our winter will start soon

how did the inverterbrates survive then i wonder

They evolved and moved onto the land But as you say they can adapt given the time. There are freshwater invertbrates that do this right now.. some of which live in very acidic environments.

On the heavier ozone thing... you also need to understand that the air we breath is a mixture of lots of different gases and that oxygen makes up only about 21% of it. Nitrogen makes up abut 78% of it (as N₂). The ozone layer will actually replenish itself given time and what are seeing is the 'holes' above the poles are actually getting smaller (though it worries me to be complacent about this because trapped in the ice caps are mother loads of CFCs and other greenhouse gases and if global warming continues these will again be liberated into the atmosphere as the ice melts). The actual reason for the ozone layer being up there is not that difficult to understand. When ultraviolet light strikes O₂ it splits it into individual oxygen atoms (elemental oxygen) and this is able to bond with unbroken O₂ to form O₃. This occurs in the lower atmosphere because that is where the bulk of the UV radiation is being intercepted. The O₃ is unstable and when UV radiation strikes it the ozone will form O₂ again... it forms a cycle that is known as the ozone-oxygen cycle. So basically it is found up there in the lower atmosphere in greater concentration because this is where it is being formed and degraded at the same time.

Well Simon, you are the first person to have given me an answer to that one !!Ok, i could understand that and it makes sense. To all the problems we have discussed here, the obvious culprit is mankind. Maybe without man around, the earth could repair itself, but then, who'd water my roses ????

oh yeah.. and Alee... you can always crash at my place if the oceans rise and swallow up the Maldives

This is the sort of thing that makes me love my garden. Not that I want to bury my head in the soil, but sometimes these problems seem so big and humans so destructive that I need to have time out to enjoy something that humans can create in tune with nature rather than against. But I still start up my petrol mower on the weekend maybe when I have more garden beds dug and less lawn to control I can do away with it and get a push mower. They make a better cut anyway.

Sorry guys Im feeling maudlin this morning. Better go do some digging

Ripley, you're not being maudlin.
It's true that creating a garden is a comfort zone.
While this can be done it's difficult to believe that this is a dying planet. All the negative and scary stuff we are being filled with is replaced with positive feelings of growth and hope. It doesn't change the big picture of course, but it's good for the soul.

And if more people thought that way Val the problems wouldn't be so large... you know what they say... Think globally... Act locally!

Aussies,

the first forecast of the weatherfrogs became true. Tonight our roses have been chilled at -15°C

winter start 2009

have a warm day
Bernhard

Bernhard... as cold as I know it is... I would love to come over and throw snowballs atm I would one day love to walk around your garden... it looks as lovely in the winter as it did in the spring/summer. How do your potted plants go when it gets that cold?

Bemo, I would suggest contacting David (Wedge) to get a lot of that horse manure. Enough to spread it 12" deep as it keeps the roots nice and warm in cold climates. The nutritional value varies greatly depending on the feed given to the horses. Hard fed lucerne (Alf Alfa) and oates fed to horses kept in stables seems to be the best for nutrition and less weeds.
We used to use it a lot in Orange NSW during the winter.

Just at the moment we have had 40 degrees C days so I am allowing the
Kikuyu to surround black pots. Also noticed the mulched or grass growing around the base of the roses seem to be doing the best keeping the roots cool.

I am a bit lucky as I have a few good rose propagators in this area that know this climate well. Nothing like local knowledge.

Simon wrote:.....How do your potted plants go when it gets that cold?

a part of them stay in the garage while others have to survive outside, only a little bit guarded near the house. Keep in mind that we are in the Darwin Year .

I must show you how the birds are looking now:

Bowling Ball

Ozeboy wrote:Bemo, I would suggest contacting David (Wedge) to get a lot of that horse manure..........

both, HS and BS would work, the former greenhouses have been heated this way. That was really a big load of Sh.., purchesed by David

cheers
Bernhard

better