I purchased these for $5 for all three. Yes, there is indeed a small hole in the base. I checked before I purchased them. I had never thought about it getting blocked. For the mix I will use either the 5:1:1 or Al's gritty mix. I need to look at the size of bark needed in the gritty and see if I have it or can find it. I looked on both the Violet Barn and Meehan's website and I am thinking about a mini violet for one, and maybe X-Codonotanthus �Sunset� and a succulents that resembles stones for the other two. I will have to wait till the weather is a lot warmer to order anything online. I did see some tiny pots of Baby Tears at my local grocery store. Purple, I have been following the small plants discussion and that is why I even considered buying these pots. I love the photo there of the mini African Violet. Tapla, I have always loved your picture of the hen and chick in the tiny jar. I might have to try one indoors and see if it would make it. I have many different hens and chicks outside and I miss them during the winter. I have a bright green one that stays very small no matter the amount of room it has to grow.

Antique Rose Emporium knows their hot-weather roses. Look up some of their pioneer roses. They only do own-root though. (I grow only in pots, so nematodes are less of an issue for me) David Austin as some that are supposed to do well in the south, but I'm not sure if quite as far south as you are!

-Place 1/2 c. lima beans plus a little water or chicken stock in a blender and blend into a puree. Add butter and seasonings to taste, perhaps some finely chopped fresh parsley or chives on the top. Serve instead of mashed potatoes or another starchy vegetable. -Heat and serve with a sprinkle of lemon juice or lemon pepper seasoning. -Make into succotash mixing equal parts of cooked lima beans and cooked fresh, frozen, or canned corn. Minced red and green sweet bell peppers are good with this. -Stir-fry in a little Italian dressing along with some sliced carrots and celery until the carrots and celery are heated through and crisp/tender. Add a little rosemary while cooking the mixture for additional flavor. -Add to any stir-fry mixture. -Mash and use as a spread. Beans-on-toast or crackers type thing, or on a tortilla instead of refried beans. -Eat just as they are, or add them to your salad, soup, stew (Brunswick Stew), casserole. -Google "recipes using cooked lima beans" for more ideas. SUCCOTASH WITH GROUND BEEF makes about 6-servings (source: USDA Fact Sheet on Dry Baby Lima Beans) Ingredients: 1 cup lean ground beef (or use lean ground turkey) 1 cup lima beans, cooked 1 can (about 15 ounces) corn, drained 1 can (about 15 ounces) tomatoes, drained and chopped 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (if you like) Directions: 1. Brown ground beef in a large pan. 2. Add lima beans, corn, tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes until thoroughly heated. 3. If using nutmeg, sprinkle on top before serving. Nutritional Information for 1 serving of Succotash with Ground Beef Calories 160, Calories from Fat 45, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Sodium 330 mg Total Carbohydrate 22 g, Dietary Fiber 4 g, Sugar 4 g, Protein 11 g, Vitamin A 8 RAE, Vitamin C 15 mg, Calcium 39 mg, Iron 3 mg -Grainlady

Who did that "soil test"? Your Kansas State University does a much better test that does include, besides pH, the ratio of Calcium to Magnesium, the C.E.C. (Cation Exchange Capacity), and amount of organic matter in the soil. What you need to know is the soils pH. Most all nutrients are most readily available with a soil pH in the 6.0 to 7.0 range, although some plants have evolved needing a lower soil pH. The ratio of Calcium to Magnesium influences soil pH. The C.E.C. is a measure of the soil ability to hold on to both moisture and nutrients and release them so plants can utilize them. The C.E.C. should be in the upper teens to low twenties and sandy soils tend to have very low numbers while clay soils tend to have much higher numbers. Organic matter tends to have numbers in the upper teens to lower twenties. How much organic matter is in the soil. Whether your soil is sand or clay you should work toward an amount of organic matter in the soil between 6 and 8 percent. In addition to helping sandy soils hold on to both moisture and nutrients and helping clay soils release the moisture and nutrients and open up the clay so drainage improves the organic material added to soil feeds the Soil Food Web that feed the plants growing in that soil. In addition to having a good reliable soil test done, preferably by your Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service, perhaps these simple soil tests may be of some help. 1) Soil test for organic material. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains’ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell, to a point. Too much organic matter can be bad as well. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. kimmq is kimmsr