On Oct 19, 6:12*am, Phisherman wrote:
On Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:58:33 -0700 (PDT), eva shovelful

wrote:
Hello,
I am new to this gardening newsgroup and I thought that I would ask a

snip

I have found three black widow spiders in 17 years. *They are common
in this area, scorpions too. *I'm in east TN, zone 7. *Always watch
wear you put your hands and feet. *You can quickly find a zone map
using Google.

that's not too many. But I have found three in less than two weeks.
I lived for awhile in east TN, and never saw scorpions, but that's not
to say they weren't there. And I saw black widow spiders more than
usual before we moved in the early spring. Maybe the damp has
encouraged them to be more prolific? I am now resigned to wear thin
goat garden gloves which are the best I can find for now until I can
do better. I don't like heavy gloves unless I plan on working with
spines and thorns. But I understand there is a good garden glove
company called Woman's Work? I am looking that up later. I am now
into socks and sneakers as the weather has turned seasonal. Sandals
and bare feet are my usual unless I find good thick flip flops, which
are out of fashion. But with this raised bed I am gardening in, and
the new found spider, I have decided to be more weary of them as I
slow down and take more notice of what I am reaching my hands and
fingers into (my husband too). Having lived in TN for awhile, I've
noticed that the zones have warmed up a bit. someone sent me a map
that showed how much the whole country has warmed up lately. and I'm
not talking global warming. I just remember TN being more zone 6 a or
6b. But I am eager to learn about what does well here. The locals all
warned us that it wasn't nearly as hot and humid as it normally is
during the late spring and summer. My poor husband suffered more with
the massive attacks of mosquito's. They adored him. we quickly found
that not deep woods but cutters was the best to lather on him to keep
him from looking like a minor leprosy victim. He loves this weather
now. No "skeeters" ! thanks for the feedback.
eva shovelful