Hey, you were able to revive this thread! Google wouldn't let me do
it, since it had been quiet for over 30 days.

I actually posted a follow-up a month ago that no one noticed:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...05fa90c3207fed

My quince was alive. It just went dormant for MONTHS, starting in the
early fall. I find that behavior surprising, given my moderate climate
(Central California, USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 16).

Following up again: now that the quince has flourished for four months,
I'm seeing signs of stress again -- some leaf-burn. I can't say that I
understand why! My _Sunset_Western_Garden_Book_ lists Chaenomeles
japonica as a full-sun plant, with moderate to regular water needs, and
I'm supplying that. If anything, the plant gets an hour or two more of
shade than I would usually allot for a plant that is described as
requiring full-sun conditions.

I'm hoping that this plant doesn't go dormant in September again. It's
clearly alive and coping with the conditions, but if it will look bare
and unattractive for over half the year, I may need to talk my wife
into putting something else in that location.


OK, even though animals are officially a non-issue in my garden
problems, here are a few comments about my crazy dog...

Persephone wrote:
On 4 Feb 2006 10:05:20 -0800, "John Ladasky"
wrote:
Keith wrote:
[snip]
Any cats in your yard?

Interesting idea, but no. Our dog chases away any cats that come in to
the yard. And before you ask whether the dog might be cursing the
garden with contributions of her own, she isn't. Much to my dismay,
her favorite places to poop are those places where humans are most
likely to walk -- the deck, and the pathways.

Err...you might want to take her to a qualified dog psychiatrist who
can analyze her "issues"...is there some latent hostility manifesting
itself in her poop-choices?

(Just kidding g)

Actually, we know exactly what our dog's "issue" is. She had
inadequate time with her Mom as a puppy, only four weeks. Apparently,
Mom teaches her pups their toileting habits, and she wasn't through
teaching. We didn't take the puppy away from the breeder too early --
Mom died shortly after the litter was born. Our dog is the only dog I
know that regularly pees in her own bed. :^P

Our dog is a help in the garden, though -- well, she is helpful now
that she has outgrown digging holes. She's a miniature Dachshund, and
her rodent-hunting instincts are keen. We don't have any burrowing
animals around here, but our garden-hating neighbor has a "rat motel"
-- a large stand of Algerian ivy. Occasionally a rat tries to leave
the neighbor's yard and enter ours. It doesn't get far.

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