid in the roots. May cause gastroenteric irritation, chiefly of the intestinal mucosa; also the destruction of red blood cells.

12. Aconitum species Wolfsbane, Monkshood

Toxicity: All plant parts contain the alkaloid aconitine. Causes a variety of severe symptoms which may culminate in respiratory paralysis, coma and death.

13. Anemone species Windflower

Toxicity: Contains innocuous glycoside ranunculin that breaks down to form the irritant aglycone protoanemonin. May cause irritation of mucous membranes, burning of the throat, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, dizziness, fainting and convulsions. Symptoms also apply to Actae, Caltha, Clematis and Ranunculus.

14. Clematis species Leather Flower, Virgin's Bower

Toxicity: Same as above for Anemone.

15. Delphinium species Larkspur, Delphinium

Toxicity: Contains alkaloids delphinine, delphinboidine, ajacine, delphisine and others. May cause burning in the mouth, tingling skin, nausea, stomach upset, abdominal upset and other symptoms which may lead to death.

16. Helleborus niger Christmas Rose

Toxicity: Roots and leaves contain the cardiac glycoside hellebrin and others. May cause slow, irregular pulse, labored breathing, convulsions, respiratory failure and sometimes death.

17. Ranunculus species Buttercup, Crowfoot

Toxicity: Same as Anemonne, also pollen may cause respiratory irritation.

18. Dicentra species Bleeding Heart, Dutchman's Breeches

Toxicity: Isoquinoline alkaloids such as protopine and others occur in all parts. May cause labored breathing, trembling, incoordination, convulsions; large amounts may be fatal.

19. Hydrangea species Hydrangea

Toxicity: Leaves, branches and buds contain hydrangin, a cyanogenic glycoside and possibly other toxins. May cause gastroenteric distress, labored breathing, coma convulsions and fibrillary twitching.

20. Laburnum anagyroides Golden Chain Tree

Toxicity: The quinolizidine alkaloid cytisine occurs in all parts, especially the seeds and bark. May cause burning of the mouth, thirst, irregular pulse, coma, circulatory collapse, respiratory failure and death.

21. Lathyrus species Sweet Pea, Chick Pea

Toxicity: The seeds, in particular, contain a water soluble aliphatic amino acid glycoside with a nitrile group and other toxins. May cause partial or total paralysis of legs and/or arms when consumed in large amounts. Additional symptoms are transitory, paralysis is permanent.

22. Lupinus species Lupine

Toxicity: Seeds contain quinolizidine alkaloids such as lupinine and anagyrine, as well as others. May cause respiratory depression and slowing of the heart.

23. Wisteria species Wisteria

Toxicity: Seeds, pods and bark contain the glycoside wisterin and a toxic resin. May cause gastroenteric irritation, chiefly of the gastric mucosa, nausea, repeated vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration. Recovery is usually within 24 hours.

24. Linum ustatissimum Flax

Toxicity: All parts of the young plant contain cyanoganic glycoside linamarin and its homolog lotaustralin. May cause difficult breathing, paralysis, convulsions and death.

25. Ruta graveolens Rue

Toxicity: All plant parts contain furocoumarins and rutin. The leaves may cause skin dermatitis, subsequent photodermatitis; internally, large amounts of rue oil cause stomach pain, vomiting, exhaustion, confusion, convulsions and death.

26. Euphorbia species Spurge

Toxicity: The irritant sap contains various principles, which irritate the eyes, mouth and gastrointestinal tract; dermatitis in sensitive individuals. E. marginata (Snow-on-the-Mountain) has caused fatality. E. pulcherrima (poinsettia) normally does nothing but cause minor skin irritation on contact. Other Euphorbias vary in severity of sap toxicity.

27. Ricinus communis Castor bean

Toxicity: All parts, particularly the seeds, contain ricin, a phytotoxin, ricinine, an alkaloid, hydrogen cyanide and other unknown toxins. Produces a variety of terrible symptoms leading to tachycardia, convulsions, liver and kidney damage and death. Volatile emanations when in bloom may cause allergic respiratory irritation, as can handling the leaves.

28. Aesculus species Buckeye, Horse Chestnut

Toxicity: Aesculin, a hydroxy derivative of coumarin, has been found in the leaves, bark, young twigs and seeds of several species. May cause mucous membrane inflammation, nausea, headache, salivation, thirst, stupor, incoordination, convulsions, circulatory and respiratory failure and death.

29. Eucalyptus species Eucalyptus

Toxicity: The leaves of all species contain oil of eucalyptus and cyanogenic glycosides that release hydrogen cyanide (HCN). May cause gastroenteritis, labored breathing, stupor, paralysis, convulsions and death.

30. Cicuta maculata Water Hemlock, Spotted Cowbane

Toxicity: The most violently toxic plant of the north temperate zone. Cicutoxin is an unsaturated alcohol that acts on the central nervous system in about 1/2 hour. Long list of symptoms from nausea and salivation to fever, delirium, convulsions, complete paralysis, respiratory and/or circulatory failure and death.

31. Conium maculatum Poison Hemlock

Toxicity: Contains piperidine alkaloids coniine and coniceine and other toxins. Causes nervousness, gastroenteric distress, confusion, pupil dilation, weak pulse, convulsions, coma, coldness of extremities, respiratory failure and death. The hemlock tree, Tsuga species, is an unrelated plant which is not poisonous at all.

32. Daucus carota Wild Carrot, Queen Anne's Lace

Toxicity: The leaves contain furocoumarins that may cause allergic contact dermatitis from the leaves, especially when wet. Later exposure to the sun may cause mild photodermatitis. Carrot seed is also an early abortifacient, historically, sometimes used as a natural "morning after" tea.

33. Pastinaca sativa Wild Parsnip

Toxicity: All parts contain furocoumarins that may cause severe photodermatitis with swelling and blisters in about 48 hours. Purple pigmentation of affected skin may persist for some time.

34. Kalmia latifolia Mountain Laurel

Toxicity: Contains andromedotoxin in all plant parts. Mouth, nose and eyes water soon after ingestion. Gastrointestinal distress, seating, low blood pressure, slow pulse, drowsiness, convulsions and increasing limb paralysis until death follow. Delaware Indians used this plant for suicide.

35. Rhododendron species Rhododendron, Azalea

Toxicity: Grayanotoxin I and III, especially in the leaves; also andromedotoxin. Symptoms very similar to Kalmia poisoning.

36. Catharanthus roseus (Vinca rosea) Madagascar Periwinkle

Toxicity: The indole alkaloids vinblastine, vincristine and others. Smoking the dried leaves may cause incoordination, prickling of the skin and hallucinations; excessive or extended use may result in kidney and nervous system problems.

37. Nerium oleander Oleander

Toxicity: All parts, especially the twigs, green or dry, leaves and flowers contain the cardiac glycosides neriin and oleandrin. After a few hours, dizziness, sleepiness, slow, irregular heartbeat, pupil dilation occur; followed by unconsciousness, convulsions, respiratory paralysis and death. Drinking water from a vase that contained the flowers has caused poisoning.

38. Asclepias species Milkweed

Toxicity: Contains several cardiac glycosides, which may cause vomiting, stupor and weakness; the sap may also cause dermatitis. The root of A. tuberosa, Butterfly Weed, is used medicinally, but overdoses are toxic.

39. Ipomoea tricolor Morning Glory

Toxicity: Lysergic acid amide, isoergine, elymoclavine and other principles. The seeds cause hallucinations if taken in large quantities. Side effects may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, numbness of extremities and muscle tightness.

40. Lantana camara Lantana

Toxicity: The fruit contains lantanine, a hepatogenic photosensitizer in animals. It is most toxic when green. In humans, withing 2-5 hours, lethargy, gastrointestinal upset with vomiting and diarrhea, dilated pupils, labored respiration, circulatory collapse and death may follow. Leaves may cause dermatitis.

41. Atropa balladonna Deadly Nightshade

Toxicity: Berries, leaves and roots contain tropane alkaloids and other toxins including apoatropine, balladonnine and cuscohygrine. May cause fever, hot, dry, flushed skin, thirst, difficulty in swallowing, burning of the throat, pupil dilation, hallucinations, confusion, convulsions, coma with subnormal temperature, respiratory failure and death.

42. Datura sramonium Jimsonweed

Toxicity: All parts, including pollen, contain the tropane alkaloid hyocyamine, atropine and scopolamine in high concentrations. Symptoms similar to A. belladonna, but slightly less deadly.

43. Solanum species Nightshade

Toxicity: The solanidan alkaloids solanine and demissine, with solanine especially concentrated in the immature fruits. May cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and constipation or diarrhea. If hydrolysed by being bruised or eaten, it can cause apathy, drowsiness, salivation, paralysis, circulatory and respiratory depression, unconsciousness and death. S. pseudocapsicum, Jerusalem Cherry, sold as a potted plant for its lush foliage and bright red berries, can cause human poisoning. (Some assume these plants to be peppers, Capsicum species, but such is not the case. Potatoes, S. tuberosum, that have spoiled or turned green after exposure to the sun and the sprouts on tubers can cause severe poisoning, even death, if consumed in fairly large quantities.

44. Digitalis purpurea Foxglove

Toxicity: Leaves, seeds and flowers contain a wide variety of cardiac glycosides. Drying does not diminish the potency of the toxins. Symptoms may include various gastrointestinal problems, drowsiness, irregular heartbeat and pulse, tremors, convulsions and death. Trace amounts are used as heart medication, larger amounts are often fatal.

45. Lonicera japonica Japanese Honeysuckle

Toxicity: Known chemical components include saponin, tannin, HCN; flowers contain inositol. Soon after ingestion, severe nemesis, colic, diarrhea, pupil dilation, cold sweat, accelerated heartbeat, twitching of the limbs may be followed by convulsions, respiratory failure, coma and death.

46. Lobelia species Cardinal Flower, Indian Tobacco

Toxicity: All parts contain the alkaloids lobelanine and lobeline. May cause vomiting, weakness, tremors, sweating, rapid and weak pulse, depressed temperature, stupor, collapse, convulsions, coma, paralysis and death.

47. Ageratina altisssima (Eupatorium rugosum) White Snakeroot

Toxicity: All parts contain trematol, a complex, unstable alcohol in combination with a resin and glycosides. After a day or so of weakness, tremors, nausea, delirium, constipation, acetone odor on the breath, collapse, coma and death. In colonial times, this plant caused an illness known as "milk sickness," brought on from drinking milk from cows who had eaten this plant. This was reported as the cause of the death of Abraham Lincoln's mother.

48. Daphne mezreum Daphne

Toxicity: All parts contain mezerein, a daphnane ester. Symptoms include internal irritation with swelling of the lips and tongue, thirst, salivation, difficulty in swallowing, gastrointestinal distress, bloody diarrhea and weakness. Severe cases may show delirium, collapse, convulsions, coma and death.

49. Anthurium andraenum Anthurium

Toxicity: The leaves and stems contain insoluble calcium oxalate needles, as well as various protein toxins. Ingestion may cause a burning sensation of the mouth, throat, lips and tongue. Various types of skin rashes may also develop.

50. Helotropium arborescens Heliotrope

Toxicity: The plant contains varying amounts of pyrrolozidine alkaloids in all parts. Effects are not immediately evident. The primary toxic effects are produced on the liver. Since the alkaloids are generally excreted in 24 hours, diagnosing this plant as the cause of the illness is difficult. Other possible symptoms include damage to blood vessels and the lungs as well as headache, abdominal swelling and kidney damage.

Source: Charles E. Voigt, Vegetable Crops, University of Illinois

There is no more delightful decoration for a garden than nature's own butterflies. On a warm sunny day these visitors provide color and motion that doubles the pleasure of gardening. How fortunate for the gardener that it takes very little effort to make the yard attractive to butterflies!

Butterflies will visit and possibly stay to lay eggs, wherever there is a variety of plants for food and shelter, some moisture and an absence of pesticides. While there are typically more species in warm climates than in cooler ones, there are butterflies almost everywhere in the country. Their appearance in your backyard ultimately depends on whether their favorite plants are growing there - certain ones to support their larvae, many others to support adult butterflies.

Larvae (Caterpillar) Host Plants

The typical garden is not likely to incidentally have plants that host the larvae of most butterflies. The caterpillars of each species are usually pretty picky, favoring the foliage of specific plant or plant groups at this stage of their lives. Larval host plants are often unattractive, weedy and wild, generally unfit for cultivated gardens. Yet, adult female butterflies choose these particular (Monarch moms must have milkweed!) host plants to lay their eggs on. This assures that newly hatched caterpillars have appropriate food immediately at hand.

All-time Butterfly Flower Favorites

Aster Joe-Pye weed Black-eyed Susan

Lantana Butterfly bush Liatris

Butterfly weed Pentas Coreopsis Purple Coneflower

Typically, young caterpillars begin voracious feeding immediately after hatching, virtually skeletonizing host plant foliage. Watch a parsleyworm, (a swallowtail caterpillar) devour the foliage of Queen Anne's Lace, carrots or parsley! Butterfly larvae grow as they eat, shedding their skins 4 to 6 times before achieving maximum size for pupating. Only then do they desist, becoming immobile in a hard chrysalis suspended from a leaf or stem of the larval host plant until emerging as an adult butterfly.

Butterfly Host Plants

Fortunately, adult butterflies have more cosmopolitan palates. The flower nectar they need for energy is available in lots of different flowering plants. They will visit your yard in search of those that are most easily accessed by their long, coiled tongues or proboscis, which enables them to reach deeply into the center of flowers where the glands that produce the sweet nectar are located. They are particularly attracted to hot-colored, fragrant flowers. They get further nutrition from moisture from puddle and raindrops, rotting carrion and other liquids - even human perspiration if you stand very still - that provide traces of minerals and nutrients not in nectar.

Butterfly Garden Design

The butterfly gardener's challenge is to provide diversity of plants in communities throughout the property to support both larvae and adults. Variety is the key. Choose lots of kinds of plants - herbs, annuals and perennials as vines, groundcovers and in beds, plus shrubs and trees. Wildflower meadows featuring native plants are ideal. Food crops add to the diversity too. Assure that blooms are available to visiting butterflies for the entire season. The greater the variety of suitable plant, the greater the potential number and variety of types of butterfly visitors.

It is not necessary to integrate larval and adult plants throughout the landscape. Just allow some part of your yard or nearby property to remain weedy and undeveloped to lure female butterflies to lay eggs. Somewhere in the yard, let fresh water accumulate to support communal "mudpuddling" so butterflies get soil salts and minerals as well as moisture. Finally, butterflies like some flat stones for basking or sunbathing, to gather warmth to power their wings.

Butterflies visit flowering plants that are in full sun and in sites sheltered from wind in beds or containers. Protect garden beds exposed to the wind with a hedge of glossy abelia or butterfly bushes or a wall or pergola covered with honeysuckle or passionflower. Flowering shrubs provide shelter for roosting too. The more fragrant, the better. Plant at various heights, because like birds, certain butterfly species prefer to feed at certain heights. (Some species are even quite territorial and try to chase others from favorite plants).

Finally, unlike the famous monarchs which migrate to Mexico and other points south, most butterfly species overwinter nearby. This means that their eggs, chrysalises or larvae are likely to be in or near your yard during the non-gardening months. Some will even hibernate as adults. Do not mow weedy sites and dismantle woodpiles which provide them safe shelter in the off-season.

Favorite Larval Host Plants:

Asters Bermuda grass Clover Hollyhock Lupine Mallow

Marigold Milkweed Nettle/thistles Parsley Passionflower

Plantain Snapdragon Sorrel St. Augustine grass Turtlehead Violet

Caterpillars: Distinguishing Friend from Foe

Butterfly larvae tend to be solitary or sparsely distributed, whereas pest caterpillars such as fall webworm make tents and hatch in the hundreds. The latter are best handled by pruning the tent out of the tree or breaking it open so that the birds can eat the immature larvae.

However, even in sparse numbers butterfly caterpillars can damage ornamentals or food plants. For example, the ubiquitous white cabbage butterfly lays lots of eggs that turn into destructive green worms that devour cabbage and broccoli and their relatives. An insecticide product containing Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) sprayed onto plant foliage will handle feeding worms that threaten to destroy crop yields. In the case of parsleyworms on parsley, simply moving them to a non-essential plant such as wild carrot will both save the crop and preserve the eventual butterfly.

Source: National Garden Bureau

Hot weather of summer not only stresses us, it stresses lawns. Disease problems may become visible in hot weather. One example is the disease that used to be called fusarium blight, but is now known as either summer patch or necrotic ring spot. In addition, extended hot, humid weather with very warm nights may also favor brown patch.

While heat and drought stress may cause lawns to brown, these patch diseases typically occur in distinct patterns. Look for crescent shaped or circular patches of dead grass, often with clumps of green grass inside (often called "frog eye"). Lawns with advanced disease development may show irregular dead areas and streaks.

While hot summer weather may make the disease visible, lawns infected with summer patch or necrotic ring spot usually have some other underlying stress factors. Poor rooting is often involved. For example, a common scenario in our area is lawns sodded within the past 2 to 5 years over poorly prepared clay soil. Often these lawns are watered and fertilized heavily, which adds to the problem. Excessive thatch layers usually exist with these types of conditions.

There is no quick cure to these diseases. Management should focus on correcting underlying soil and cultural practice problems as a long-term solution. Improving conditions for root growth and reducing excess thatch is critical. Core cultivation (aerifying) will help improve soil conditions and reduce thatch. Spring and fall are suggested times for aerifying, assuming the grass is actively growing.

Overseed dead areas of your lawn with perennial ryegrass and resistant Kentucky bluegrass cultivars in late August or early September.

Lawns need fertilization, but in moderation. Excess spring applications of nitrogen fertilizer may be a contributing factor to disease. Fertilizers containing controlled release nitrogen are suggested. Early fall is a key time to fertilize.

Finally, fungicides are an option to help prevent further development on unaffected grass, but will not reverse the factors causing the disease or eliminate the disease.

Source: Bruce Spangenberg, Extension Educator, Horticulture, University of Illinois Extension

The following poem was sent to me by a lovely lady on the northside of Chicago in 1996 who is now 86 years young. As many of you may be fighting violets in your lawn, this poem will give you a chuckle. I'm sure you will enjoy it and possibly share it with others.

Oh, little violet in my lawn,
Gee, how I wish that you were gone!
I strive to grow a carpet green
In which no weed nor blossom's seen.
You don't belong among these blades
Of grass...move to some place with shades
'Neath tree or bush, by rocks and rills,
Where passing strollers leap with thrills
When they spy your purple hue,
And gush aloud with "Ahhh!" and "Ooh!"
Come spring, I pray you'll not say "Hey,
I'm here again! Have a nice day!"
How you intrude, you wedge in so
That in your spot my grass can't grow!
Wish I could kill your kith and kin
And make of you a true has-been!
'Tis true, wee flower, shy and coy
You are State Flower of Illinois,
But seeing how you spit out seed
To me I class you as a weed!
Yes, fellow, I am not impressed,
Knowing how I must invest
In "goo" that will deweed the space
Except for your "Can't-hurt-me" face!
You do thrust out your tongue and thrive,
And stay defiantly alive!
But, years ago, this wasn't thus,
For when I saw you, how I'd fuss!
I sang to you when but a kid.
I loved the way you shyly hid.
I shrieked with joy to see your hue,
Where midst the concrete cracks you grew.
When young, I'd bunch you in a vase
And sketch your petaled purple face.
I plucked your blooms and whiffed your smell,
And pinned you to my coat lapel...
But that was long before I grew
This lawn that made a home for you,
Where you and all your progeny
Advanced like soldiers, daringly!
But, now I'm old...my lawn I prize,
I see it "green" my neighbor's eyes.
I use my waning energy
Defying your persistency,
As I get down on aching knees
And use old-fashioned elbow grease
To pry you and your heart out loose
And shout with glee...OUT, FIEND,
VAMOOSE

July

• Irrigation (as needed or allow lawn to go dormant)
• Monitoring for pests/problems (sod webworm)

August

• Monitor for pests (annual white grubs mid-August - September) (sod webworm)
• Irrigation (as needed)
• Prepare for seeding, overseeding (optimum time)
• Seeding - latter half of month (optimum time)

Strawberries & More
Check out the following WEB site to find a strawberry farm near you.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/strawberries/index.html

What Is an Annual?

The general definition of an annual is a plant that germinates from seed, flowers, sets seed and dies in one season. Then to complicate matters some annual plants are referred to as hardy annuals or half-hardy annuals. Some half-hardy perennials are also grown as annuals.

Like the general definition, a hardy annual is a plant that completes its life cycle in one year. Hardy annuals do not need to be raised indoors. They can easily be sown directly into their garden locations. Hardy annuals can tolerate light frost without injury. Some familiar hardy annuals include calendula, cornflower, annual larkspur and nigella.

Half-hardy annuals also germinate, grow, flower and die in one year. But, they require a longer period of growth to do so. Half-hardy annuals are started indoors 4 to 8 weeks before the last frost date to give them the extra time they need to mature and begin flowering. They are frost tender and must not be planted outdoors until all danger of frost has passed, usually early to mid-May. Most bedding plants grown by gardeners fall into this category.

Half-hardy perennials, such as dahlia, gazania, geranium, gerbera and tuberous begonia are often treated as annuals. Seeds must be sown early (January or February) to obtain blooming plants by summer. Some, like gazania, are treated as half-hardy annuals and are discarded when a hard frost occurs. Others, like geraniums, can be lifted before a frost, repotted or repropagated by cuttings and grown indoors during the winter. Still others, like dahlias and tuberous begonias, are lifted and their root structures stored in a cool but frost -free location.

Gardeners can grow a variety of plants for a single, annual season of enjoyment. However, a deeper look may reveal something more than the typical annual.

Preventing Tomato Diseases

Septoria leaf spot and early blight are common fungal leaf diseases of tomato. Cultural techniques can help reduce the risk of foliar blight outbreaks.

1. Water and fertilize to maintain plants in a vigorous condition.

2. Avoid fluctuations of too much and too little water.

3. Avoid wetting foliage when watering. If overhead irrigation is used, water early in the day so the leaves dry quickly.

4. Do not work with plants when the foliage is wet.

5. Eradicate weeds. Mulching around plants can help reduce weed growth and prevent a certain amount of evaporation.

6. Choose wilt-resistant varieties. Varieties that are resistant to Fusarium and Verticillium usually have the letters "VF" as part of the variety name.

7. At the end of the season, remove as much plant debris as possible and till under remaining debris. This helps reduce the overwinter of tomato pathogens.

Predicting the Harvest Time for Flowering Vegetables

It is often difficult to estimate when vegetable crops will be ready to be harvested. Weather conditions effect growth and development of the crop and can advance or delay maturity. For flowering vegetables, days from flowering provides a fairly accurate determination of harvest time.

Days from Flowering to Maturity (time in days)
Snap bean (7-10)
Sweet corn (15-23 from silking)
Cucumber, slicing (15-18)
Eggplant (2/3 maximum size) 25-40
Muskmelon (42-46)
Pepper, green (45-55)
Summer squash, zucchini (3-4)
Tomato, red (40-50)
Watermelon, large (50-60)
Watermelon, icebox (28-32)

Oak Tatters

An occasional problem of oaks has showed up more often than normal this spring. You may notice oak leaves that have little or no blade surrounding the main veins, resulting in a skeletal appearance more reminiscent of an asparagus leaf than an oak leaf. Frequently, this damage is mistakenly attributed to leaf-chewing insects.

The name given to this phenomenon is "oak tatters." The damage appears to be caused at or before the time of bud break. The cause of oak tatters is not well understood, however. Similar damage to leaves of other tree species in the northeast U.S. has been attributed to insects called pear psyllids, which apparently can damage leaf tissue by feeding on buds. Whether oak tatters is caused by psyllids, by cold injury and/or by some other mechanism remains a mystery.

Like the cold injury described above, however, oak tatters seems to cause no lasting injury to trees. Its appearance in a particular tree during one year does not imply that it will reappear in a subsequent year. Even when it is present, the damage appears to be esthetic rather than fundamental.

Insect Barrier Clothing

Insect-Out, P. O. Box 356, Cortez, CO 81321, phone 970-565-3006, website (www.insectout.com) sells hooded shirts for adults and children, pants, separate hoods and even baby bags made from polyester netting, for protection against mosquitoes, black flies and deer flies without bug sprays. The netting is white, for maximum coolness, except in the face area, where it is black for improved visibility.

Illinois Fresh

The U-Pick Farms season is almost upon us. Get a free listing of Pick Your Own Farms and Roadside Markets by calling us at 773-233-0476. You can also access this information at our Illinois Fresh site at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/fresh/

July - Edible

Use mulches in the vegetable garden. Helps to control blossom end rot on tomatoes. Factsheet available on mulches & blossom end rot.

Growing pumpkins for Jack-o-Lanterns. Keep the pumpkins per plant to five. More pumpkins than five will result in smaller pumpkins.

Use Bacillus thuringiensis (BT: Dipel) for caterpillars on cabbage such as the cabbage worm and cabbage looper. Insect factsheets available.

Plant Chinese cabbage in mid-July so the heads will form during the cool days of fall.

Plant a cucumber tree next year. Next Christmas instead of taking your tree to the curb save it and prune it down to main branches in spring; prop it in vegetable garden and plant cucumbers at base.

"Pick Your Own" fresh vegetables at area Pick Your Own Farms. For a listing of farms call 773-233-0476.

Locate a City of Chicago's Farmers Market in your neighborhood by calling 312-744-9187. They will mail you a printed schedule.

Take the family to one of our local county fairs:

• DuPage County: July 22 - July 25
  For more information call 630-668-6636
• Kane County: July 13 - July 18
  For more information call 630-584-6926
• Kankakee County: July 28 - August 1
  For more information call 815-932-6714
• Lake County:July 27 - August 1
  For more information call 847-223-2204

July - Ornamental

Did you know that one inch of water over 1,000 square feet is about 600 gallons?

Water your lawn, flowers and shrubs one time deeply per week with the equivalent of one inch of water.

Water in the morning. Watering during the warmest part of the day will result in a major loss of water applied due to evaporation.

Seeing small bumps on your maple tree leaves? These are maple bladder galls. They will not harm the trees.

Either water your lawn throughout the growing season or don't water it at all. Lawns brought in and out of dormancy by not watering and watering will be damaged.

Watch for Japanese beetles. They feed on over 100 plants including smartweed, willow, rose, birch, crabapple, apple, linden and raspberry. Factsheet available.

Watch for slugs, earwigs, sowbugs, pillbugs, grasshoppers, weevils and leaf beetles feeding on annual and perennial flowers. Factsheet on flower eaters available.

Keep your annual flowers blooming by pinching off dead blossoms.

July - Interior

Check houseplants set outdoors for the summer. They can dry out quickly in hot, dry weather.

Going on vacation? Water plants just before you leave and group outside in a shady spot or make a large greenhouse by putting watered houseplants in the bathtub and taping plastic sheeting to walls and sides of tub.

August - Edible

Allow some of your onions to flower. Dried onion flower heads look great in winter flower arrangements.

To reduce splitting in cabbage, turn the cabbage a quarter to a half turn if they start to crack.

Start seeds of broccoli, cabbage & Brussels sprouts to transplant later for a fall harvest.

Pick cucumbers early and often. They have a very short vine storage time.

Cure onions in a warm, dry place for two weeks before storing in a cool, dry area.

Keep track of this season's harvesting dates to help in planning next year's vegetable garden.

Harvest herbs and hang them in a dark, well-ventilated location. Store dried herbs in an air tight container. Harvest and preserving herbs factsheet available.

Check lawn for white grub damage; browned areas that can be pulled up like a rug. Factsheet available.

Got extra green tomatoes? Slice the tomatoes, dip in flour or corn meal, sprinkle with salt and fry in a little butter until tender.

Sow a crop of rye, oats or rye grass in unused garden areas for a green manure crop. Factsheet available.

Plan a family outing to one of the following county fairs:

• McHenry County: August 4 - August 8
  For more information call 815-338-5315
• Will County: August 25 - August 29
  F or more information call 708-258-6592
• Kendall County: August 6 - August 8
  For more information call 630-553-2860
• Lake County, Indiana: August 6 - August 15
  For more information call 219-663-3617
• Illinois State Fair: August 13 - August 22
  For more information call 217-782-6661

Compost vegetable plants as they start to die out. Composting factsheet available.

August - Ornamental

Picking flowers to bring indoors? Stick them in lukewarm water first for about an hour.

Provide fresh water for birds.

Order spring flowering bulbs for fall planting.

Watch for powdery mildew appearing on plants this month. Damage is only aesthetic. Controls are not necessary.

Seed lawn in late August. Check out University of Illinois Extension's 26 Lawn Care Factsheets online at http://www.urbanext.edu/lawntalk.

Factsheets also available by mail by calling 773-233-0476 for more information. There is a cost of $3 for the complete set.

Have a pesticide related question? Call the National Pesticide Telecommunications Network at 1-800-858-7378, Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 6:30 pm.

Save the "to go" drink holders from fast food restaurants. They're great for holding 4 inches and smaller pots on a trip back from the garden center.

Order Colchicum and autumn crocus for fall blooms.

Purchase garden supplies before they are removed from the shelves in the fall.

Yellowjackets spoiling your picnic or making your walk to the garbage can a battleground? Factsheet available.

August - Interior

Check houseplants for insects.

Take cuttings of coleus, geraniums and impatiens for winter flowering indoors.

Summertime Means Teatime

Tea has been revered for centuries for it's healing benefits. Tea drinking is said to be of Chinese origin. The ancient Chinese credit the discovery of tea to Emperor Shen Nung, a scholar and herbalist.

As the story goes, for health reasons, the Emperor always boiled his water before drinking it. One day as he was simmering a pot of water while sitting under a tea tree, a gentle breeze blew some dried leaves into the pot creating a pleasant fragrance. The Emperor tasted the brew and he truly enjoyed the new flavor. He found the resulting tea to be so refreshing and revitalizing that he continued to add dried tea leaves to his boiled water. Until the third century, tea was considered a medicine or tonic.

Tea Chemistry

Most people like tea served hot or iced. Many of you already know about the disease fighting properties of a plant based diet. Strawberries, blueberries, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, fish, nuts, tomatoes and broccoli have been touted as foods that fight disease. Well, add tea to the list. Just in time for summer.

Not just green tea either, but all tea. It seems that tea leaves are chock full of antioxidants. The word antioxidant is a professional term. It refers to a group of substances that block the formation of some harmful products in the blood stream called "free radicals." Antioxidants are sometimes referred to as plant chemicals (phytochemical) that help protect your body by strengthening the immune system.

Caffeine Content

Green tea – 8.36 mg
Oolong tea - 12.5 mg
Black tea – 25-101 mg
Coffee - 60 to 120 mg

The caffeine in coffee is absorbed more rapidly than that of tea. It seems the polyphenols in tea slow down the rate of absorption creating a calming effect on the body rather than the rush you get from the caffeine in coffee.

More than 500 chemicals have been identified in tea. The taste, however, is mainly the result of various polyphenolic compounds (referred to as tannins) and caffeine. All types of tea contain caffeine, but in varying amounts. Green tea has less caffeine than oolong and oolong has less than black tea. Herb teas are not true teas and contain no caffeine.

Tea for Two

Making the perfect cup of hot tea will depend on for whom you are making it. The quality and temperature of the water used is very important. Brewed tea looks different based on the water and its contents. For example, softened water creates a bright clear brew while hard water may create a scum on top. Spring water is recommended.

To draw out the full flavor of tea, water should contain as much oxygen as possible, which is controlled by boiling. Black and oolong tea should be brewed in water that has just come to a rolling boil (203 degrees) but still contains high amounts of oxygen. For green tea use cooler water (134 to 200 degrees). If you are a tea connoisseur, specific water temperatures for various teas can be found in The Tea Companion: A Connoisseur's Guild by Jane Pettigrew.

In general, one teaspoon of tea leaves will yield one cup of brewed tea. Prepared tea bags contain one teaspoon of dried tea leaves. Control the strength of your cup of tea by removing the bag when desired strength is reached. Strength follows color. The darker the brew, the stronger the tea flavor.

Blended Tea - The Classics

Earl Gray - A balance of China teas and/or Indian tea scented with citrus, usually bergamot. The British Prime Minister (from 1830-34), Earl Gray, received the recipe as a gift from a Mandarin holy man. Best served with milk.

English Breakfast - A rather strong tea designed to accompany the traditional English breakfast of fried bacon, fried eggs, smoked fish, marmalade, etc. Usually a blend of Ceylon and African teas.

Irish Breakfast - A rich, malt-flavored blend of teas. Usually Assams and sometimes African or Indonesian tea leaves. The Irish like strong tea.

Russian Caravan - The Russians transported tea across the border from China by camel. This blend is a strong smoky flavored mixture.

Iced Tea - According to The Tea Companion, the first iced tea was served at the St. Louis World Trade Fair in 1904. More than 80% of the tea served in the U. S. is over ice. Iced tea from brewed tea is most delicious. To make iced tea, simply double the amount of tea you would use for hot tea, chill and add lemon and sugar to taste. Add an equal amount of cold water and vola!...iced tea.

The Farmers' Market

The Farmers' Market concept is not a new one, but it is suddenly very trendy again. When you visit a farmers' market or roadside stand let your sensory perceptions be your guide.

Sniff the air and buy fruit that is fragrant. Fruit in the grocery store is often odorless because it is harvested while still green. In an open-air market everything is different. Fruit that has ripened in the summer sun is always fruity and sweet smelling.

Look for bright colors. The sun is also essential in the production of summer fruits' vivid colors. Buy brightly colored produce with a waxy sheen.

Listen for the sound of freshness. Green beans should snap when they break. Avoid limp produce and go for the crisp, crunch of freshness.

Taste a sample. Ask to taste a sample if possible. There aren't many places left where you can sample before you buy. Take advantage of the opportunity to sample strawberries, blueberries, peaches or any produce before purchasing.

Touch and gently squeeze tomatoes, eggplant and other produce before selection. Know the signs of quality for each item you select and exercise your knowledge at the farmers' market.

After careful selection of your produce, you are now responsible for packaging and transporting it home. As you buy, pack things carefully. If you are buying fragile produce, such as raspberries or lettuce, you might want to bring a small cooler with an ice pack to keep things fresh until you get home.

For more information on the selection of fresh produce, visit our website Watch Your Garden Grow for information on planting, growing, care, selection, harvesting, nutritional value, preservation at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/. For a complete listing of U-Pick farms and roadside markets check out our Illinois Fresh website at: http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/fresh/

Following is a list of the Chicago Farmers' Markets.

Downtown markets - 7:00 am - 3:00 pm

Daley Plaza, Washington & Clark. Thursdays: July 8 & 22; August 5 & 19; September 2 & 23 and Tuesday, October 5.

Federal Plaza, on the Federal Building Plaza east of the Post Office at Adams & Dearborn. Tuesdays through October 12.

Prudential Plaza on the Prudential Building Plaza, Lake & Beaubien Court. Thursdays: July 1, 15, 29; August 12 & 26; October 7 & 21.

Community markets - 7:00 am - 2 pm unless noted otherwise

Tuesdays

Lincoln Square in the city parking lot at Lincoln/Leland/Western. Weekly through October 19.

Logan Square on the Plaza at the northeast corner of Milwaukee, Diversey and Woodard. July 6, August 3, September 7 & October 5.

Museum of Contemporary Art on the museum plaza, Chicago & Mies van der Rohe. July 13, August 10 & September 14. Hours: 11am - 7 pm.

Wednesdays

Lawndale in the Community Bank of Lawndale parking lot, Grenshaw & Homan, weekly through October 20.

South Shore at the South Shore Cultural Center, 71st & South Shore Drive.

Thursdays

Gresham in Continental Plaza, northeast corner of parking lot, 76th & Racine. Through October 21.

Hyde Park in the cul-de-sac, 52nd Place & Harper Court. Weekly through October 21.

Saturdays: All Saturday markets are held weekly through October 23.

Austin in the Byford School parking lot, Iowa & Central.

Edgewater in the park on the southeast corner, Broadway & Thorndale.

Englewood on the plaza in the northeast corner, 63rd & Halsted.

Gately in the Smith School parking lot, 103rd & Cottage Grove.

Lincoln Park in the Lincoln Park High School parking lot, Armitage &Halsted.

Morgan Park in the Third Baptist Church parking lot, 95th & Ashland.

Near North on Elm between State & Dearborn.

Near South in the Dunbar High School parking lot, 29th & King.

North Center in the North Center Town Square, at Belle Plaine/Lincoln/Damen.

North Halsted in the Faith Tabernacle Church parking lot, at Grace/Broadway/Halsted.

Printer's Row on the sidewalk on Polk between Dearborn & Federal.

Sundays: All Sunday markets are held monthly.

Beverly in the city parking lot on the southeast corner, 95th & Longwood. July 25, August 29 September 26 & October 24.

Bucktown in the Dummond School parking lot, Cortland & Wolcott. July 11, August 8, September 12 & October 10.

East Side in the St. Francis DeSales High School parking lot, 102nd & Ewing. July 25, August 29, September 26 & October 24.

Far North in the Warren Park parking lot, Western & Albion, July 11, August 8, September 12 & October 10.

Lincoln Park Zoo on the grounds of the Farm-in-the-Zoo, Stockton Drive & Lincoln Park Zoo. July 27, August 29, September 26 & October 24. Hours: 9 am - 4:30 pm.

Loyola/Rogers Park in the southwest corner of the Loyola University parking lot, Arthur & Sheridan. July 11, August 8, September 12 & October 10.

For more information call (312) 744-9187.

In my family, all food that is bought and eaten away from home is called "street food." My Uncle Jessie actually uses the term "eating in the street." He does not recommend eating in the street for a long period of time, "because too much street food just isn't good for you. Everyone needs a home cooked meal to keep things in balance."

Well, summertime is truly a season for "eating in the street." From the Taste of Chicago to cultural specialties in Chicago's many ethnic neighborhoods, there will be plenty of "eating in the street" throughout the city. Of course, the quality of some food products is better than others. The street vendor carts must adhere to the Chicago Department of Public Health food code.

Look for clean carts, vendors who are clean and well groomed. Make sure the same person handling your food is not taking your money. Money is filthy and bacteria are easily transferred to food. Here are some things to look for when buying food on the street from sidewalk vendors.

Elote - In Chicago you can buy Mexican-style corn-on-the-cob called Elote. Elote is roasted or boiled corn-on-the-cob, buttered and smeared with sour cream or mayo, rolled in a dry cheese like Parmesan or Ranchero and sprinkled with chili powder. Extremely high in calories but....mmmmm delicious. Safety tips - Look for clean carts, vendors should use utensils to handle food items, corn must be kept hot in insulated containers or freshly roasted on a charcoal grill. Unused cartons of sour cream and opened jars of mayo should be stored on ice.

Chicharron - Fried bread dough sometimes with pork rinds added, served with lime juice and hot sauce. Usually sold in plastic bags. Safety tips - Look for a clean work area and clean, clear, plastic bags of chicharron.

Chicago-style hot dogs are another popular item. A Chicago Style hotdog is served on a hotdog bun with chopped onions, tomatoes, hot peppers, mustard, sweet pickle relish and sprinkled with celery salt or celery seed. Safety tips - Look for clean work area, vendors bare-hands should never touch your food. Your dog should be prepared on a paper tray and it should be hot.

Snow cones are sold in many communities. Shaved or finely crushed ice scooped onto a paper cone and covered with fruit flavored syrup.

Safety tips - Look for ice stored in a clean insulated cooler. Hands should not touch the ice; the vendor should use a scoop for the ice.

Popcorn is usually popped in a corn popping machine. Is it clean? Safety tips - You may want to ask what type of oil is being used. Steer clear of coconut or palm kernel oil and look for corn oil, vegetable oil or canola oil.

Fresh fruit - fruit cups, popcorn and roasted nuts are sold in the loop. In the Latino communities you can find peeled mango on a stick and Mexican Fruta (long strips of fruit stuck into a cup). Fruta is a combination of fresh fruit such as watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, papaya and may contain cucumber strips and jicama sprinkled with lime juice and/or chili powder. Safety tips - Whole fruit such as apples should be washed before eating. Cut fruit should look fresh. The vendor should not be using hands to place fruit in the cups, unless a different person is receiving the money.

Of course, there are many other foods being sold on the street. Pay attention to the way food is being handled before you buy any street food. If you see poor sanitation or personal hygiene practices report the problem to your local health department. Street vendors are small businessmen and they must maintain standards set forth by the Chicago Department of Public Health. Bon appetite in the street!

Gardening can reek havoc on hands. A friend once said, "You cannot be a serious gardener and have nice-looking hands." Well, I beg to differ. With a little attention and daily care, your hands and nails can still look good. Start with the right supplies.

Soil carries many different types of bacteria, some harmless and others are deadly poisonous. Washing your hands and ridding them of every speck of soil is a must! Clostridium Boutlinum, E. coli and many others are natural soil flora with the potential of causing illness.

Water - Water that is too hot contributes to dry skin. Lukewarm tap water works best, the hottest water is not more effective in removing soil or killing bacteria. Very hot water will remove the skin's natural oils along with the dirt, leaving hands dry and tight.

Soap or cleanser - For extremely gritty, dry hands from digging, planting and even harvesting, start with a soap containing an exfoliating agent. Oatmeal, crushed seeds, cornmeal, sand, soft wood fibers, pumice and tea leaves are added to soap to help remove dirt and dry skin. A moisturizing agent added to soap can help to reduce dry cracked skin. Spice oils, olive oil, citrus oil, aloe vera, seed oil and cocoa butter are among the available choices. Soaps that are superfatted have extra oil added to help soften skin. Select liquid or gel hand soap or cleanser over bar soaps. Liquids are more sanitary.

Nail brush - Use a medium bristled nail brush to remove dirt from under nails and around cuticles. Careful not to scrub too hard, damaged cuticles can be painful.

Moisturizing Lotion - Apply moisturizing lotion soon after drying hands. Moisturizing lotion works by forming a protective shield on your hands so your natural moisture will not escape. The longer you wait, additional moisture will evaporate from your hands into the air. Select a basic lotion with little or no perfume or dye added. Check the label for ingredients.

Gloves - Wearing gloves can protect against cuts, scrapes and hard callused hands. The pressure of holding garden tools and the friction of motion can create hard patches of skin on the palms of your hands. Invest in a good pair of gloves that fit properly. Measure your palm around the widest part....this is your glove size. Of course, some jobs cannot be performed while wearing even the best gardening gloves.

Nails - Trim nails close and shape to mirror the shape of your cuticle...round. Use a file or emery board to shape nails. Do not use a sawing (back & forth) motion, it weakens the nail. Tilt a medium-grit file under one nail; or pull gently to center. Lift and repeat. Gently push raggedy skin around cuticles with a cuticle stick or hand towel.

Dot nails with polishing cream and buff with a chamois buffer for 15 to 30 seconds each or until nails are shiny again. Lift buffer between strokes to reduce heat buildup and dry nails. Buffing improves blood flow to the nail bed, which can strengthen nails in the making.

Circulation - Poor blood circulation can contribute to cramping, painful hands. Try this yoga exercise to increase blood flow.

• Use a flat surface such as a wall or tabletop. Hold hand up and spread fingers as far apart as possible.
• Starting with the heel of your palm, with fingers still extended, place heel on the surface and roll palm forward until your entire hand is flat on the surface.
• Focus on each finger, one at a time until all fingers and the thumb are firmly pressing on the surface. Press the entire length of the finger as flat to the surface as possible until all fingers and the palm are pressing downward.
• Hold this position for 10 seconds. Count 1 elephant, 2 elephant and 3 elephant...10 elephant. Lift fingers, make a clenched fist and repeat. Performed daily, this exercise can improve blood flow and reduce soreness in your hands.

The USDA recommends washing hands 20 seconds to get them clean. Of course, your hands will need extra time and attention to maintain a normal healthy appearance.

Let's Take a Walk

The winter months were too cold and icy, the spring too wet, now what is your excuse for not getting more exercise into your lifestyle? Before "too hot" becomes an excuse, take a walk!

Walk during the cool morning hours or late evening. Avoid the heat of mid-day.

Recruit a friend or neighbor who lives close by. Talk while you walk. A good conversation can make a long walk seem like minutes.

Invest in a good pair of comfortable shoes. Not too tight. Make sure socks are loose fitting too. Cotton works to wick moisture away from your feet for added comfort.

Start slowly and for brief amounts of time. Intensify your walk by walking faster and increasing the distance you cover as the summer progresses.

Any amount of exercise can improve your blood flow, digestion and sleep pattern. So, get up and walk. Wear your sunglasses and get into a routine.

Cherries

Cherries have been called the prima donnas of the fruit kingdom. They are very picky about growing conditions, everything must be just right, and, of course, there is the race to harvest them before the birds eat them.

Cherries are generally thought of as sweet and sour, but there are some varieties in between. Sweet Bing cherries are by far the most popular variety for eating out-of-hand. Sour cherries are generally used as canned pie filling and almost impossible to find.

Your local farmers' market has cherries. Ask the farmer if they are sweet or sour. He/she may let you sample one. But, what can you make with them? Well, cherries can be substituted in almost any recipe calling for berries or currants. They are also good in fruit salads and other fruit mixtures. Or try this quick and easy recipe:

Brother Jonathan Cherries

This recipe was adapted from the original apple version.

About 2 cups pitted cherries
1/2 cup water
1 package frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 cup sugar or honey, more if desired
Whipped cream, optional

1. Put 1-1/2 inches of pitted sweet, sour or semi-sweet cherries in the bottom of a deep pot with a tight fitting lid. Add about 1/2 cup of water or enough to keep cherries from sticking.

2. Shape a piece of frozen bread dough to fit the inside of the pot. Leave about 2 inches of space above the dough so it can rise.

3. Cover the pot, place over medium heat, bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cover with tightly fitting lid. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Do not lift the lid while it is cooking. Fish a cherry out and check for doneness after 30 minutes cooking time.

4. To serve, place a plate over the pot and invert, so the bread is on the bottom. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar or drizzle with 1/2 cup honey and top with whipped cream if desired. For sour cherries, you may need to increase sugar. Serve warm. So easy and so good!

Sun Tea

To make sun tea: Wash a large gallon-size jar and rinse thoroughly. Add the desired number of tea bags and cover with cool water, distilled water if you have it. Unless you like it extra strong, sixteen tea bags is recommended. Cover the jar with the lid or use plastic wrap to keep insects and dirt out. Place the jar in a sunny spot. Allow the tea to gently steep for 6 to 8 hours or longer. Remove the tea bags. Sweeten with honey, add lemon, mint or other flavorings, serve warm or over ice.

• existing scientific evidence suggests that about one third of the cancer deaths in the United States each year are due to dietary factors? Eating Well, March/April 1999.

• last spring the Food & Drug Administration approved a new weight control drug called Orlistat a.k.a., Xenical? It works by blocking enzymes needed to digest fat in the gastrointestinal tract. Taken three times a day, the drug blocks the digestion of about one third of the fat an individual consumes each day. The undigested fat is excreted as waste. Negative side effects include modest weight loss, blocked absorption of beta-carotene, vitamins A, D, E & K, diarrhea, flatulence and oily stools. It's no wonder that some health experts are not sold on the effectiveness of this drug.

• eating spinach, strawberries and blueberries may improve your memory? Researchers at Tufts University fed rats a special diet of one pint of berries or a large spinach salad every day for eight months. The rats on the special diet fared better on tests of memory and showed less age-related stress than their peers who ate standard issue rat chow. Isn't it cool, you can actually boost your brainpower by eating foods you already like?

• taking excessive amounts of pain relievers (acetaminophen and aspirin) can create a toxic effect if you drink three or more alcoholic beverages a day? Taking more than the suggested amount of acetaminophen can cause liver damage and even liver failure. Mixing aspirin and alcohol can irritate the stomach lining, causing intense pain and other problems such as ulcers. The Food & Drug Administration requires all packages warn heavy drinkers concerning these health risks and suggests talking to a doctor about other options.