Good points from both of you. For my tropicals (BOP, GBOP, Tavellers Palm and Bananas) the system I've been using is that I amend the clay with a mixture of "Amend" from HD and Sand. I think the mixture I settled on was 50/25/25 Clay/Amend/Sand and that seemed to have worked really well for those plants in the ground. However for extra drainage I was thinking about 25/25/25/25 Clay/Amend/Sand/Perlite or just replacing the sand with perlite in the original 50/25/25. Or maybe 25/25/25/25 Clay/Amend/Cactus Soil Mix/Perlite. Lots of options there and they probably all work similarly though as you pointed out the more I amend with organics the more settling would become an issue. Where is the place in Paramount you get Perlite that cheap from? That is a steal compared to HD (I pay around $4/cube ft) and Paramount is along my drive home. As far as the hole pooling with water, that had occured to me too. I dig the holes pretty big and deep and since I live in California I mostly have full control over the water but we do have the occassional deluge/flood warning here so there's no telling what would happen if we got a ton of water and it all decided to go right into my fast draining hole. Also, aside from that I guess is the remaining question about whether it would be safe to dig out the tree at all. The same gardener also planted my original Bird of Paradise directly in the clay without amending and that actually grew quite well. The tubers had penetrated several feet into the ground and the plant took a bit of shock when I transplanted it due to not being able to get all the roots out unharmed. I also know that in general most plants are putting out roots their first season in the ground so maybe that is the main reason why there isn't much growth. Laurence

Hi Herman, That means, then, that those mites would live here, as well. SHOOT! If there are no mites, can a person transmit the virus from infected to uninfected plants by using the same pruning shears on both plants? I guess the mites do live here because a retired UL professor told me several years ago, the virus came through here and decimated many older Celeste trees. I'm surprised at that, really, because the Celestes are so tough. They're like the "junkyard dog" fig trees of the bunch. I'm concerned because I think I bought a young tree with FMV. noss

I agree with all of you: they're definitely Hollywood Regency. And I should recharacterize my own style, which is probably better said to be "*in* transition" rather than transitional. (: I do like clean-lined pieces, and our DR set is very Mission; the adjacent LR combines Mission and Art Deco; and our bedroom, where these chairs would go, is your basic Recovering Graduate Student/Random Wedding Present room. So funky/eclectic would fit in just fine there. And there's just something about these chairs... The room is a long rectangle. The half without windows is for the bed (not a bed per se, but rather mattresses on a metal frame) and the dressers, which are mismatched yard sale finds. On the other side of the room, I'd like to create a sitting/reading area next to the windows, with a gorgeous view of the mountains (by far the nicest thing about the room!). We got a red and tan handloomed Peruvian folk-art rug for our wedding, and that's what we'll use to set off the seating area. Also on that side of the room, framing one window, are some slender dark walnut modern-styled bookcases. And then the part I'd like to replace: a heinously ugly loveseat that a friend gave us, also on that side of the room. I'd much rather find some reading chairs and an ottoman than a loveseat anyway; the room's not that big, and the loveseat makes it a pain to open and close the curtains and shades. I agree these chairs don't look too comfortable, so they're probably not my ideal reading chairs. But they'd be good for draping the bathrobe or pulling into the LR for extra seating. I love the idea of velvet, and maybe even the box-pleated skirt -- hadn't thought of that, cool idea, thank you! I agree that they're great in a pattern, but I don't want lots of patterns clashing in my bedroom, I don't think. What would you think of a tan velvet on the back and the bottom of the seat, and then the top, round seat cushion in something like this: Here is a link that might be useful: I'd use this pillow cover to reupholster the seat...

morpheouspa. Gloves down here for a moment. What claims are you referring to that I have made about mechanical aeration? Granted, I do claim that there are purposes for which the employment of mechanical aeration can be useful and it irritates me to no end that people peremptorily discount mechanical aeration as being without any use. (in the past couple of months, I've seen were you have suggested? that plug aeration might be an aid in pursuing some outcome.) Are you saying that I have advocated mechanical aeration as a necessary continued lawn care practice? (Do you advocate the application of a surfactant as a necessary continuing lawn care practice?) Is it necessary to spam this site with links to hundreds of university turf programs that recommend home owner lawn aeration not only as a continuing lawn care practice, but for the prevention of disease, thatch LDS etc.? For what purpose? They are just conclusory statements, No more valid than anything you or anyone else can produce. What you linked to, rather than belittle you, look at the facts: First some of what they call aeration is plowing (bad for me) but anyway I counted 13 studies and of those, the majority showed some improvement to crop yield, none showed a decline. They do,make a conclusory statement that aeration will cause increased weeds. OK fine. Based on what? No ancillary evidence even? Did they atleast credit dchall for the quote or maybe daniel? So even though your site actually supports that aeration results in slightly greater % crop production than non aeration, I say irrelevant and useless for any support for either of us. This argument has been going on forever, but if you take the time to understand and observe, there are logical conclusions you can come to and when applied either work or don't. If X then Y, put it to the test, and if it repeats, then continue, whether it is surfacants, aeration, corn meal or Bayer. So recommend on your experience and give your rational when challenged. Caveat emptor. My goal for my lawn, and for those I give advice to, is to obtain a turf that in the shortest time possible will only require mowing, watering and fertilization. I endeavor to employ the least expensive, least labor intensive, but most effective methods for a healthy turf AND soil and those are the ones I promote. My questions were for the reader and therefor need no response from you . I will no longer joust this windmill with you or anyone else, but I will call out anyone who "make [an unsupportable} claim... or [spew} any other blatant lie"