Seeds need to stratify for 3 months, so now would be a good time to be thinking about buying them & leaving them in some damp sand in the garage over winter. They're a really vigorous tree & respond well to pruning and root pruning. Here's one grown in the ground for 2 or 3 years & then chopped at about 2.5 m. I use a die grinder with a wood bit to hollow the wound slightly, then trim the edges of the cambium with a grafting knife sharp as a scalpel so they are perfectly smooth . Here, I've packed the wound with New Zealand Sphagnum moss to speed up wound closure: Al

The Real Problem is this: The Proof On The Ground In the forests of Northern California, bark is literally being scorched from trees. On many specimens, only a thin strip of bark remains on the shaded side of the tree. Foliage is being scorched with many trees having only a fraction of their normal leaf cover. Many native species of plants are not even sprouting any more. The organisms that do still manage to grow appear miniaturized in some cases. What are just some of the results of excessive UV exposure to plants? Can stop sprouting of seeds, Stunts growth, Limb die off, Reduced foliage, DNA damage, Changes nutrient distribution, Mutatins, Effects photosynthesis Greatly increased mortality SOME known effects of excessive UV exposure to aquatic life: All aquatic life is particularly vulnerable to high UV levels. Phytoplankton accounts for some 30% of the worlds' intake of animal protein. Phytoplankton and the microorganisms they consume are killed by excessive UV levels. (Global plankton populations have already been reduced by 40% to 50%. Much of the die off is likely due to increased UV radiation.) Less plankton = less carbon-dioxide absorption. Less plankton = less oxygen production. (Atmospheric oxygen content around the globe declining rapidly) Less plankton = less fish. Period. Continue: http://globalmarchagainstchemtrailsandgeoengineering.com/ Also view the evidence videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvtD_dizuDE and this one too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48J6F4PLOlU Contact your local news channel and newspaper. Don't contact the government, they have the canned answers anyway. Here is a link that might be useful: Global March Against Chemtrails and Geo-Engineering

Well, the babies are suddenly taking off. The bigger ones that mostly sat for almost a month are now beginning to look like actual plants, instead of just little bits of green on the peat. It looks like I've definitely got one streptocarpus-looking seedling, with long leaves like a strep, and one other baby that's growing in a rosette form. The others are just adding sets of opposing leaves, and don't have more than three sets. I'm very interested to find out just what it is that I've started. :o) I think one of the things I like the most about growing gesnariads is that they don't take up a lot of space. (At least not for quite some time.) I'm looking forward, though, to each of these tiny things maturing into blooming beauties. My african violets, lone streptocarpus and basket full of streptocarpella have been such rewarding plants, I'm looking forward to adding a few more to the house. I just hope I can keep the touchier varieties alive . . . :o) Grow on! Andalee

Why I never tried the Bonide stuff is because it has Pyrithrin (SP) or similar poisons in it. U.C.Davis found that some mites actually like the stuff. It does something to make them breed like crazy. Plus it kills off the natural stuff that might eat them. No pest strips might be not so good to hang out around for a long time but I only hang it out when needed. I seal it in a vac pack bag between uses. I think it needs air to evaporate whatever is in it. Seems to work so far... I might try this stuff this season. Gotta watch soil PH and can burn plants in the sun... Gotta be careful... Liquid Sulfur link below. Here is a link that might be useful: liquid sulfur