July 2012 Newsletter

...for discerning weeders July, 2012

WHAT’S THAT? Inside this issue: American

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Symbol Weed of the

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Walk on the Wild 4 Side Chamberbitter

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Gardening for

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Independence Book Review

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Hidden Dangers

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Puzzle Time

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Events

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Last Word

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On a recent vacation trip my wife and I had the pleasure of visiting the Gamboa Rainforest Resort on the banks of the Chargres River in Soberania National Park in Panama. As a Master Gardener it is not unusual to be introduced to plants I have never seen before. When I saw these red things hanging from a tree, the first impression was some kind of pepper giving birth. The natural reaction was to ask our guide, “what’s that?” To my surprise he answered a cashew tree. It is the only fruit that has its seed on the outside. Try the fruit, it is delicious. It was very sweet and slightly acid and had a sort of fuzzy aftertaste.

DON’T FORGET! July meeting is on the 11th of the month!

Log in your hours!

When I returned home the desire to learn more about this strange plant was compelling. It sure would be nice to grow one. It is classified as a small tree (-32 ft.) and likes sandy soil. However, it likes temperatures between 50F and 105F and will not tolerate any frost. Since Crestview 1

By Bob Bayer is not in South Florida, that leaves me out.

Research showed that the red portion called the “ cashew apple” is a pseudocarp or false fruit. It is a swollen stem that only enlarges after the true fruit, the kidney shaped drupe that hangs below has developed. The skin of the apple is very fragile and cannot survive transporting, therefore it is unknown to those living outside of the tropics. It only lasts about two weeks on the tree and then falls. Some rot and others germinate.

Fortunately during my taste testing, I did not attempt to try the nut part. It contains a caustic substance inside the double shell that can blister the mouth. This is urushiol, a toxin also found in poison ivy to which the cashew is related. Roasting destroys this toxin but this must be done outdoors since the smoke contains the chemical. The process of preparing the nuts for consumption appears to be a labor intensified task. Many growers concentrate strictly on the apple and throw away the nuts.

No wonder they cost so much.

A PROUD AMERICAN SYMBOL Our stars and stripes, Statue of Liberty, Uncle Sam, and Liberty Bell are just a few of the American symbols we treasure. June 20, 1782 the bald eagle was chosen as the emblem of the USA and in 1789 became our country's official bird. The bald eagle is also a sacred bird in some North American cultures, and are central to many religious and spiritual customs among Native Americans.

So this month I thought it would be interesting to learn some facts about the bald eagle.

Following severe decreases in population size, several federal and state regulations were put in place to protect the bald eagle including placing them on the list of federally endangered and threatened species in 1978. Also all domestic use of the pesticide Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT) was banned. This increased protection has led to the species recovery in Florida. In 2007 and 2008, the bald eagle was removed from the USFWS endangered species list and the FWC imperiled species list. But the bald eagle, their eggs and nesting sites continue to be protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and FWC's bald eagle rule (F.A.C. 68A -16.002). Florida now has one of the densest concentrations of nesting eagles in the lower 48 states, with over 1,000 nesting pairs. Concentrations of nesting territories are clustered around several significant wetland systems throughout the state.

The Bald Eagle is a powerful flier, and soars on thermal convection currents. It reaches speeds 35–43 mph when gliding and flapping, and about 30 mph while carrying fish. Its dive speed is between 75–99 mph, though it seldom dives vertically. It is a large bird, with a body length of 28–40 in. The wingspan is typically between 5.9 and 7.5 ft and mass is usually between 5.5 and 15 lb. Females are about 25 percent larger than males, averaging 13 lb with the males' average weight of 9.0 lb. The bald eagle in Florida can be slightly smaller.

The sexes are indistinguishable by their plumage. Adults are dark brown with a white head and tail. The eyes, bill, legs, and feet are yellow. Juveniles are dark brown overall with white mottling or spots on the belly, tail, and under the wings. The eyes are dark brown and the bill is gray to black. The plumage of subadults, or birds which have not quite reached adult status, is highly variable, according to age, with a decreasing amount of white on the body and an increasing amount of white on the head and tail attained with each successive shedding of feathers.

The eyes and bill turn yellow during the eagle's fourth year, and full adult plumage is attained during the bird's fifth or sixth year.

The record lifespan for a bald eagle in the wild is 28 years.

Bald eagles are opportunistic foragers, feeding or scavenging on a wide variety of prey. Primary prey of eagles in Florida includes various fish and waterfowl species. Prey from one study was composed of 78 percent fish, 17 percent birds, three percent mammals, and one percent amphibians and reptiles. Most prey is captured from the surface of the water, but bald eagles often harass ospreys in flight to drop fish that they have captured.

Bald eagles in Florida also scavenge carcasses along roadways or

By Linda Meyers garbage at landfills.

Bald eagles use forested habitats for nesting and roosting, and expanses of shallow fresh or salt water for foraging. Nesting habitat generally consists of densely forested areas of mature trees that are isolated from human disturbance. Daytime roosts are generally in "super canopy" trees which poke above most trees in the forest and are adjacent to shorelines. The greatest numbers of bald eagle nesting territories in Florida are found along the Gulf coast and around some of the larger inland lakes and river systems in the peninsula.

Bald eagles are highly social outside of the nesting season, but are extremely territorial when nesting. They are capable of breeding as early as their fourth year. Bald eagles are thought to be monogamous, with a pair of eagles possibly bonding for several years. In Florida bald eagles begin building a nest in late September or early October. Eagles can begin laying eggs as early as October or as late as April. Nest sites tend to be built near the edges of eagle habitats such as in a living tree that offers a view of the surrounding area and that can support the eagle's often sizable nest. This includes pine trees, cypress trees, mangroves, or great blue heron nests, artificial structures such as communication towers, transmission towers, and raptor nesting platforms, and very rarely on the ground.

Nearly all bald eagle nests in Florida are built within 2 miles of water. Bald eagle nests are spaced apart to ensure sufficient food resources for nestlings and to raise young with minimal disturbance from other eagles. Most nests contain clutches of two eggs.

Incubation lasts about 35 days. Nestlings in Florida fledge from the nest, at around 11 weeks of age and remain with their parents near the nest for an additional 4-11 weeks. Fledglings begin to fly regularly in the vicinity of the nest before initial dispersal, which occurs from April to July.

Most of Florida's breeding bald eagles, especially those nesting in the extreme southern peninsula, remain in the state yearround, but most subadults, or birds not quite fully grown, and non-breeding adults migrate out of Florida. Eagles migrate northward between April and August and return southward from late July through late December. Florida's bald eagles use three migration flyways - the Atlantic coast, Appalachian Mountains, and the Mississippi River valley - with equal frequency, and they use stopover sites for resting or foraging. Eagles also exhibit nomadic wandering, mostly by subadults. Northern-breeding bald eagles winter in Florida occasionally.

President John F. Kennedy wrote: "The Founding Fathers made an appropriate choice when they selected the bald eagle as the emblem of the nation. The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolizes the strength and freedom of America."

Sources of Information: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, The Bald Eagle - An American Emblem baldeagleinfo.com, The Bald Eagle - Wikipedia

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Weed of the Month

The Spurges of Summer

by Jenny Gillis

Euphorbia maculata [Chamaesyce maculata (L.) Small or Euphorbia maculata Prostrate spurge is a late-germinating, low growing, mat-producing summer annual. It is very often found in fields, gardens, turf, waste areas and in unirrigated bark mulch common to parking lot tree islands, sidewalk crevices and boulevards. It tolerates some shade but thrives in harsh full-sun baked sites. Prostrate spurge develops a central taproot from which prostrate stems form a flat, extensively branched mat up to 2 feet in diameter. The reddish somewhat hairy stems produce milky-white latex when broken or injured similar to dandelion. Prostrate spurge flowers are pinkish, very small and inconspicuous. They are cup-shaped and develop in terminal clusters or leaf axils. They usually occur June to October.

Spotted spurge is a summer annual with a taproot; it has an open and prostrate mat-forming growth habit. It branches freely from the base. The reddish or green prostrate stems often choke out desirable turfgrasses. Once established, each plant forms a thick mat that can be up to 3 feet in diameter. Its hairy, reddish stems branch out from a central point and carry many tiny, oval leaves. When the stems are broken they emit a milky juice.

The leaves are opposite and vary in color from a pale reddish-green to a dark green but usually have a conspicuous maroon blotch. Spotted spurge may flower within three to four weeks after emerging in mid-summer. Flowers are very small, pinkish-white, inconspicuous, and borne in the leaf axils. The fruit, a three-lobed capsule, develops rapidly.

Spurge spreads quickly throughout weak areas in your lawn. A single plant can produce several thousand seeds, which are small and can remain dormant in the soil until conditions are suitable for germination (sprouting). Even though it is a summer annual, late-season seeds can sprout next spring after lying dormant during cold temperatures. This warm- weather pest begins seed production a mere 5 weeks after germination, so early detection and treatment is key.

Spurge germinates best when temperatures are 75° to 85°F, but germination can occur at temperatures as low as 60°F and as high as 100°F. When moisture is available, germination can occur from February through September. Light also is a requirement for maximum germination; seeds buried deeper than 1/2 inch won’t germinate well. Plants that germinate early in spring in cool conditions can remain as small seedlings until temperatures are more desirable for growth.

These spurges are classified as summer broadleaf annuals. That means you can control it two ways: by applying an appropriate pre-emergent chemical in spring or by spot-spraying each clump with a broadleaf weed killer when you notice it. The weed is also easy to pull by hand. http://tinyurl.com/7lubrp5 http://tinyurl.com/7lngnem http://tinyurl.com/6o4wbpo http://tinyurl.com/7sv45jw

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A Walk on the Wild Side Linda Meyers July -the dog-days of summer, Independence Day celebrations, and great wildlife activity in our area to look forward to: Birds Shorebird migration starts in mid-July, peaking in August. Swallow-tailed kites begin gathering as do purple martins and tree swallows in preparation for migrating south for the winter.

Look out for nesting shorebirds, and keep your vehicles and dogs from disturbing them.

Amphibians/Reptiles Later this month, young alligators and crocodiles will begin to hatch. Listen for Eastern narrowmouth toads ("waaa", like a baying sheep) after heavy rains. Treefrogs are laying eggs which hatch into tadpoles in about 5 days.

Insects Mosquitoes and chiggers are abundant, so watch out while you're camping or working in the yard. Female mosquitoes feed on blood to help their eggs develop into offspring. When they bite, they release saliva into the bite area. Allergic reactions to the saliva cause the itchy bumps and swollen hives some people get after being bitten. If a mosquito is carrying a virus, that virus can be transferred to humans through the mosquitoʼs saliva. Mosquito-borne diseases currently of public health concern in Florida include St. Louis encephalitis, eastern equine encephalitis, West Nile virus encephalitis, and dengue.

Mammals Gray squirrels are being born. Baby raccoons, foxes, armadillos, possums, and bobcats leave dens and begin following parents.

Plants Scrub morning glory and butterfly weed begin to bloom.

CHAMBERBITTER IS BITTER! In my never-ending quest to find a use for our favorite weed and discover new culinary delights, I made a cup of Chamberbitter tea recently. In other countries, folks drink it as an herbal health aid. It’s supposed to help liver and kidney function and probably other stuff as well. The technique was simple: Pull it up, dry it out, and steep it in hot water for a while. The results were less than spectacular. The stuff tastes like the medicine it’s purported to be. I got through a quarter cup before giving up. This is not to say you

By Bill Buckellew

wouldn’t like it; some of you even eat broccoli and liver, so try it yourself if you’re brave enough. My plan was to like it so much that I would bring it to a future meeting and serve it, but I think I’ll let you be the judge.

Meanwhile, I’m looking for another recipe.

Ed Note: Discovered that ‘organic’ chamberbitter sells for about $180 in a 4 gram bag....mail order.....from 4

India.....we are in the WRONG line of work!

GARDENING FOR INDEPENDENCE I thought this would be a catchy title for a series of articles beginning-when else?- around the Fourth of July, the idea being that raising and preserving one's own food is an obvious means to self-sufficiency and independence. There are many aspects of gardening for independence that are less obvious but also important and include such things as buying locally-raised produce when possible, thus reducing our dependence on the transportation grid. Conserving water and other resources either in the raising of our own food or by purchasing from those who use best management practices is another important component of gardening for independence. These are all things that we can think about and incorporate into our lives as master gardeners and in the help and advice we give to the public.

The first thing I discovered is that my catchy title has already been taken by other writers. There is even a book out called “Gardening for Independence” (which I have not read). In any case, it's a great concept and it's something I've been giving a lot of thought to ever since I wrote the newsletter articles on the Victory Gardens of WWI and II. While researching those articles on how they did it during the world wars, I acquired a new contemporary hero in the form of a guy who lives in Pasadena, CA and gardens on about a tenth of an acre: http://urbanhomestead.org/ On his little urban postage-stamp of land, he manages to raise about 6,000 lbs of produce a year! I don't personally aspire to raising 3 tons of produce per year but I remain dazzled by the possibilities of what one CAN do with a small amount of land. Most of my ½ acre yard is already devoted to ornamental gardening, ponds and swimming pool, as well as some natural habitat for birds, turtles, etc. Not wishing to get rid of any of that, I've set aside a mostly overgrown and neglected portion of the yard and am developing plans for doing some very intensive gardening there, using raised beds and lots of vertical space. This year is devoted to clearing brush and constructing the raised beds and trellises. I hope to get the beds into production over the winter (how lucky we are to live in Florida!) and to really get it producing next spring.

I bought a couple of books that have been useful. One is the “All New Square Foot Gardening” by Mel Bartholomew.

This is an updated version of a book that has been around for decades and it always seemed somewhat 'gimmicky' to me. I never had any real interest in the concept of square foot gardening until I started sizing up the area I intend to devote to intensive food production and thinking about how to maximize the use of that small space. It was then that the idea of placing actual square foot grids on the raised beds began to make sense to me, from the standpoint of using limited gardening space very precisely and efficiently. So, I plan to construct a few of the square foot grids and experiment with using them as guidelines for planting my raised beds in the coming months. Another useful book is called “Vertical Vegetables and FruitCreative Gardening Techniques for Growing Up in Small Spaces” by Rhonda Massingham Hart. Because if you lack horizontal space for maximizing your production, where do you go? Up, of course! The book is full of lots of good advice and tips for building and using trellises and other ver-

By Karen Harper

tical supports and has given me some great ideas for 'growing up'. There are also a lot of good ideas to be found on the 'net and here are two that I plan to modify and use in my intensive garden: http://www.pvcplans.com/ trellis.htm This structure is much larger than I need but I like the sturdy PVC construction ideas and, more than that, I really like the idea of growing my cucumbers (or other vines) in recycled plastic pots. That impresses me as a great way to re-use the many planting pots we all accumulate every year. It should also be an excellent way to provide good, rich soil for the vines to grow in, much better than the less than ideal conditions that exist in my planned 'intensive' area. So that's a pretty exciting idea. I also came upon several sites offering plans (for sale) for a strawberry pyramid. I like free plans best so I searched until I found these instructions: http://runnerduck.com/ strawberry_tree.htm After years of very limited success at growing strawberries here (using everything from ceramic strawberry pots to grow-bags) I spent some time studying the procedures that Akers of Strawberries in Baker uses very successfully to produce a lot of good strawberries. It seems pretty clear to me that the best way to grow strawberries in our area is to copy Akers' success and grow them as annuals, getting them started in mid to late winter for a planned harvest in April-May. With limited space, a vertical growing method seems like a natural and a cedar tower should be a practical and attractive addition to the intensive garden. I hope to find time to build the tower and get strawberry plants started this winter.

Along with producing more food comes the need to preserve that food for future use. Lacking freezer space and not owning a food dehydrator, my method of choice for preserving food is canning. With all these great plans for increasing my home-grown produce next year, I haven’t been a slacker this year! With my small herb garden on the patio and my usual half-dozen tomato plants and peppers in containers, as well as several citrus trees and blueberry plants in containers, my garden has been surprisingly productive! I’ve canned tomatoes, salsa, and blueberry jam, all from my own harvest, and made blackberry jam from wild blackberries that we picked. I’ve also made several forays into some of the local farmers’ markets and grocery stores and bought a lot of fresh produce that I’ve canned. It’s been a fun and interesting endeavor that has monopolized my life for the past month and given us a pantry full of food for the winter. Or in case the world as we know it ceases to exist, whichever comes first. ‘Adventures in Canning’ will be the subject of my next article. In the meantime, if any of our Master Gardeners have experiences or suggestions to offer for increasing food production from small spaces, please send them to me: tkharper@cox.net and I'll share them here.

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BOOK REVIEW

By Ed Smith

WHAT A PLANT KNOWS, By Daniel Chamovitz, Ph.D. The title may appear more esoteric than scientific but let me assure you the information is all science based and is easily read by the nonscientists. Daniel Chamovitz is the Director of the Manna Center for Plant Biosciences at Tel Aviv University. His research in the biological processes of plants spans more than twenty years. The book was published by Scientific American.

You may wonder how the term “knows” could be applied to plants as there is no detectable nervous system or brain to act as a central control. The answer lies in the human limitations in understanding a different life form. Knowing in this case is used to verify the detection of and response to external stimuli. The anthropomorphic terms allow us to better formulate a concept with which we may more easily comprehend the family of plants. The five senses, normally attributed to the animal kingdom, are therefore used to explore and explain “What a Plant Knows.”

There are chapters on sight, sound, touch, smell and even memory. Others mention the awareness of plants and the commonalities within our genomes. Reading this may even alter your own awareness and attitude. While the body of the book is small (149 pages ) there are copious footnotes and references for the inquisitive reader. The website www.danielchamovitz.com also provides additional information about the author. When seeking the book you may find this ISBN helpful.

ISBN 978-0-374-28873-0

HIDDEN DANGERS Have you ever wondered what the other ingredients were in your bag of fertilizer? If a product says 15-0-15, we know there is 15% nitrogen and 15% potassium but what is the additional 70%? It is interesting to note that neither the federal government nor most states require fertilizer manufacturers to disclose what harmful ingredients may be present. The fertilizer makers only need to list items that are claimed to be beneficial.

A recent speaker at our Master Gardener meeting spoke of the wonderful success he had with “ Ironite” to fertilize his container grown vegetables and flowers. He claimed that unlike other fertilizer, it didn’t matter how much you used, it wouldn’t burn your plants.

This is probably right. Ironite is intended as a supplement to a regular fertilization program and may not, by itself, provide all the nutrients normally required. It is low in nitrogen and potassium (1-0-1) but is loaded with micronutrients.

Now for the bad news and hopefully this has changed. Ironite was and still may be made from mining waste generated by the Iron King Mine in Arizo-

By Bob Bayer na. In 1998, the state of Oregon tested Ironite and found it classified as hazardous waste due to levels of arsenic in the product. An undated report stated that according to the Ironite Products Company and published by Washington State Department of Agriculture, it contained 4380 parts per million arsenic and 2940 ppm of lead. The company claimed the product was safe because the chemicals were tightly bound and not absorbed by the body. Washington State disagrees. They claim 81% of the lead and 36% of the arsenic is bioavailable.

No fertilizer label, including Ironite, is required to advise users to take precaution during or after use of their product, such as keeping children and pets away from treated areas or washing hands and clothing after exposure.

WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW COULD BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH. Ed Note: As with ANY chemical, you should ALWAYS read the instructions and take the proper safety precautions to prevent accidental exposure.

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Please!

Check the conditions BEFORE you go in the water!

Make sure family, friends, and visitors pay attention to the flags and life guards!

ACROSS 4. White sand 7. Dog Days of 8. Red, White and Blue 9. A place for ants 10. Our National Bird 14. Under windows 15. Summer day meal 16. Marching bands 17. Army, Navy, etc.

19. Light up the sky 22. Let it ring 23. Waving in the breeze 24. Bunting, streamers

DOWN 1. No cooking in the kitchen 2. Tents and weenie roasts 3. It’s not the heat, it’s the 4. The South is famous for it 5. Our weather during the summer 6. A way to cool off 11. Where you put the charcoal 12. We get a lot of this 13. What we celebrate 15. A box of fun that ‘sparkles’ 18. What we hope doesn’t break on a hot day 19. Pulled by trucks 20. Red flags are out, dangerous 21. Where weeds grow 7

YES, IT’S HOT Yes, it’s sticky without your help the nursery will get icky!

There is still work to do even though the weather is hot and humid!

Even giving one hour would help!

Head on down to the nursery and lend a hand!

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Marg Stewart—Editor Shari Farrell, Karen Harper and Linda Meyers—Co-Editors

Have pictures or an idea for an article?

Send it in!

Articles and pictures are always welcome.

Your member site: www.ocmgamembers.org

The Foundation for the Gator Nation.....An equal opportunity institution.

LAST WORD I got it into my head the other day that I was going to make cheese. Mozzarella to be exact. I mean really, how hard could it be? The directions looked fairly straight forward so I made the trip to the store for the necessary supplies.

Upon returning home, I discovered at the end of the recipe was the fact that you can’t use ultra-pasteurized milk.

Did I also mention that this whole thing requires TWO GALLONS? Thankfully, powdered milk would work. Okay, fine, now I have everything.

I follow all the instructions, pull the resulting mass like you’re supposed to and ended up with....drum roll....a hunk of mozzarella that wasn’t even as big as a softball.

Did I mention that it was two gallons of milk?

Then it was on to additional rain barrel installation. I mean, there is a tropical storm brewing and indications are that we’ll get something out of this. The clock is ticking right?

In order to start, I have to move the current rain barrel and....WHAT is that smell? Great. A squirrel has gotten in there and didn’t fare well. UGH! It really is amazing how long you can hold your breath when you have to deal with something like that.

Mid way through the install I discover that I didn’t have the right connector so it’s off to the store to try and find a coupling that will marry 1/4” to 1/2” with threads on the 1/4” side. An hour later, finding out that the part doesn’t exist and having to puzzle a few others together, I have something that will work and the storm is still brewing.

Back home, finish the install just as it begins to rain.....for 10 minutes. That’s it....10 minutes. The storm heads elsewhere and I have a very nice, dry set of rain barrels.

Okay, time to just take a breather and 9

Marg Stewart regroup. Frustration level has reached it’s peak (keep in mind I’m sparing you from all the other mini and major disasters of the week).

Sitting here, I got to thinking about frustration. Why was I frustrated about the cheese? Well, for starters the info about the milk really should have been at the beginning of the instructions BUT if I had read them completely to begin with—problem avoided. Granted, it was a small hunk of cheese but it was awfully good.

The squirrel in the rain barrel? Well, I can’t control the actions of squirrels and since there were 7 in my yard the following morning, it sure didn’t impact the population around here. Yes, it was disgusting and smelly but solvable.

The hassle of getting a part? Okay, most of the problem was previous part seekers not putting things back where they found them. Again, something I can’t control. I did manage to get something that would work and face it, we will get rain and the barrels will get filled.

So, I guess the frustration is of my own doing. How often do we get frustrated when it’s something we can’t control to begin with or just because something isn’t going to happen on our own schedule?

I’ll make cheese again (after all, it was good) but will be wiser about the outcome. I’ll double check rain barrels to make sure that critters can’t gain entrance, and if they do, I’ll deal with it.

In the meantime, I’ve gotten a few more tomatoes out of the garden and the rest of the harvest is coming in. I’ll have plenty of storage space when the rain does come and even have an extra pump to help with the watering. When you get right down to it, we don’t have much time to waste on being frustrated, now do we?