I was just reading this article http://garden.org/ideas/view/w... when I saw this line:

~Roses really do love garlic which effectively keeps black spot and aphids away.

Anyone actually try this? I am definitely up for growing garlic (like I need an excuse) but I don't have blackspot problems (unfortunately) and I can usually keep the aphids under control.

Don't say unfortunatly that you don't have blackspot. You are very fortunate. I have to spray my roses from early spring till late fall every two weeks with a systemic fungicide to keep that aweful blackspot away.

Newyorkrita said:Don't say unfortunatly that you don't have blackspot. You are very fortunate.

I wouldn't mind spraying if that meant I was getting moisture. Water bills suck! Having to water my roses every day 30-45 minutes a day? And the next day, you'd swear that they hadn't gotten a drop to drink 'cuz the leaves are all crunchy...

Oh wow. I didn't know you had to work that hard to keep up your roses. And roses do like a lot of water, especoally when they are blooming.

KatieJo said:Haha....snow is packed and shipped!!! Now I'm going to go take a nap, and when I wake up, it better be April.

Skiekitty said:I was just reading this article http://garden.org/ideas/view/w... when I saw this line:

~Roses really do love garlic which effectively keeps black spot and aphids away.

Anyone actually try this? I am definitely up for growing garlic (like I need an excuse) but I don't have blackspot problems (unfortunately) and I can usually keep the aphids under control.

I plant onions with my roses; it seems to help somewhat, and I like the way they look together. I don't think of planting garlic until it's too late, but I would if I remembered it in time.



I didn't order any winter planting roses this year, and now I'm glad. It's been too cold of a winter here so far to be out planting in it.

I am on an exercise kick to loose some weight. I started in December. On December 10th. So far I have lost five pounds and also gained muscle, not just lost weight. I have a Gizelle Edge Fitness Glider machine and use that for 40 minutes each day. Then I alternate free weights one day with using the stepper machine. So the Gizelle each day then weights (very light ones) one day and stepper the next, then weights, then stepper and so on). I have a long way to go as I need to loose lots more pounds. But at least I am doing something.

You would think taking care of my garden and all that work would be enough to keep me in shape. Apparently not as each winter I add more pounds than I am able to get off come summertime. So the weight keeps creeping up. Time to face the issure and do something about it!

Good for you, Rita! Winter weight is hard to lose.

I had work to do today at the computer so all afternoon I have been working and exercising. So working at the computer between exercising or exercising between working, take your pick. I am finially finished now. Done with both work and exercising.

Oh man am I sore. Aggg. I did 60 minutes on the Gizelle. .Then I went on to my weight exercises. Finished now but things just ache all over the body. Even using the arms typing hurts the achy muscles!

I think I will go and watch a DVD to rest up from my exercising.

It sounds as if you're doing really well with your fitness program - a hard thing to start this time of year. Yea, Rita!

This is what I intend to keeo up all winter. This way I can be in much better shape by spring.

I took a day off yesterday but back again to my exercise routine again today. Yesterday was 1 month since I started on December 10th so didn't do anything. I usually do 30-50 minutes on my Gizelle Machine every day and then alternate free weights (light ones) with the stair stepper machine on alternate days.

Looking forward to my next month since I have started (and that will be on Febuary 10th) my goals are more modest than they were in my first month. Since I only lost 5 pounds since starting and not the 10 I had hoped to loose my goal for this month is to loose another 5 pounds and make that 10 pound loss from my starting weight.

I REALLY want to be able to eat pizza and pasta again. But I am stubborn. I promised myself I would loose ten pounds before I had either so I will be sticking to that goal and promise.

And certainly no sweets like candy, cookies, cake and donuts. I do really miss my favorite cookies and Dunkin Donuts. I just LOVE Dunlin Donuts. Probably why I got so fat anyway is eating all those yummy donuts.

Sometimes not having a car is a blessing. If I were to crave anything fattening, I couldn't just jump in the car and go get it.

It sounds like you're on the slow steady route that is supposed to be the most effective. Just keep it up! The reason you may be losing less than expected is that you are turning fat into muscle which is heavier.

I can tell that things are tighening up. That means more muscle and less actual fat on the body. But I have a long way to go. Still, this is for long term health benefits so I will just keep slogging away at it.

Go, Rita, go!

Exercising done for today. 30 minutes on the Gizelle and then the weight exercises. I was able to do two reps of 25 each today. Two days ago when I uppped it to the 5 pound dumbells I was only able to do two reps of 15. When I was at the lower weights I did three reps of 25 and four of 25 on the bicep curls. So I am working up to being able to do all that at the 5 pounds.

So funny that I have had to work up to 5 pounds. I mean 5 pounds is not much. But I had to work up to 5 pounds.

One of the reasons I started this crazy exercise kick I am on now is because I have noticed how much I have slowed down in the garden. Especially these past two years. It takes me so much longer to do stuff and I can't lift much. All in spite of still taking care of my garden each year. So I am hoping my exersises help me gain strength and stamina.

I had thought gardening was enough exercise. But then I did tend to be a couch potato during the winter. But my Doctor told me to exercise so exercise it is. Plus I have lots of fat to get rid of.

In addition to getting rid of winter fat, exercise wards off osteoporosis, so keep it up!

Honestly, I am very surprised at how much strength I have lots these past few years. And I just feel better now that I am exercising. Stronger bones would always be a plus!

Rita - For anyone who just planted over a gazillion bulbs, I can't believe that you have an ounce of fat on you anywhere. Your dedication to working out is inspiring me! As soon as I get my results from my MRI for my sciatica and get over this damned flu (it's nasty, I'll tell the world), hopefully I can get back into the gym. What I did when I was working out (when I had the energy to do more than just breathe) was, while at work: (copied & pasted from Cubits)

I sit at work all day behind a desk (yay ) so this is something that takes about 5-6 minutes and you can do it while at work 'cuz that's how I did it. I got a dumbbell (I use personally an 8lb, but start with a light one, like a 3lb). Then do bicep curls (I do 15 each arm, minimum 3 reps), then behind the head tricep raises (holding the dumbbell, raise your arm so that your hand is up in the air, like you're trying to get a teacher's attention. Then let the dumbbell come down SLOWLY behind your head, then raise it back up again. 15 reps, 3 sets per arm). Took about a month, but I went from a 14" flabby jello arm to a 13" not-as-flabby jello arm in about a month (I do this whenever-I-remember, so 3-5 times a week). This honestly is VERY easy and takes little time. What *I* do is a set of bicep curls (right arm), then overhead tricep extensions (right arm), then bicep curls (left arm), then overhead tricep extensions (left arm), then stand up, do 25 body-weight squats, then 10 lunges on right leg, then 10 lunges on left leg. Sit back down, rest for 1/2 hour. Then do it again. So this ENTIRE thing will take probably 20-25 minutes, but by the end, I usually end up doing 3-4 sets on each arm (by the 3rd set, my arms are burning), and a minimum of 75 squats & 30 lunges / leg. It *DOES* work. Honestly. Really. And this is something that ANYONE can do if you have arms & legs that mostly work.

But right now, I don't have 2 legs that work, just 1, and the pain is unbearable some days (been in the ER w/this 4 times now, they give out percoset like M&Ms, which doesn't help w/the pain, just makes me loopy & stupid). So I haven't done much working out. At the same time, my eating has gone way down (I'm taking in probably 500-800 calories / day), so I haven't probably gained a lot from lack of exercise, either.

Rita, what is a Gizelle? (Sounds carnivorous...)

Toni - hope you get well quick; it must be miserable to be sick and lame at the same time.