Brenda,

I'm going out on a limb here (no pun intended), but is your husband by any
chance retired, with too much time on his hands?

To the best of my knowledge, weeding is good, a bit of light cultivating is
good, but plants don't really need to "breathe"!!! (Actually, whenever I
feel that I may have been a bit too enthusiastic with my efforts in using a
hoe around plants, I make sure to spend extra time watering them.)

If you have the room -- or maybe even if you don't!!! -- you might might
think about "His & Hers" flower beds.

Let's see, it's mid-September, so we all will be knee-deep in gardening
catalogs soon -- the major difference is that you in Michigan will have
some time for leisurely perusal of said catalogs before you get geared up
again for Spring, unlike those of us here in the triangle.gardens
(Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC) where Fall is a *blessing* (for me at
least, but I'm a woman "of a certain age" in the sandy part of the
riangle -- if I feel like using the garden tiller on New Year's Day, I
pity the fool who'd tell me not to!)

Sorry, sorry, back to the topic at hand: As I see it, you have two major
options -- either lock up the garden tools (but he could go buy more,
which you might be able to turn to your advantage) or let hubby work on his
own plants. (If you really want to keep him occupied, you might suggest
that he build raised beds & experiment with his own "soil-less mix"!)

Good luck to you! And remember, when you envy us when we're talking about
gardening in February, we'll be envying you in July (actually, this group
can be pretty vocal in July, because some of us can't stand to be outside
very long gardening in July).

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC



"dixie dumplin" wrote in message
...
Hi I have been lurking and decided it was time!!
My name is Brenda I live in Detroit Mich where the weather has turned
off just great.
I need to ask a question here...
ok here goes...... all this summer I have made flower beds (wow broke my
back on this stuff) had such beautiful results... but every so often my
husband decides the plants need to breathe and digs up all around my
plants which messes up my beds..Now I have been a florist for thirty
years.. and have never heard of this..
I have such common plants..mums..
marigolds..nothing to be really worried about the care of...
Am I mistaken that this action Doesn't have to happen... the plants are
well watered and in good light and doing great!! is there such a need
as to let them breathe and dig the soil up around them..
couldn`t this disturb the roots...
just wanting to know....lol
a very nice group you have here... didn`t mean just to jump in with
questions... but I have to know before I take my stand :-)

~Bren