2 years ago there were alot of oxhart varieties of Renton ave ( I think it's called minters earlinton. ). Don't know if it's okay to post their number, but I'd suggest calling since it's a bit further south. But it's a great nursery and they had five rows of tomato varieties in really good shape. Pricier than home depot but well worth the extra bucks to have healthy tomatoes well into the grow cycle that you could actually get them to ripen in seattle

You didn't mention what type of orchid you have, although I'm not sure my answer would vary too much.  The most common orchids we see in the PNW include Cymbidiums (aka boat orchids), Paphiopedilums (aka lady slipper orchids), and Phaelaebiosis (aka moth orchids).  These orchids are relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to grow in our homes.

Now back to your question:  Do you see ANY sign of a new leaf? If the answer is yes, you have a chance of saving the plant. Cut back the flower stem--you want the plants energy going into producing leaves not flowers--and get your plant on a regular water schedule. I'll give general orchid care instructions later.

If the answer is no, I recommend replacing the orchid.  

Here's some general orchid care instruction:

Light:  Orchids do not like direct sunlight.  Place your plant in a very bright window. 

Water:  Watering is probably the most frequent reason orchids fail to thrive or die.  Most orchids should be watered just as they begin to dry out.  There are variations to this rule.  Orchids like Phaeleonopis and Paphiopedilums have no water storage "organ" and need to be watered just before dryness occurs.  I water my Paphiopedilums once a week.  To water place the plant in the kitchen sink.  Water your plant copiously until the water runs freely from the drainage holes. Keep the plant in the sink until all the water has drained.  

Fertilize:  There is a lot of information available about when to fertilize and what fertilizer to use.  Unless you want to become a collector and grow lots of orchids, I'd recommend keeping it simple.  At the time of watering, I put a pinch of orchid fertilzer in 1 cup of water for every plant.  Every 3rd watering, I omit the fertilizer.  

Humidity:  Place your plant on a saucer filled with pebbles.  Add some water.  Each week, replace with fresh water.  Don't overfill the saucer.  You don't want the plant to drink this water!  The roots will rot.

This is probably more information than you wanted but I hope it helps.  If you do replace your orchid, keep the care tag.  The American Orchid Society's website has  particularly good Orchid 101 fact sheet designed for novice orchid lovers.  Or, post another question and I can give you specific care info for the type of orchid you've purchased.  

Since you don't have underlayment, nor do you want to install it or use chemicals, you're going to have to pull weeds as Greg Barnes suggested. You can also use boiling water to kill weeds and their ungerminated seeds--it's non-toxic and effective, but a bit unwieldy.

Do you like moss? Acidulate your soil with vinegar, which will kill most vascular plants but will encourage moss growth.

Finally, you could try covering your path with black sheet plastic for several weeks. This will kill whatever is trying to grow under it by denying it sunlight and (if you're lucky) cooking it with the sun's heat.

However, with all of these methods, you're going to have to stay on top of pulling up weeds as they sprout as none of them will prevent seeds that drift in from germinating.

Gardening with Ciscoe on 97.3 Kiro fm on Saturdays

Well I only know about this show from my mother listening to it every Saturday. I can't vouch for it's listenability myself, since I prefer science shows. She is however an avid gardener and loves the show.

Podcasts:
http://mynorthwest.com/?nid=574&p=30&n=Garden%20with%20Ciscoe

You could start, like TOMORROW, some hardy overwintering carrots, or beets, or lettuce, or radishes, or arugula, or some other green.

OR you could go to the Seattle Tilth Harvest Fest in something like September and pick out some great over-wintering broccoli starts or cabbage varietals to plunk into your soil then, after weeding and amending it with compost.

OR you could wait til October and start your KILLER garlic crop in very well-cover cropped soil (from now-Oct).

Here is what I would do, though: I would hit the ground enhancing, Andrew, so that I could KILL in the veggie bounty next year. You can start some buckwheat cover crop now, a summer beauty that feeds your soil like manna; chop it in when in flower, then sow a hardy vetch/rye cover crop by Sept/Oct for over-winter nourishment. (OR grow favas in the fall: they will grow slowly over time and by spring they will feed YOU (pick their pods)and the SOIL (leave the rest in situ and then chop into the soil)with their crazy, huge, pink nitrogen nodules!) By spring, not only will your soil know that you love it, it will know how to grow INSANE vegetables. Because it was fed so well! You may then grow almost anything, because you did the nourishment footwork.

Great question!  With so many ornamental grasses being introduced every year, there is a lot of confusion about care. Some general tips:

Deciduous Grasses: If you planted deciduous grasses (in the winter they look like "straw"), wait until spring to cut them back just as the new growth emerges (late-February, March, or April).  Deciduous grasses are prone to rot if pruned in the fall. Also, winter gardens can benefit from the structure of the grass as it rustles in the wind or is covered with beads of frost. Just don't forget to cut back the grass in the spring. New growth mixed with old growth isn't very appealing. 

Evergreen Grasses: Never cut back. You will need to carefully prune out dying foliage. Some gardeners use their rakes to help pull out dead foliage, especially if you have a lot of clumps.

After a few years, you may notice your grasses are becoming bald in the middle. This is a good time to dig out, divide, and replant or share with friends. 

A word of caution, there are some grasses on the market that can take over the garden!  Plant carefully and read the plant care label.  I think all gardeners have mistakenly planted something that looked so pretty in the container, only to become a monster in the garden.  When buying ornamental grasses, I look for varieties that "clump" and will not spread.  Also, once in a while I break the rule about not pruning decidous grasses in the fall.  Some deciduous grasses reseed so rapidly and it's worth the risk of rot to avoid having 100s of new plants!  

All of the ones discussed here are quite hardy. Plants can succumb to over attention as well as neglect. Be sure you understand what kind of attention is appropriate (overwatering can be very harmful to plants). All these mentioned (especially in my answer) do not require much attention.

http://questionland.com/questions/22071-indoor-plants-that-can-withstand-long-seattle-bouts-of-no-sun

Without seeing the trees in person, I can only offer a few ideas. For a proper diagnosis, I always recommend taking a sample to a local nursery or to a Master Gardener clinic. If the Master Gardeners can't give you a definite diagnosis, they will forward your sample to our highly trained diagnosticians.

That said, WSU's Hortsense offers three possible answers to your question.  My vote, without seeing a sample, is #1.

1. You may be seeing "flagging" Evergreen plants naturally shed some old foliage each year. Stress factors, such as lack of sufficient water, hot winds, construction damage or other root disturbance, poor planting procedures, or recent planting can promote flagging. Brown foliage develops on the tree or shrub in mid- to late summer and is very obvious by early fall. The affected foliage consists of older growth formed in previous years. Foliage developed during the current year (at the branch tips) remains green. These brown branchlets are called flags and are generally spread uniformly throughout the canopy. Affected foliage may begin to drop during hot, dry weather. Most of the dead foliage is blown out of the plant by the wind in fall and winter, and the plant typically resumes its healthy appearance.

To help keep "flagging" to a minimum, here are some controls:  Additional irrigation may be needed during periods of summer drought. Alleviate root disturbance from construction damage or other factors. Correct poor planting practices when feasible. If affected plants were planted too deeply, it may be possible to replant them during the dormant season if they are not too large.

Here are two other possibilities that can attack cedars--and I think are highly unlikely given your photos and description.
Phytophthora root rot on Port Orford cedar is usually a problem only in areas with poor drainage or where flooding occurs. The fungus attacks the roots, which rot and die. The infection moves up into the crown, where the cambium (soft inner bark) turns reddish-brown or caramel in color instead of the normal white to greenish color. Older trees may develop cankers on the trunk, which are a dark reddish-brown when cut. The cankers may be accompanied by split bark and oozing pitch. Lower branches wilt, turn dark red, and die back. Younger trees are often killed outright, while infected mature trees may show wilting, branch dieback, and/or gradual decline.

 And. . .  Leaf blight, fungal disease:  The symptoms typically appear first in late spring as bleached spots followed by brown or black cushion-like fungal fruiting bodies. Infected foliage may be anywhere on the plant. Individual leaves are killed by the fungus and turn a light tan to gray color. As the fruiting bodies drop out of the leaves, deep pits are left in the dead tissue. The infected tissues often have a "scorched" appearance. Infected leaves often drop in the fall. Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) is most commonly infected, particularly the cultivars 'Atrovirens' and 'Excelsa'. A similar disease attacks junipers.

Good luck and I hope this information is useful!

Arbutus or Pacific Madrone. Not sure if there's another name for the fruit, but it's totally edible. I tried a couple once and wasn't that impressed with the flavor, but it's a personal thing.

According to the Pacific Madrone article the fruit is astringent, so that might have contributed to nausea but I would think one wouldn't have that much of an effect. Did you eat a bunch of them, or on an empty stomach?

This probably being done by a skunk, racoon, or possum. There is a good chance it won't happen again. Flip the sod back down, water the heck out of it, and see what happens. If it is flipped over again you have two basic choices; physical control or biological/chemical control.

Physical control would be a cyclone fence or something. Very effective against skunks but racoons are a lot tougher. Possums are good climbers but seem put-off by fences.

A dog is probably the best possible/easy thing. If you don't have one you may be able to borrow one. My dog is famous for his anti-vermin qualities but he is getting old.

Bilogical/chemical control includes getting one of the various commerially available repelents and spreading it around. Or, a big, huge bag of hot pepper spice. Spread it around.

A friend on Vashon uses motion sensitive cells to turn on lights, a radio, and fans with metalic/mylar strips that freak out the dear and racoons that raid his garden and chicken shed.

Another thing worth trying is putting sprinklers on a timer so the things turn on for a few moments every couple of minutes all night. Warn the neighbors.

BTW- whatever critter it is is probably trying to root up some worms.

Get a good mushroom guide. They normally list how the mushrooms physically look as reload things like spore color that can help identify ( not as good for hunting elsewhere but for stuff growing in your yard you can take the cap of one and leave it on white paper overnight. The pattern and color that it leaves spores helps identify which can be crucial on mushrooms that have look alikes. That kinda stuff will be covered in classes if you hook up with the group Russ mentioned. But be careful. Nothing ruins a meal more than a stomach pumping. It may be easier to go hunting for the very singular and specific mushrooms that can't be mistaken for others than the random ones that grow in the yard that could have come from anything airborne or from you mulch

Black Locust do "pop" up all over town! Washington State University's Whatcom County Extension gives some interesting info about this vigorous grower. The tree thrives in sun or partial shade and dry conditions AND can grow upwards of 80' (H) and 30' (W).  Also,  "root suckers easily arise from established root systems, sprouting new shoots and interconnecting fibrous roots to form extensive, dense groves of new plants."  In other words this is a particularlly adaptive, invasive tree!

If you plan to replace it with a more manageable tree, I'd do it in the fall (like now) or early-spring.  Most nurseries are having excellent sales and it's a great time to plant.  Start thinking about what type of tree you'd like to add to your landscape--flowering, maximum size, fall-color, leaf shape, and so on.  Check out Community Horticulture Fact Sheet "Trouble Free Landscape Plants" for ideas.  

I hope this is helpful.  Happy planting!

If you live in Seattle, meats and dairy ARE allowed in the yard waste. So, I wouldn't hesitate to put either dry or wet cat food in the yard waste bin.

Here's a link to all of their rules. There's even a video!

Golden Pothos

Sanseveria (Mother-in-Law's Tongue, various length species)

Aspidistra (Cast Iron Plant)

various Philodendron species various

Ficus trees (can be fickle about being moved around and when air changes occur, like humidity, when you use winter heat)

Christmas cactus (big favorite at our house, and is bird safe - non-toxic to birds) - we have a large one that is close to 30 years old - see the photo)

The more your pile up, the more potatoes you get. As long as you don't cover up all the leaves (which is what are supplying most of the energy to grow the plants), you're good.

Btw, look for 'free dirt' in the neighborhood or on Craigslist. There's no need to buy topsoil for this purpose.

Also, don't eat the above-ground fruit. They kinda look like tomatoes, but they're poisonous.

Yes, you can use Praying mantis for pest control.  However, be sure you have pests for them to munch.  If they don't have a food source, they will go after each other!  (I guess they don't play well together!)

I think the following information and sources will address your questions:

From Clark County Extension: . . .There are over 1800 species, mostly tropical. Three are native in North America: the Chinese mantis, Tenodera sinensis, the Carolina mantis, Stagmomantis carolina and the European mantis, Mantis religiosa.. . .  The mantis, also known as mantid is most closely related to grasshoppers and cockroaches. The common name comes from the manner in which they hold up the forepart of their body, with the front legs folded as if in prayer. They range from 2 to 6 inches in length and are varying shades of brown and green.The praying mantis is strictly a meat eater who enjoys moths, beetles, horseflies, leaf hoppers, aphids, and other mantises, even animals larger than themselves, such as frogs, lizards, and young snakes. They almost always start eating their prey while still alive and go for the neck to ensure struggling stops quickly. There is but one generation per year. In the fall, females lay eggs in a large mass about one inch long (30–300 eggs), in a frothy gummy substance that glues them to tree twigs, plant stems and other objects. A few weeks after laying eggs, the mantis dies. The eggs overwinter and tiny nymphs emerge from the egg mass in the spring or early summer. Nymphs look similar to adults, only smaller and have no wings. They quickly grow eating each other until only a few remain and become one of our larger insects. Praying mantis eggs cases are now available for purchase through catalogs, on-line, and at your local nurseries. You can raise your own prehistoric-looking bugs for cultural insect pest control. http://clark.wsu.edu/volunteer/mg/gm_tips/PrayingMantis.html

Retired King County Extension Agent, Mary Robson wrote a great article for The Seattle Times several years ago about beneficial insects and suggested contacting local nurseries--City People’s (Madison Valley), Molbak’s (Woodinville), Sky Nursery (Shoreline) or Swanson’s Nursery (NW Seattle)--or purchase on-line. Mantis’s are usually available in spring. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/homegarden/2003798223_marygarden28.html

Ohio State University has a fact sheet about Praying mantis and includes a source for purchasing: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2154.html.

For Seattle, most types of lettuce and other leafy greens. We don't get a lot of sun, and greens don't need a lot of sun, so it's win/win.

I think you might also benefit from the same list of Master Gardener Landscape Professionals who offer landscaping services I recommended to Joe Panzetta today. (Joe  asked Q-Land for a referral to someone who might be able to cut and edge his lawn.)

To obtain the list, e-mail  Elaine Anderson, WSU Extension Master Gardener Program Coordinator, at elaine.anderson@wsu.edu and request the  Master Gardener Landscape Professionals (no endorsement implied). From the list, you can make calls and get information related to individual services, pricing, etc.  If when you contact the individuals on the list they do not provide what you are looking for, be sure to ask them for referrals.    

Here's a final thought:  I also recommend asking neighbors or, if you're driving through the neighborhood and see someone working in the garden, stop and ask if they are available to work in other gardens.  Heck, the worst thing that could happen is he/she is the homeowner and you both have a good laugh! (Yes, it happened to a friend while he was working in the garden and a new neighbor thought he might be the gardener!  He thought it was hilarious.).  Anyway, I've had someone helping me in my garden for the past 5 years.  During this time, neighbors have stopped and asked him if he could work in their gardens  and he now has enough clients to keep him busy throughout spring, summer, and fall.

Wow, a Grey Gardens landscape . . . sounds like a lot of work!

You're familiar with the term "gone to seed"? That's what has happened with your basil. You can try to use the seeds produced to grow from seed next spring, but I don't think you be able to recover your plant for eating this year.

It happened to me one year with my oregano. Makes a rustic, pretty little plant, but you can't use it for spaghetti anymore.

I second the Terro stations. They really are the BEST and cheap (the unfortunate part is that it will cause a bit of a swarm to start so... you've got to tolerate more before you get less).

The pro I spoke to said that the 2 big goals are
(1) to make a barrier around the house so that new ants aren't coming in: Bifenthrin or other such poison on the foundation works well. I used something I found at Home Depot. The trick here is to make sure you don't have vegetation that goes from the ground, past the foundation, right onto the house as that will allow the ants to avoid the poison barrier you just spent money to create.

and

(2) to kill the queen of any ants within your walls (boric acid is IDEAL for this).

The Terro stations are boric acid mixed with sweet stuff. The ants find the sweet stuff and then carry it back to the nest where they feed it to their queen and their homebound compatriots. Then they all die. Yay!

Boric acid by itself can be a deterrent when applied in large quantities (they won't cross it if they can help it). In smaller quanitites they walk right across it, it gets stuck to their bodies and they take it back to the nest with them where they die and take others with them. Yay!

I've found that the ants in my house eventually grew tired of the Terro stations. It seems like the near decimation of their nest triggered some kind of flavor craving change. I was still seeing scouts and other random ants, but they just weren't interested in the Terro. So I poked around the internet until I found a place that sells the gel baits that the pros use (I used optiguard but there are several others). I put some gel bait out and that perked their interest in poison again. I haven't seen a single ant since.

Other things I did:
Unscrewed all the power outlet covers and "puffed" boric acid into the space between the walls. I even pulled out the canned lighting things and puffed boric acid into the ceiling space. Basically I put boric acid any place where neither I nor my animals would encounter it --> into the walls, under carpet, and behind the fridge.
I put cinnamon under all my cupboard liners (they don't seem to want to cross cinnamon, and it's not toxic to me or my cats).
I started pouring all my used coffee grounds into the flower beds around the house (don't know if this really works but it certainly didn't hurt).

Other miscellaneous info:

In some types of ants (odiferous, sugar ants), squashed ants release a chemical that tells other ants to send more troops. So squishing can actually attract more. Sweeping, wiping, vacuuming (into a boric acid filled vacuum) or running down sink is what I did. And yes... I occasionally squished.

Some ants tastes change in the autumn to favor fats, and proteins over sweets. There is bait for that too (advantage among MANY others). ;)

It took me about a month to get rid of my SEVERE ant problem. I can now leave cat food out without problems now... so I call it a success.

Diatomaceous earth is supposedly really great. I found it messy and to use it well seems like it requires more attention than I have available. It is however a great alternative for folks who are averse to poison. You can eat diatomaceous earth as a digestive supplement if you're so inclined. I am not. I say: Yay poison! That said, boric acid, though I personally wouldn't want to eat, it is supposedly non-toxic. I suspect Bifentherin is manufactored in hell... which is where I want to send my ants.

Isn't that amazing, what a difference a little compost makes? It's like a biology experiment...but on your poor veggies. Alas. There is no harm in amending now, doing a little compost-mix-in on the surface of your soil. That could help. As well, foliar sprays get food directly to your ailing plants, when you spray it on their leaves (on an overcast day, or in early a.m., so the sun does not burn) the food goes straight to the plant, no soil nutrient exchange involved. So I would recommend either a maxicrop something from the store mixed with water, or some good old fashioned compost tea from yuor kitchen scraps (boil in water and extract) in a spray bottle. That oughta hold em over til the fall.

You didn't mention what type of flowering plant you have in your apartment?  So, here's my recent houseplant aphid experience; I hope this info is helpful--at least it's another approach to consider.

I recently purchased a Meyer Lemon tree and immediately spotted APHIDS! I want lemons, not insects!! The tree, which had been in a nursery greenhouse, was brought into my house, and, most likely, with the change in environment, the aphids appeared. Once I noticed, the aphids, happily feasting on several leaves and flower buds, I took the tree into the shower and sprayed off the pests--(Note:  you must spray the top and bottoms of leaves). After trying this for a week, I decided to take more action. I visited the nursery where I purchased the tree, explained the problem, and was told to "spray the tree with water" to knock off the aphids. Since I had been doing this for a week, I talked it over with the nursery manager who agreed I should try an insecticide safe for use on a fruit tree. I purchased "Green Light NEEM II." This insecticide is registered for use on fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs, spices, roses, houseplants, flowers, and shrubs. The label recommends spraying every 7-14 days. I plan to take a more conservative approach. I sprayed the tree outside, carefully spraying the entire plant--top and bottom of all leaves, buds, and flowers, and allowed it to dry before bringing it back inside.  Since spraying 2 1/2 weeks ago and I have seen no pests and will avoid spraying again unless absolutely necessary. I also repotted the tree with new potting soil and a slightly larger pot.

As a way to prevent further problems, I am practicing good plant hygiene by picking up fallen leaves and flowers, misting the tree to encourage good humidity, and watering the appropriate amount each week.  For now, I have the tree isolated from all other houseplants to avoid a mass infestation.  

Would I bring in beneficial nematodes or other predators for houseplants?  No.  If you decide to spray, make sure you select a product that is recommended for the pest you are trying to control (aphids) and make sure the label says the product is registered for use on your plant.  Well, I hope this helps!  

Danger, I believe Earwigs are feeding on your sweet basil. Earwigs are reddish-brown insects about 3/4" or less in length. Both males and females have pincers at the rear end. Earwigs are largely beneficial, feeding on many pests such as aphids (including apple aphids), mites, and nematodes, as well as on algae, fungi, and decaying plant material. However, earwigs can also damage plants. They sometimes feed on flowers (such as Dahlias), shoot tips, or leaves. Damaged shoot tips may fail to develop properly, sometimes stunting growth. Damaged leaves exhibit small to large holes.

So, what to do?  Here's an old, tried and true, remedy to get rid of these pests. Place wet/moistened newspapers around the base of the plant—burlap bags or flat boards also work in the garden—to monitor and trap the earwigs. Earwigs prefer narrow, enclosed hiding spaces. In the morning the earwigs will likely be in the newspaper and can be destroyed when the material covering them is removed. Be vigilant. You'll want to do this every evening and removed the newspapers each morning. There are some insecticides registered for use, but I’d try this old method first. Good luck!  I hope this helps.

P.S.  Dahlia lovers often place cut flowers on newspapers before bringing them into the house to get rid of earwigs.  -MG Andrea

They are galls! Galls are caused when a female insect (variable species) lays her eggs in the leaf or stem of a plant. The plant responds by swelling around the eggs to protect itself, which suits the little larvae just fine...it forms a perfect nursery for them.

Galls come in all shapes and sizes, from hard woody balls (zing!) on oak leaves to soft, purple berry-like growths on sage, to tiny hot pink pinpricks on maple leaves. Some of them have wild colors or strange hairs. It's neat.

Check out the photos at the bottom of the Wikipedia page here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gall

You can break them off and destroy them if you want, but they won't spread or anything, and they won't do any lasting harm to your willow.

Yours, Dear Misty, is most likely not a troubled plum. I would moreover rack it up to the CRAZED WEATHER we have been experiencing for the past 2 springs during bloomtime, and plum bloom time especially. The spring and summer of 2009, the last year your plum fruited well, was a memorable one on Oxbow Farm--it was The Year of the Killer Crops. EVERYthing bore fruit, and lots of it. even the wild cherries tasted good that year! And yet, since then, there has been not much in the way of good fruit set. Cold rain and blossoms do not make a grand pair--the bees do not come to call, the blossoms often rot and fall off the trees, there is, sadly, not much to look forward to, fruit-wise.

And so that is where I think we are with the plums this year. In our orchard, we have apples, pears, cherries, and plums. All are fruiting but the plums: all our plum varieties, across the board, are not bearing this year.
We are happy we have any fruit on the trees, what with that crappy spring.

Give it a year, I bet you anything if we have a better spring next year, you shall have plums.

You are right there are lots of possible causes. Doing some research on the web will send you off the deep end with descriptions of various bacterial and viral diseases.

Young chicks are given medicated feed to address early mortality causes of some common bacterial and parasite problems that can overwhelm their young immune systems. With the age you indicate they probably are or just beginning to lay eggs (which is why you got them, right?). If there is any problem in their reproductive system cannot successfully pass eggs now would be the time that would occur. Those of us with female companion parrots handle our birds with the thought of not providing some forms of physical touching that can encourage ovulation to avoid the physical taxing of their systems and the dangerous health problems that can result with egg binding. Chickens are obviously bred for this ability to lay eggs (and the reason why most people keep them) so this is rarely a problem.

People working with chickens expect a minor amount of early mortality in their flocks and losing one is often not a point of major concern as long as you note the continued good health of your remaining birds.

If the chickens were not raised together sometimes the stranger individuals can be picked on or simply excluded from food sources by the majority. If you suspect that may be happening provide multiple food sources so everyone has a chance to eat their fill.

Be sure to take care of the carcass appropriately and remove it from the setting right away. I would suggest contacting the business or breeder you bought the chickens from and informing them. They may have no overwhelming concern, may have suggestions for you, may offer to replace the bird, may want to see the deceased bird.
To preserve a dead bird for later examination refrigerate DO NOT FREEZE. Freezing alters internal tissues and complicates diagnostic work.

By the way, in most municipalities you can dispose of the carcass of animals in your normal garbage as long as it is under 15 pounds of weight.

There are some great information websites out there to support owners of backyard chickens, of note is this one of that very name:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/

I am forwarding your question and my response on to a club member that is both experienced with raising home chickens and has good contacts with many more chicken knowledgeable folks. If any important corrections or additions need to be made I will post them in a comment here (may take a few days).

Ivy and horsetail are tough plants to eradicate, as I imagine you already know.

There is some useful information on the web about ivy, including these tips from the Washington Native Plant Society's Ivy OUT and King County Noxious Weed Control. Local garden writer Ann Lovejoy said in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

"To safely and steadily get rid of ivy, begin by cutting all vines... If you miss a few stubborn scraps here and there, don't worry about it. Just be sure that none of the vines remain uncut or are left dangling. Now remove all ivy at ground level by pulling strands and prying roots with a small hand-mattock or hori-hori (Japanese farmers' knife). Even if you miss a few roots (as you will), they won't all sprout back. Finally, mulch with a combination of woodchips and compost if you plan to replant soon. If you just want to keep the ground clear for a while, use coarse wood chips for mulch. To keep the mulched area clear, check it two or three times a year. You can quickly remove any new shoots that appear, along with as much root as possible."

The same basic techniques will work for horsetail. The Garden Answers Knowledgebase at millerlibrary.org has the following suggestions:

Here is an article from Oregon State University Extension Service

Here is what Ciscoe Morris said about this plant in the Seattle P-I (April 29, 2006):

"Hands down, horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is the worst weed you can get in your garden. If you've got it, just be glad you weren't gardening in prehistoric times. Back then, horsetail grew to 90 feet tall and you were in danger of being stepped on by a brontosaurus while weeding.

The worst thing about horsetail is the speed with which it returns to make your life miserable after you weed it. No matter how great a weeding job you do, it will be back, practically to full size, within a week!

Do what we did at Seattle University. Plant a mix of shrubs, ground covers and fast-growing perennials that are thick and tall enough to hide the horsetail. Shrubs that hide horsetail include Cistus (rockrose) Lonicera pileata (privet honeysuckle) Lonicera nitida (Box honeysuckle) and rosemary. My favorite perennial to hide horsetail is the prolific hardy Geranium oxonianum 'Claridge Druce.' It will seed all over your garden, but new seedlings are easy to remove in spring. These drought-tolerant plants look great in their own right and because they are so thick and tall, no one will see the hoards of horsetail growing within."

Washington Toxics Coalition recommends controlling it by persistently hand-pulling or hoeing the above-ground growth as soon as it appears. This will weaken the plant over time. It does die back over winter, when you could cover the affected area with black plastic (for a duration of 2 years), but even this may not be entirely successful.

An article by Irene Mills in the Fall 2008 issue of the Northwest Perennial Alliance's Perennial Post says that pulling, digging, and covering with black plastic are a waste of time. The author recommends keeping an eye out in April for emerging spore-bearing stalks, and cutting these off and disposing of them in the garbage. She suggests improving the soil texture (improve drainage, add organic matter, increase soil fertility, and in some cases increase soil pH). She recommends this guide called "Controlling Horsetail" from Swanson's Nursery, originally published in Gardens West by Carol Hall.

Alternatively or in combination with other methods,you might try sheet mulching. Here is a description of that process, written by one of my colleagues here at the Miller Library:

"The general idea is you spread out a layer of cardboard or newspaper (about 4-6 sheets) and then cover that with a layer of organic mulch (compost, straw, alfalfa hay--available at feed stores, wood chips, coffee grounds, etc.). Then wait 6-8 months. This is not an exact science because there are many variables, such as thickness of newspaper, type of mulch and what type of plant you're trying to kill. Perennial weeds and especially coarse grass will push through the cardboard once it starts to break down so it is critical that if and when this happens you pull the mulch back and put down more newspaper/cardboard, and then replace the mulch."

What a fun question. I don't know how much space you have, but here are some ideas.  I immediately think about how kids love to touch, pick, and smell flowers, herbs, and vegetables. For something soft and wooly, plant silvery gray Lamb’s Ears (Stachys byzantina, S. lanata, S. olympica). Plant something kids can pick like Cherry tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, peas, nasturtiums (edible) or pansies. Plant scented geraniums and tell the boys to touch the foliage to release the fragrance.  Plant flowers, such as fuchsias, to attract hummingbirds or butterflies.  If you have room, here’s a fun idea: create a small pole bean tepee (for directions http://www.kiddiegardens.com/bean_teepee.html). What child doesn’t like a great hiding place? Also, don’t forget water in the garden. Even a birdbath can be fun for kids.  Have you ever noticed how kids always gravitate to the nearest faucet and hose!  Children also love color—add a colorful container and have your nephews help you plant it. Find a small watering can they can use to water and care for their container when they visit you. You might even pick up some funny container or plant in a pair of old work boots. I know, not what you might want in your landscape, but I have yet to visit a children’s garden without seeing some crazy pair of shoes with plants!  Depending on how often they might visit, look for kid-sized tools and gloves or pick up some kid-sized chairs and paint in bright colors.

About poisonous plants, here are two resources listing common plants to avoid.
1. Kids Safety- Poisonous Plants in the Home http://county.wsu.edu/kittitas/gardening/general/Documents/Kids%20Safety%20-%20Poisonous%20Plants%20in%20the%20home%20and%20garden.pdf
2. WSU Extension fact Sheet #72 Poisonous Plants http://king.wsu.edu/gardening/documents/72PoisonousPlants.pdf

What a great uncle you must be!  Have fun in the garden with your nephews.

Tom is correct, Horsetail does not like to be controlled!  I’ve also read prehistoric Horsetail grew to enormous heights. I guess the Horsetail we see all over the PNW could be worse. 

 A neighbor tried spraying vinegar but had little success in eradicating this annoying weed.  

Some facts: Horsetail grows as a perennial (comes back every year) with a creeping root system (rhizomes). Horsetails are found primarily in moist to wet areas, although once established, horsetails can thrive in drier conditions. In Oregon, Horsetail is considered a noxious weed. The worse thing about Horsetail is that once you think you've completely cleared it away, it appears again almost overnight.

 Washington State University’s Hortsense recommends an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach (http://pep.wsu.edu/hortsense/. 

First try Mechanical controls such as:
1. Inorganic mulches, such as plastic, commercial "weed barrier" fabrics and other materials such as roofing paper, is an effective weed management option. Cover inorganic mulches with a thin layer of soil or organic mulch.
2. Maintaining a healthy planting or turf area to provide competition will prevent weed establishment.
3. Reduce weed infestation by handpulling weeds.

If you must use pesticides,  WSU Horstsense lists one possible control--dichlobenil (Casaron trade name). Hortsense states, “Apply (pesticide) in winter or early spring when soil is cool and moisture is available. Bark mulch may be spread over treated area to reduce volatilization. There is a product available to professional applicators which can be applied to turfgrass in severe cases.”

I caution the use of any chemical, especially when it comes to such a determined weed as Horsetail.   You will often see it growing near roadsides and or next to streams.  I don't want to apply any pesticide that could get into our storm drains and streams.

In my garden, I maintain some control hand-pulling or mowing and I continue to try to improve the drainage and plants with desirable shrubs to shade out the undesirable Horsetail. I wish I could be more encouraging!  (P.S.  Years ago I spoke to a homeowner who had moved here and wanted to know where he could buy that pretty plant he saw all over.  Turns out it was Horsetail.)

So THIS question you ask is the perennial question to our annual tomato obsession here is the PNW...big tomatoes are elusive to us here.

There are always the varietals that have chilly names, like "Glacier"; any tomato with a Russian name indicates hardiness. "Early Girl" has always been the hands-down winner at our farm for earliness (not that it DOESN'T taste like cardboard)and there is a new and improved Early Girl named 'New Girl' that is better-tasting than EG. Oregon Spring is a good-sized open-pollinated tomato, and a determinate.

BUT, here is our new theory at Oxbow Farm: grow the early heirloom varietals rather than horrid-tasting groomed-for-earliness hybrid tomatoes. We have found some heirlooms that are GREAT tasting and pretty much as early as any other hybrid. SUCH AS: Jaune Flamee (an smallish-orange acidic tomato), and Black Prince, a gorgeous chocolate-brown rich-flavored tomato that is a bit larger than JF.

YES, neither of these are large. Tis the CURSE of our climate, eeking out small tomatoes unless you have plastic protection. For large slicer heirlooms, I would try Prudens Purple, an earlier Brandywine. My FAVE hands-down.

(SHAMELESS PLUG: we at the Oxbow Farm stand have all these vars. for sale at the Ballard Farmers Market (Sundays) or the Madrona Market on Fridays 3-7 at 23rd and Union.

Here are some cultural techiques to use when growing your outdoor tomato, so's you can reap as much as possible by growing them smartly:

1. Grow them in front of any reflective surface--a south-facing wall or a brick/stone/concrete wall will give you much more residual heat than without any reflective material.
2. Learn how to prune them well. Tomatoes love to grow luxurious sidevines and leaves when left to their own devices, and these detract from any fruit production. Important to have sun and air circulation in there too, another reason to prune.
3. Trellis them well onto a strong bamboo trellis, and not in one of those cages that trap in their foliage.

May the force be with your tomato on this chilly spring! Hopefully it will yield to heat soon.