Thanks for your help, suggestions and encouragement. I'm sorry I wasn't able to respond promptly. We put out a new product this week - this involves a great deal of extra time and work for everyone. Getting back to the subject - Spruce: I'm sure you think I'm a nut case or an idiot but some of these concepts are difficult to grasp and internalize until you observe them firsthand. I've read about forest succession and how it unfolds over hundreds of years but I've never observed it nor have I tried to create a forest. I'm trying to find ways to bypass some stages - as you say "trying to grow a forest that is like a mid or late stage in the forest succession, without going through all the stages that lead up to it." At times, I've been confused by conflicting advice - for example, whether to use loblollies as a nurse tree. In any group, people will disagree. It's my responsibility to find more information to resolve the question or clarify the issue. I asked our forester this question. He advised me to use loblollies as nurse trees until oak seedlings are 3-4 feet tall - once they reach that height, the pines may cast too much shade. If this happens, they need to be removed. In another thread, you also recommended using black locusts as nurse trees, chopping them back as needed, so I did order black locusts. Given the type of shade they cast, it may not be necessary to remove them - I'll wait and see. Alabama & Sherry: Thanks for the posts about hardwoods growing under and around pines. I was beginning to think I'd lost my mind. I've decided that trees grow differently around the country and under different conditions - and that there are no one-size-fits-all answers to questions. Sherry: Why do I think you just got your 2008 FF catalog? So did I but I'm afraid to open it - too much going on right now. The seedlings I ordered from the NC nursery arrived 3 days ago - 2 weeks early - and they sent an additional 200 Atlantic white cedars that I didn't order. I've called but haven't heard back from them so I'm trying to keep the cedars cool. You said you ordered two nyssa biflora/swamp blackgum from FF. How would you describe these trees? I ordered 20 nysssa biflora seedlings, in addition to 50 Nyssa sylvatica seedlings. I have a wet area and thought N. biflora would be happy there, along with bald cypresses, Atlantic white cedars, maybe some red maples. I'm not familiar with the the Jefferson Elm. I'm working on an order from Mail Order Natives (I am a nut case!). In addition to Carpinus caroliniana, I'm looking at A. saccharum var. floridana, Acer saccharum var. leucoderme (Chalk maple), and Pistachia chinensis (Chinese pistache). She has Magnolia asheii - that's been on my list for years, and Magnolia macrophylla (Big Leaf Magnolia) but I think they both need more shade and protection than I can offer right now. I really need some big fast growing Magnolia grands to screen my neighbor's sheds across the pond. QM: I haven't received the seedlings from Indian Mound yet. They should arrive around Feb 15. But NC sent seedlings two weeks early so you never know. I'll let you know when they arrive. Take care, Pam

Yes it can be done. The seedpod was fine in a few days and eventually started to dry up. Eventually it cracked open and 39 viable seeds were harvested. Now this seedpod was due to ripen ina week or two as I already mentioned. I just don't know if it will also be successful with younger seedpods. By the way, I had to make a clean cut off the end everytime I see a red coloration to make sure no rot would invade the seedpod. Tonight I just cut off a scape of Emerald that I have pollinated last week. I placed it in a jar of water to try this method. I did this not to try an experiment but to save my Emerald (newly purchased) bulb. It has shrunk so much after putting out 3 scapes. I was thinking, the pollination would definitely not take in this situation anyway. So, why not cut the scape and try to continue the pollination process using this method. At the same time, I would be giving the poor stressed bulb some chance to survive.

Thanks guys! Yes Xuan..I still do drop by in here once in a while. I am getting old and getting tired of posting. I think I have posted enough in here for the past 4 or 5 years? Can't remember...Let the younger ones "hold the torch". And yes Xuan that is a clivia. I am so much into it now as this plant thrives so well here in my growing conditions WITHOUT me needing to spray any poisons. Yes, my garden now is chemical free! This I think is my biggest trophy as a gardener. Chaz...You gotta grow em clivias. You are now in clivia paradise! More pics to share... Grandbaby, Summer with Lola's flowers

Hellooooooooo!!! Hope everyone is handling this heat quite well! UPDATE on these seeds... Received your seeds Donna just in time for the second shipment to SA. Am also forgeting to acknowledge Carol's lovely deep red/"NOT Pink" Hippie seeds....hundreds of them. Sent are 15 packets of 70 mixed seeds each. Some I had to place in more "exotic seeds" as per request. I still got a few requests here and there to take care of. DIZZY... There were not much cybister seeds received but I am just now harvesting my own crosses. So give me more time and I'll send you some. ARIF...Working on your yellow seeds right now. Pray with me my dear friend. Lots of aborting and rotting seedpods here! Too hot and humid! Some rebloomers... Scadoxus seeds were harvested and will be sent hopefully soon. Clivia seeds will also be sent soon. If we get lucky, we might receive C. robusta seeds also. Please don't contact me now for these seeds. I will post an update in this thread once I receive the seeds and are ready to be posted. You all have a wonderful 4th of July!!!!