[size=33]Drought Busters Respond With Many Good Ideas[/size]
Camels store water in their bodies to survive through long periods of drought. We asked Bonnie customers, “How do you and your garden survive drought?” We were excited by the wide range of innovative answers.
Read these great ideas from some of your fellow Bonnie gardeners dealing with drought.
Plastic Mulch in Black, Green, or Red
I mulch the garden at spring planting with black, green, and red plastic mulch, depending on the plants I am transplanting, and then rely on drip irrigation buried beneath the plastic. The mulch warms the soil, stops weeds, and holds moisture. The drip system–run by an inexpensive timer–saves lots of water (up to 60 percent, I’ve read.)
Jim Bottom
Drops from the Air Conditioner
In addition to saving bathtub water, I attached a plastic pipe to the condensation outlet of my home air conditioner. I got a small garbage can and ran the pipe to the 5-gallon can, and I caught over 15 gallons a day. I filled milk jugs from the garbage can for watering.
Sybil Johnson
Birmingham, Alabama
More Drops from the Air Conditioner
I put a bucket under my air conditioner and then use this to water my plants and window boxes. I have one on my front porch (you cannot see it) and one in back of my house. It sure saves on water. I empty them about 4 times a day. NO WASTE in my household.
Barbie Swen
A Little Afternoon Shade
I planted my tomatoes in old 5-gallon paint buckets with holes drilled through for drainage. I placed the buckets (before filling with soil) in an area that would get afternoon shade. Placing them in close proximity to a hose or yard sprinkler is an even bigger help.
Susan Flutie
Jensen Beach, Florida
Intensive Gardening Techniques
Here in Albuquerque, a mile-high desert with caliche soil, we’ve had good success with intensive gardening–planting close together and giving proper water and nutrients. It saves space and water. We also collect rainwater from the roof gutters in recycled olive barrels. Our soil is amended with kitchen scraps, fall leaves, pine needles, and sand brought from the west side of the Rio Grande here in the city. The almost pure sand has volcanic rocks broken up in it and grows everything better!
In May we plant a garden with soaker hoses on a timer. The chiles are set 10 to 12 inches apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart with a path between the rows. Tomatoes are planted with soaker hoses in 3 x 5-foot cages made from reinforcement wire. Cucumbers are planted in one long row on soaker hoses and grow up on wire fencing.
So far (in August) we’ve picked over 170 pounds of chiles and the plants are still producing. Some are over 5 feet tall on a 10 x 15-foot plot of ground.
We also grow cucumbers, tomatoes, pomegranates, figs, Bing cherry, dwarf apple, peach, apricot, semidwarf Haralson apple, and grapes on our 60 x 130-foot lot with our house and lawn.
Marilyn Daley
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Recycled Drums for Rain Water
I went to the water treatment plant that treats lake water to supply drinking water for the city and got five 55-gallon barrels that had held chemicals used in treating water. After cleaning them, I bored holes for faucets, linking the barrels together at overflow holes at each end. I hooked the barrels together and installed faucets and overflows using items available from the hardware store: 1 1/2-inch threaded plastic adaptors with metal conduit nuts (inserted through the bung holes inside the barrels) for the connectors and overflows. I re-routed the downspout to the first barrel. Because the bungs are still in the barrels, there are no mosquito problems. Saving the water off only half of my garage, I got 105 gallons after 1/4 inch of rain. A 1-inch rain brought overflow at each end and 250 gallons of saved water. Gravity flow through a regular hose provides a nice water flow to the base of plants, where the roots are, so no water is wasted on overspray. Plastic lattice around the barrels hides them.
Thomas Malcom
Collecting from Multiple Household Sources
[list="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0.5em 2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"]
[*]I have a 7-gallon pail in my shower to catch the cold water when I first turn on the shower.
[*]I use the bath water.
[*]I have a bucket under the outside air-conditioning vent.
[*]I collect cut grass from the neighbors and put it in my compost to turn into mulch and soil. Not too bad for a guy who was born in New York City.
[/list]
Wesley Cornelius
Improving Hard Clay
When I was getting the soil ready (we have hard clay), I mixed about 140 pounds of sand in the clay. That seemed to hold the moisture so well that I didn’t have to water but about once every week or two. We had very little rain. As you can tell, we had a cold night and it got to the leaves of the squash plant. The tomato is “Big Boy.”
Harlan McGuire
Raised Beds and Soaker Hoses
We built a raised garden about 15 x 25 feet and installed soaker hoses in the beds. Even in October we were still bringing in between 15 and 20 pounds of tomatoes a day. Our plants are over 15 feet tall. We have strangers stop and want their photo taken next to these Giants. We have canned more tomatoes and cucumbers than we can count, along with supplying our friends and neighbors with as many as they want. The German Queens are really GREAT! Also, the grape tomatoes are all over the place. Take a look at these photos, and you will always buy Bonnie Plants.
William Copeland
Soaker Hose or Drip System
The best method for watering during a drought is a soaker or drip hose placed near the roots of the plants. The water is directed at the roots of the plants where it belongs, and there is less evaporation and less disease since the leaves are staying dry. Using this soaker or drip method takes less water, and you can simply keep the hose or drip tape on the ground all season. I have been using the same soaker hose now for 4 years with no troubles, and it is relatively cheap.
Greg Styers
Buckets in the Classroom Sink
Each classroom has a 1-gallon bucket in their classroom sink. As the students get drinks or wash their hands, they allow the excess water to go into the bucket instead of down the drain. The classes then use this water to water the trees and plants around our campus.
Laura LaPerna
Grass Clipping Mulch and Soaker Hose
I have about a 2000 square foot garden in Scotsboro, Alabama, and have had a bumper crop of everything this year (2007). I mulch liberally with grass clippings, plant pretty much as you recommended and put about 1 inch of water on my 33 tomato plants each week when it did not rain that much. I use a soaker hose for 2 hours on each row… My garden does not even know it is dry this year with the liberal amount of grass clippings and the soaker hoses I use! …I have picked 30 to 50-plus pounds of tomatoes per week from my plants up until mid July when they started slowing down a little.
Jerry Tidwell, Scotsboro, Alabama
Leaves Leave the Water
I cover the ground with leaves. This will leave constant moisture. Every garden I’ve seen recently is all but burned up while mine is robust.
Rick Frye
Never Waste a Drop
I keep a gallon pitcher under my kitchen sink. While waiting for the hot water to travel through the pipes, I collect the cold water that comes out first. Then I let it sit several hours to let some of the chlorine evaporate. I use a basin to rinse dishes like my elders did and then use it to water plants. I also use water from our dehumidifier in the basement to water plants. If we have water in a bottle in the car that has gotten hot, we pour it on a plant as we enter the house.
Susan Stephenson
Camels store water in their bodies to survive through long periods of drought. We asked Bonnie customers, “How do you and your garden survive drought?” We were excited by the wide range of innovative answers.
Read these great ideas from some of your fellow Bonnie gardeners dealing with drought.
Plastic Mulch in Black, Green, or Red
I mulch the garden at spring planting with black, green, and red plastic mulch, depending on the plants I am transplanting, and then rely on drip irrigation buried beneath the plastic. The mulch warms the soil, stops weeds, and holds moisture. The drip system–run by an inexpensive timer–saves lots of water (up to 60 percent, I’ve read.)
Jim Bottom
Drops from the Air Conditioner
In addition to saving bathtub water, I attached a plastic pipe to the condensation outlet of my home air conditioner. I got a small garbage can and ran the pipe to the 5-gallon can, and I caught over 15 gallons a day. I filled milk jugs from the garbage can for watering.
Sybil Johnson
Birmingham, Alabama
More Drops from the Air Conditioner
I put a bucket under my air conditioner and then use this to water my plants and window boxes. I have one on my front porch (you cannot see it) and one in back of my house. It sure saves on water. I empty them about 4 times a day. NO WASTE in my household.
Barbie Swen
A Little Afternoon Shade
I planted my tomatoes in old 5-gallon paint buckets with holes drilled through for drainage. I placed the buckets (before filling with soil) in an area that would get afternoon shade. Placing them in close proximity to a hose or yard sprinkler is an even bigger help.
Susan Flutie
Jensen Beach, Florida
Intensive Gardening Techniques
Here in Albuquerque, a mile-high desert with caliche soil, we’ve had good success with intensive gardening–planting close together and giving proper water and nutrients. It saves space and water. We also collect rainwater from the roof gutters in recycled olive barrels. Our soil is amended with kitchen scraps, fall leaves, pine needles, and sand brought from the west side of the Rio Grande here in the city. The almost pure sand has volcanic rocks broken up in it and grows everything better!
In May we plant a garden with soaker hoses on a timer. The chiles are set 10 to 12 inches apart in rows 12 to 18 inches apart with a path between the rows. Tomatoes are planted with soaker hoses in 3 x 5-foot cages made from reinforcement wire. Cucumbers are planted in one long row on soaker hoses and grow up on wire fencing.
So far (in August) we’ve picked over 170 pounds of chiles and the plants are still producing. Some are over 5 feet tall on a 10 x 15-foot plot of ground.
We also grow cucumbers, tomatoes, pomegranates, figs, Bing cherry, dwarf apple, peach, apricot, semidwarf Haralson apple, and grapes on our 60 x 130-foot lot with our house and lawn.
Marilyn Daley
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Recycled Drums for Rain Water
I went to the water treatment plant that treats lake water to supply drinking water for the city and got five 55-gallon barrels that had held chemicals used in treating water. After cleaning them, I bored holes for faucets, linking the barrels together at overflow holes at each end. I hooked the barrels together and installed faucets and overflows using items available from the hardware store: 1 1/2-inch threaded plastic adaptors with metal conduit nuts (inserted through the bung holes inside the barrels) for the connectors and overflows. I re-routed the downspout to the first barrel. Because the bungs are still in the barrels, there are no mosquito problems. Saving the water off only half of my garage, I got 105 gallons after 1/4 inch of rain. A 1-inch rain brought overflow at each end and 250 gallons of saved water. Gravity flow through a regular hose provides a nice water flow to the base of plants, where the roots are, so no water is wasted on overspray. Plastic lattice around the barrels hides them.
Thomas Malcom
Collecting from Multiple Household Sources
[list="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0.5em 2em; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"]
[*]I have a 7-gallon pail in my shower to catch the cold water when I first turn on the shower.
[*]I use the bath water.
[*]I have a bucket under the outside air-conditioning vent.
[*]I collect cut grass from the neighbors and put it in my compost to turn into mulch and soil. Not too bad for a guy who was born in New York City.
[/list]
Wesley Cornelius
Improving Hard Clay
When I was getting the soil ready (we have hard clay), I mixed about 140 pounds of sand in the clay. That seemed to hold the moisture so well that I didn’t have to water but about once every week or two. We had very little rain. As you can tell, we had a cold night and it got to the leaves of the squash plant. The tomato is “Big Boy.”
Harlan McGuire
Raised Beds and Soaker Hoses
We built a raised garden about 15 x 25 feet and installed soaker hoses in the beds. Even in October we were still bringing in between 15 and 20 pounds of tomatoes a day. Our plants are over 15 feet tall. We have strangers stop and want their photo taken next to these Giants. We have canned more tomatoes and cucumbers than we can count, along with supplying our friends and neighbors with as many as they want. The German Queens are really GREAT! Also, the grape tomatoes are all over the place. Take a look at these photos, and you will always buy Bonnie Plants.
William Copeland
Soaker Hose or Drip System
The best method for watering during a drought is a soaker or drip hose placed near the roots of the plants. The water is directed at the roots of the plants where it belongs, and there is less evaporation and less disease since the leaves are staying dry. Using this soaker or drip method takes less water, and you can simply keep the hose or drip tape on the ground all season. I have been using the same soaker hose now for 4 years with no troubles, and it is relatively cheap.
Greg Styers
Buckets in the Classroom Sink
Each classroom has a 1-gallon bucket in their classroom sink. As the students get drinks or wash their hands, they allow the excess water to go into the bucket instead of down the drain. The classes then use this water to water the trees and plants around our campus.
Laura LaPerna
Grass Clipping Mulch and Soaker Hose
I have about a 2000 square foot garden in Scotsboro, Alabama, and have had a bumper crop of everything this year (2007). I mulch liberally with grass clippings, plant pretty much as you recommended and put about 1 inch of water on my 33 tomato plants each week when it did not rain that much. I use a soaker hose for 2 hours on each row… My garden does not even know it is dry this year with the liberal amount of grass clippings and the soaker hoses I use! …I have picked 30 to 50-plus pounds of tomatoes per week from my plants up until mid July when they started slowing down a little.
Jerry Tidwell, Scotsboro, Alabama
Leaves Leave the Water
I cover the ground with leaves. This will leave constant moisture. Every garden I’ve seen recently is all but burned up while mine is robust.
Rick Frye
Never Waste a Drop
I keep a gallon pitcher under my kitchen sink. While waiting for the hot water to travel through the pipes, I collect the cold water that comes out first. Then I let it sit several hours to let some of the chlorine evaporate. I use a basin to rinse dishes like my elders did and then use it to water plants. I also use water from our dehumidifier in the basement to water plants. If we have water in a bottle in the car that has gotten hot, we pour it on a plant as we enter the house.
Susan Stephenson
Today at 6:27 pm by Rocky
» In just two weeks, the Sudanese is awaiting an action plan from the relevant ministries in agreement
Today at 3:35 pm by Rocky
» A thousand dinars every month.. An expert predicts the shape of the final journey of dollar prices
Today at 3:32 pm by Rocky
» Parliamentary Oil: The budget deficit is under control
Today at 3:28 pm by Rocky
» Parliamentary proposals to impose an economic blockade on Iraq
Today at 3:18 pm by Rocky
» His advisor: Al-Sudani succeeded in digital transfer in banks
Today at 3:12 pm by Rocky
» Economist reassures: Financial liquidity is available and there are no risks to the Iraqi dinar
Today at 3:10 pm by Rocky
» Iraq is preparing to bid farewell to the blonde old woman and end the UNAMI mission
Today at 2:46 pm by Bama Diva
» utube MM&C 4/30/24 Projects - Confidence Building - National Bank of Iraq
Today at 7:24 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The government is serious about moving to a diversified economy and supporting the indust
Today at 7:18 am by Rocky
» Deputy: The dollar exchange rate is still high
Today at 7:12 am by Rocky
» The Finance Committee reveals the total transfers today in Iraq
Today at 7:08 am by Rocky
» Minister of Industry: Iraq does not have iron ores suitable for production and we depend on imports
Today at 7:06 am by Rocky
» “The Dilemma of Economic Decisions”... Implementing a gasoline price increase despite opposition fro
Today at 7:03 am by Rocky
» Ukrainian trade explodes with a “surprise”: Iraq has contracted with a “fake” Ukrainian company to d
Today at 6:55 am by Rocky
» Iraq is preparing to invest in the largest gas field
Today at 6:49 am by Rocky
» An economic expert for Nina: The World Bank’s expectations that Iraq will achieve a high growth rate
Today at 6:43 am by Rocky
» The UAE buys cheaper Iraqi oil to increase its exports of “more expensive crude”
Today at 6:40 am by Rocky
» The largest gas field in Iraq is close to seeing the light: a wealth that will reduce the import bil
Today at 6:39 am by Rocky
» Minister of Resources: Water storage in dams is at its best
Today at 6:37 am by Rocky
» Sadiqoun demands that Taqadum give up all positions in exchange for the presidency of Parliament
Today at 6:33 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani inaugurates the continuous casting factory at the General Company for Steel Industries in
Today at 5:28 am by Rocky
» Iraq exports to America more than 4 million barrels of crude oil and its derivatives in a month
Today at 5:26 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: We are committed to workers’ rights and reconstruction projects will not stop
Today at 5:21 am by Rocky
» The Parliamentary Development Institute organizes a workshop on the right to information law
Today at 5:15 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Integrity: The judiciary is making a great effort to resolve the theft of the century
Today at 5:11 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: The government holds responsible for the delay in sending the budget schedule
Today at 5:07 am by Rocky
» Economist: Iraq faces a shortage of 3.5 million housing units
Today at 5:06 am by Rocky
» Obelisk Hour: Sudanese’s visit to Washington did not address the “American exit”
Today at 5:04 am by Rocky
» Planning clarifies the position on contracts and wages from the job number platform
Today at 5:01 am by Rocky
» New country legalizes cryptocurrencies
Today at 4:57 am by Rocky
» The UAE's Dana Gas announces the resumption of work in the "Kormor" field
Today at 4:55 am by Rocky
» The International Comprehensive Shopping Festival kicks off in an Iraqi governorate
Today at 4:54 am by Rocky
» The Minister of Labor gives good news to the workers: Wait for next week
Today at 4:52 am by Rocky
» Iraq's water storage is at its best... Will it address the agricultural situation?
Today at 4:51 am by Rocky
» The government takes a number of new decisions
Today at 4:49 am by Rocky
» The Minister of Labor announces an increase in the salary of retired workers by 100 thousand dinars
Today at 4:46 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: Service projects in Iraq “will not stop”
Today at 4:44 am by Rocky
» 90 percent of it comes from across the border. Parliament unveils a new strategy to limit currency s
Today at 4:39 am by Rocky
» Iraq is implementing a "modern strategy" to get rid of a "Sumerian custom" that depleted the waters
Today at 4:37 am by Rocky
» The Minister of Transport announces the opening of 48 collective lines in six governorates
Today at 4:35 am by Rocky
» The Federal Integrity Commission announced the arrest of waste of public money, violations and manip
Today at 4:34 am by Rocky
» Government Media: 3 million citizens have registered so far on the Ur electronic portal
Today at 4:33 am by Rocky
» Labor Day in Iraq.. 6 million workers with an unknown future and stolen rights, and 90% of them “wit
Today at 4:31 am by Rocky
» Iranian Chamber of Commerce: Iraq's investment budget is 150 billion dollars, and our share in it mu
Today at 4:25 am by Rocky
» On International Workers’ Day... The President of the Republic: We stress the necessity of working t
Today at 4:23 am by Rocky
» Prime Minister: We affirm our commitment to all Iraqi workers, men and women, to provide a work envi
Today at 4:22 am by Rocky
» Progress threatens to withdraw from the political process in the event of infringement on its quota
Today at 4:20 am by Rocky
» Bloomberg: Iraq violated its oil export quota and did not adhere to OPEC+ decisions
Yesterday at 6:23 pm by Rocky
» Al-Sudani stresses the importance of following up on the understandings reached between Iraq and Ame
Yesterday at 3:56 pm by Rocky
» From "everything is imported" to "food made by one's own hands"... Parliamentary reference to Iraq's
Yesterday at 3:51 pm by Rocky
» The government hires an external auditor for the Trade Bank of Iraq
Yesterday at 3:45 pm by Rocky
» Among them relates to the path of development...the full decisions of the Council of Ministers sessi
Yesterday at 3:37 pm by Rocky
» Al-Maliki warns of the Washington Embassy's plans to threaten Iraqi society
Yesterday at 11:51 am by wciappetta
» utube MM&C 4/28/24 Iraq Dinar - IQD - Banks - Merge Regionally - Water - Labor -Jobs - Dinar Value
Yesterday at 10:44 am by Rocky
» Iraqi Business: There are no financial fears in Iraq for three years, and fear regarding the path of
Yesterday at 10:34 am by Rocky
» Parliament is discussing with the Finance and Retirement Law amending the Landlords Law
Yesterday at 10:27 am by Rocky
» Customs and taxes... Parliamentary Finance talks about huge sums of money that do not enter the stat
Yesterday at 10:23 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Oil threatens to sue the Ministry of Oil over raising gasoline prices
Yesterday at 10:21 am by Rocky
» Iraq begins installing radiation screening gates at border crossings
Yesterday at 10:17 am by Rocky
» Hong Kong launches Asia's first Bitcoin and Ether ETFs
Yesterday at 10:11 am by Rocky
» Al-Mandalawi discusses with the delegation of the Jordanian Senate the achievement of economic integ
Yesterday at 10:07 am by Rocky
» Parliament draws attention to the work of security companies in Iraq and identifies the party concer
Yesterday at 9:59 am by Rocky
» How does a Sudanese choose the countries he visits and what are his messages?
Yesterday at 9:54 am by Rocky
» Baghdad alerts Erbil of a “defect” related to agriculture and requests coordination regarding areas
Yesterday at 9:46 am by Rocky
» State real estate... between Parliament's movements and a new door to corruption
Yesterday at 9:38 am by Rocky
» Economist: The Central Bank committed a massacre against private banks at the expense of foreign one
Yesterday at 9:30 am by Rocky
» Without discussing the agenda, the House of Representatives adjourns its session
Yesterday at 9:20 am by Rocky
» Parliament reveals details of the “Law to replace custodial sentences in exchange for financial sums
Yesterday at 7:52 am by Rocky
» The Sudanese and his battle against corruption.. Where is the fault with the government or with the
Yesterday at 7:40 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Planning: The Federal Service Law will regulate the work of the public service
Yesterday at 7:30 am by Rocky
» A representative calls for amendments to the 2024 budget tables
Yesterday at 7:23 am by Rocky
» Al-Badri: America bears responsibility for restricting the security services and not providing monit
Yesterday at 7:18 am by Rocky
» State of Law: Sudanese’s recent discussions will impose another reality in relations with Washington
Yesterday at 7:15 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary warning about the delay in sending budget schedules
Yesterday at 7:10 am by Rocky
» Deputy: We will not allow the American ambassador to install herself as President of the Republic of
Yesterday at 7:03 am by Rocky
» The government and Parliament are discussing completing the 2024 budget and sending it to a vote
Yesterday at 6:58 am by Rocky
» "Finance" reveals the reason for the delay in disbursing the Kurdistan Region's salaries for the mon
Yesterday at 6:56 am by Rocky
» With "more than" one billion dollars.. Iraq is "fourth" on the list of "largest" importers from Turk
Yesterday at 6:55 am by Rocky
» The Interior Ministry discovers properties and houses that were usurped and seized in “Al-Bataween”
Yesterday at 6:54 am by Rocky
» “No province is devoid of it.” Shafaq News opens the file of a disease that “has no cure” in Iraq
Yesterday at 6:52 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: The Council of Ministers will vote today on the 2024 budget schedules
Yesterday at 6:51 am by Rocky
» Al-Halbousi party threatens to withdraw from the entire political process because of the “Sunni mino
Yesterday at 6:49 am by Rocky
» For the first time... adopting an “automation” system for transporting goods at the ports of the Kur
Yesterday at 6:48 am by Rocky
» Qatar.. The Iraqi Stock Exchange obtains the shield of the Arab Capital Markets Union
Yesterday at 6:43 am by Rocky
» An Iraqi court activates the electronic legal evidence and division systems
Yesterday at 6:42 am by Rocky
» What are the reasons for the Emirati-Turkish interest in the path of “development”?.. A British repo
Yesterday at 5:33 am by Rocky
» The Council of Ministers votes today on the 2024 budget schedules
Yesterday at 5:32 am by Rocky
» At a cost of 73 billion...exposing cases of fraud and suspicions of corruption in implementing a pro
Yesterday at 5:29 am by Rocky
» Labor announces the release of the salaries of retired insured workers for the month of May with an
Yesterday at 5:26 am by Rocky
» A parliamentary committee discusses a draft government program evaluation report
Yesterday at 5:24 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: We are keen to mature the amendment to the Landlords Law in preparation for i
Yesterday at 5:20 am by Rocky
» Al-Mandalawi and Al-Sudani discuss political efforts to complete constitutional entitlements and res
Yesterday at 5:17 am by Rocky
» Resources are taking action to conserve water
Yesterday at 5:12 am by Rocky
» Early 2025.. a date for the start of implementation of the “Development Road”
Yesterday at 5:10 am by Rocky
» Budget schedules postpone the House of Representatives' recess
Yesterday at 5:08 am by Rocky
» Next May 12.. is the date for opening bids for the Baghdad and Najaf-Karbala metro projects
Yesterday at 5:07 am by Rocky
» Tourism in the region is expected to grow by 60%.
Yesterday at 5:05 am by Rocky
» Najaf administrators and engineers are demanding appointments and job opportunities
Yesterday at 5:04 am by Rocky