"Can anyone suggest to me the one Gardenia variety that I'm looking for- thick and full and round and large and floriferous and cold hardy" And can I have one, too? ;>) Seriously, Gardenia nomenclature is almost as bad as jasminum's; as far as I know (somebody shut me up if I'm wrong) augusta, jasminoides and radicans are all varieties of the same species, with augusta being the largest in leaf and flower, jasminoides being smaller and more compact, and radicans for prostrate growers. How full and lush they look, and how tightly they grow, and of course how well they flower, has a lot to do with cultivation, which, we all know, is a pain in the grass. Gardenias that are young, without extensive root systems, or that are in a bad site (poor drainage, alkaline soil, nematodes, insufficient light, bad karma, evil feng shui, cursed juju, etc.) will grow leggy and not bloom well, and plants that get all of the above right, with luck, will be all that we dream of . . . You may want to web search for "old-fashioned" varieties like Augusta Beauty and Belmont; nurseries in South Carolina and Florida usually carry a number of cultivars and can help with cultural advice for their areas as well. good luck with the new seedlings! Jim

My garden wouldn't SURVIVE without my floating row covers!!! They not only keep off insect pests, but also keep deer & groundhogs off my crops (& I have a groundhog hole right smack in the middle of the garden - lol). Since VA is hot & humid in the summer, I bought the lightweight row covers intended for insect prevention, as opposed to the heavier weights meant for frost protection. I cover all my crops except for my caged tomatoes, & fasten them around each raised bed with pins specifically meant for that purpose, as well as with bricks, rocks, etc. The important thing is to allow a LOT of slack so that the plant(s) can grow & push the fabric up without resistance. Plants that require pollination, like peppers, eggplant, squash, etc., get uncovered during the day once flower buds form, but are recovered at night. Plants that don't need pollination, like root crops & greens, are covered all the time except when harvesting. Works more than perfectly for me.

Hope you don't mind a referral to the growing from Seed forum here at GW. The basic FAQs there cover all the basic questions and there are lots of discussions on each of the finer points too. That forum may seem a bit quiet right now but the pace will really pick up there in about a month when it gets closer to seed-starting time. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Growing from Seed forum

A little late but a couple years ago I saved seeds from some cucumbers and from about a half dozen cukes I had one that had seeds sprouting inside (I didn't save the seeds from this one). I think it's just a freak thing and I'd guess that your other butternuts should be fine. But there's really only one way to know. Rodney