While there, I spent several hours with Jack in 45* temps and horizontal rain. We talked about the collection & each tree's (all of those pictured above and a few more) history at length, and then went to look at the 30-40 trees that were in the collection, but usually out of the public's view. We then went to his home & spent a considerable amount of time reviewing his trees and looking at his indoor set-up where he grows MANY temperate trees you're not supposed to be able to grow indoors. We toured the grounds with the guy from DC in a covered 'limousine' golf cart with side curtains. Everyone was really hurried about their business because there was a sense of urgency to get out of the rain, so I never got the chance to ask the question. I asked Jack, but I didn't get anything definitive from him. I haven't forgotten about it though. I had composed a letter/message yesterday articulating the question in such a way that I would get a technical answer, but as I was correcting the message I hit a 'wrong key' and lost the whole thing. Frustrated, I abandoned the idea for the day. ;o) More when I DO find something out. Al

Rhizo, I'm glad you liked it! I didn't use cayenne at all, but I used the full amount of turmeric (yeah, it's a lot) because I want the turmeric benefits. I tried drinking it about 90 minutes before bed last night, and it didn't have much of an effect. I think I'll try drinking it earlier in the evening. Mare, the recipe is at the link I posted in my first message. I made up the spice mix and keep it in a glass jar. Later in the recipe when it says to use "chai tea," they're referring to this spice mix. I made it without cayenne--I don't know if cayenne affects sleep either way, but you might want to start by leaving it out. I'm sorry your sleep problems are bad. That is no fun. I assume you've done all the usual things like eliminating caffeine (even in chocolate), etc. If you Google turmeric sleep or cardamom sleep, you'll find some interesting info on using these spices in conjunction with milk (any kind) to promote sleep. I hope this will help you.

LisaLu, I’m virtually certain the “lemon” plant you gave to me, and I think maybe to somebody else—Zach?—is lemon balm, Melissa officinalis. Here’s a close-up of the foliage, so the leaves look a lot larger than they really are, but see what you think! http://photos1.blogger.com/hello/275/6184/1024/4-15-06%20potted%20lemon%20balm%20close%20up.jpg I found a couple sites with some fun info if you’re interested! This first one is a 43 page pdf, and it has all kinds of info! It has some fun “history & folklore” info starting on page 10, and info about harvesting and storing starting on page 14, then, starting on page 15 and for much of the rest of the document it has all kinds of culinary uses and recipes for dishes with lemon balm! There’s also some info about the medicinal uses starting on page 32, and a bunch of other miscellaneous uses after that! Lemon balm seems to have all kinds of uses! http://www.herbsociety.org/factsheets/Lemon%20Balm%20Guide.pdf And I haven’t researched it and don’t have any idea if the medicinal uses are legit or not, but this is the University of Maryland Medical Center site—which should be reliable info, and it has some additional info about the medicinal uses—tho this site is assuming you’re buying it at a store rather than growing it yourself! Still some interesting info! https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/lemon-balm I just thought I’d let you know what it is so you’d know for “future reference’ if you give it away at future swaps! Since it is in the mint family I’ll be keeping the one I got from you in a pot rather than planting it in the ground—like I do with the other mints I have! It’s easier to “contain” things like that in the first place than it is to try to get rid of them when they get out of hand if they’re planted in the ground! Like the spearmint, I’m sure it will be very much appreciated when I take some with me for my friends on my spring trip! Thank you again for the lemon balm—and the spearmint—at the swap, Skybird

I have sort of a "natural experiment" (aka "by accident") going on with restricting the size of Fortuniana by not irrigating it in summer. Late last winter I moved a 'Fabvier' up to a spot at the very edge of the cared-for part of my garden and grabbed the water line of the Fortuniana I also have growing up there (wild-and-crazy and regularly pruned) and gave it to 'Fabvier', figuring I would get around to fixing something up for Fortuniana later. Well, the summer went along and then it was fall without me getting around to it and I'm realizing that the Fortuniana still looked fine, though not putting on lots of new growth. Never did give it irrigation, and rains started in early November. Looked at it this morning -- lots of new leaves and flower buds, but no wild-and-crazy octopus canes yet, which it used to produce all the time when it got summer irrigation. I know of at least a few banksia roses at old houses around town that don't get any summer water but have persisted for a long, long time, and I am curious now to see how Fortuniana fares under that regime. Imagine this strategy wouldn't work in Florida, though, jin...