I'm not into cacti but I can understand the upset perfectly. I could certainly have been fooled by such ways to market these plants. It's deliberately targetting the folks unfamiliar with cacti. Thanks to this notice, I would now have to look more closely at flowering cacti plants. It's not fair to the newbie.. However I think it's a waste of time for us to complain to the supplier. For as long as people will buy these plants, they will continue this practise. The best route would be for you to educate people about this. Its like going to a fish shop and buying neon coloured glass fish which turns out to be ordinary fish fed with food laced with neon dyes. Attractive, easy to sell and completely unreal.

Last year, we purchased the corner block on main street and moved our business there (a golf car/utility vehicle dealership). 1/2 of the parking lot (quite large, it was formerly a Dodge dealership) was empty, so we started working with a local nursery doing shrubs/trees/berry bushes. It has done well for us and, after finding out that our local greenhouse is not re-opening next year, we decided to expand a bit. I'm elated; if we didn't have bills to pay you couldn't pull me off of our little 40 acre farm other than Saturdays market : ) Other than Walmart (if you can count that) and the farmers market, we have no other sources locally for veg. plants of any kind. This is a rural "country" area. Almost everyone does a garden of some kind. My thoughts were not to "get rich quick" but to offer something that will be needed in our area, and hopefully draw some folks into our business that typically wouldn't stop. We'll be doing the farmers market on Saturdays with our shrubs/trees and can bring the seedlings along. I have a meeting with the ladies who own the greenhouse on Friday about their golf cars : ) Planning to pick their brains a bit about varieties. Thanks again for all your advise. I've followed this forum on/off over the last year and have really enjoyed some of your posts; very helpful!

Hey, thanks everyone! Indeed, we are known for our incredible variety of non-standard produce. I think we have 12 types of eggplant growing, maybe more. Veda, the Listada eggplant has been very popular this season. We grew it as a customer request (as we often do) and it has become a favorite. Tom (Kentish), I honestly don't know if that variety of tomato is the Pork Chop....we have 74 varieties of tomato going, and it is confusing with so many look-alikes in red, yellow, chocolate, pink, and miscellaneous. Pam, I don't think we're growing Cool Breeze cukes. We have lots of others, though....Straight 8's, Northern Pickler, Diva, Adam Gerkin, and some other dark pickling peppers. Our favorites for the pickles we make are the Salt and Pepper cuke, as well as the Lemon cuke. I just got back from the Farm where pickling and salsa was underway. TomT, funny story about the okra....some lady was gaining access to the garden and stripping our plants. For weeks we couldn't figure out why the heck the plants weren't "producing." Then one of our workers spotted her as she was leaving. Anyhow, we're growing Burgundy Okra (again, by customer request), although I'd prefer Lady Fingers, or a tastier type. Here's a pic for you. Josh

Wow Chris, those holiyhocks are spectacular! I had one self seed from somewhere at my old house once, but otherwise have no experience with them. They make a wonderful border. How long do yours bloom? Are those the seeds you are willing to share? I'd love to try some. I was watering my little patio garden this morning and took some photos, thinking I would post them here for you Smaller Homers to share. How appropriate, as it is Garden Day here! We have had a nice summer, not too hot yet. I think we have had one 90-ish day. Early next week we are going down to the 60s again due to a typhoon in Japan, I hear. I hope you get that cool wave, too, Chris. We still are getting rainy days, too, so grass is green and the plants are happy. I have tried to hire help for my in-ground front garden but they kept having crises and canceling. I may try another person soon, once I get a couple of other things done and can turn my attention there. I want to expand the bed because my evergreen is expanding and overflowing the bed and I want to un-crowd what is there. I tend to pile everything on top of each other and with a majorly red Japanese Maple anchoring one end, it should probably look more sparse and less all-mushed-together. I envy those gardeners who know when to stop! ML, your garden is so peaceful and welcoming. I like the addition of the logs giving more height in different places. Yours hostas look very happy. Do you use mulch between plants, or do you just weed a lot? First, here is what I picked this morning. When you go to the link below, there are lots of pictures with captions if you keep hitting "next" . Here is a link that might be useful: Container garden on Patio 7-11-2014