Craig, Posting pictures here is pretty easy. I've posted instructions in this forum many many times, but will do it again in hopes it will help. One of the easiest ways to provide your photo to be embedded into a post is to upload it onto an image hosting site such as Photobucket, Flickr, etc. That should be pretty straight forward, and the individual sites will give instructions on how to get your photos uploaded to their site when you sign up. Once your picture has been uploaded, find its web address by right clicking on the image and copying the image location. Some sites may even provide the address in a text box below the photo for your convenience. Let's say, as an example, that the address of the picture you want to post is http://somepicturesite.com/yourpicture.jpg To embed the picture into a post, use the command img src="http://somepicturesite.com/yourpicture.jpg"> For larger pictures, it would be very very very helpful to add a width attribute. Do do so, just add width=600 after the second quotation mark. 600 is a reasonable width for Gardenweb forums and won't mess up the formatting of your post causing people to have to pan around to read the text. So, for larger pictures, the command above could be rewritten as: img src="http://somepicturesite.com/yourpicture.jpg" width=600> Note that I had to use special characters to get the commands above to show up here without turning into pictures, but you can use them as shown (with the correct image location, of course).

Hi, I am looking for larger Contender peach stock, they announced that they will grow, hopefully, for me on my farm. when I contacted my supplier, they said it would be 2-3 years before they can get me some trees. (No, don't send me to the 'Big catalog' companies. deep adversion to their products. I had some of the new MINNESOTA SNOWSWEET apple trees this spring, and some have fruit started, will leave one or two apples per tree. I know i shouldn't, but I have waited a long time for them. Very late spring, I am about halfway between St. Paul, Minnesota and Lake Superior! after last summers extreme drought, am looking forward to a good crop. I am also looking for some GINGER GOLD apple trees. If you are in the 'northern' climes, I hope you have checked out the Zestar from the U of M. I have had 3 smaller crops from mine, fantastic. I put in some Prarie Magic trees this spring too. Deer, bear, and little old ladies from town do in most of my crop. Can't resist a challenge. Anyway, after running into fresh Colorado peaches at Gilettte, Wyoming last summer, I am hooked, and want to get some going before it is too late for this old farm boy. Never knew a peach could taste so good. Our pears, plums, and apples are about 2 weeks behind, due to late spring. so if you can direct me to a grower of good peach and apple stock, thanks. George

benchgraft: cost $10, little shipping cost through US mail. More fragile scion...easy to break from nearby activity and more sensitive to environmental extremes...but frankly grows into them better. 1-2 yr bareroot: $30 plus shipping. Optional pre-soak and optional rooting hormone. Two, benchgrafts "6 feet of growth first year!" [Though that certainly does vary, I think predominantly due to sunlight exposure; more = more.] Bareroot, generally slower growth 1st year in ground recovering from transplant shock. [though that also varies] Container: Form (pruning decisions) preset courtesy of nursery. Transport. Root bound potential---especially when looking at >3/4" caliper. Cost: $35 (5 gal, #5-#7) - $100+ for 15 gal or larger. Bigger = handling pain in the ass. Transplant shock. Few OPs are commercial growers, and those that are are already considering a lot more newer methods to up profits per area per reduced time that would have been poo-pooed just a few years ago. Benchgrafted fruit trees may or may not fall into that category. But for most OPs that is not a consideration. I have planted all three and frankly would prefer trying benchgrafts on everything...though I plant in a 5 gal. (late Jan-early March) and let grow out in the summer under the east side of a shade tree canopy for Oct. transplant. That negates some of my points above to a degree.

Starting at the bottom: Strawberries are normally grown from transplants not seed and bare root transplants are readily available for planting. Strawberry seeds are only available for a couple of small wild-derived varieties ie Alpine and are slow and difficult to germinate. Strawberries produce their own runner plants which are easily transplanted. Planting times in your zones I can't help you with but that info is readily available on the web from all sorts of sources. On average cool weather crops (chard, beets, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, fava beans, lettuce, spinach, etc.) are planted out at least a month prior to summer crops. For me that is early to mid March depending on soil temps as my last frost is Apr. 15th. When it comes to direct seeded plants you need to learn to measure and plant by soil temps. Each has an ideal range of soil temps required for germination and that is what determines your planting date. Charts are available for all vegetables and most flowers. I linked one of the many below. EX: lettuce, spinach, peas require minimum of 40 degree soil, beans 60 degree soil, broccoli requires 50 degree soil, tomatoes 70 degrees, peppers 75, etc. Broccoli transplants are best transplanted prior to the 3rd true leaf which is normally approx. 4" tall. Perennials blooming the first year varies depending on zone. In the warmer zones, if started early enough, many will bloom that summer. Most annuals seed packets will give you an approx. direct seed date on the packet. They are divided into hardy annuals, half-hardy annuals, and tender annuals classes and require different soil temps for germination and survival so you need to know which class your choice fall into. hardy annuals will tolerate light frosts but tender annuals are only planted after all danger of frost is past. Zinnas - there are lots of posts here from folks who have tried to start them indoor and discovered the problems. Direct seeding them in early May should be fine for your zone. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Soil temps for direct seeding vegetables.