I would suggest the electric heater and a "green house" to keep the warmth around the plants. There are a variety of ways you can create your own green house. I have used large cake containers (like they sell b-day cakes in at the grocery store). I have also used plastic sheeting to enclose a complete shelf (above, below and both sides) on my plant stand. I have not used an electric heater so I am not sure about the temps this would create but you have plenty of time to experiment before spring sowing. Bonny

I found some fruit from a passiflora suberosa. Not sure how many will contain seeds but I should have enough for a few people, at least, and the germination rate if these are planted fresh is very high. It's not a showy variety but it is interesting looking. It grows wild down here. I also found Rosary Pea vine seeds. It's a nice looking vine but can be invasive in frost free areas. The flowers are a light purple but it's the seeds that really catch the eye. They are bright red with a black spot. They are also extremely poisonous so if you have children that don't know any better I wouldn't plant them.

Hi Joyce I am growing a big cry baby right now..I wanted seeds to try Bonsai... I soaked my seed overnight and placed about a half inch down in soil.. They are kinda big seeds... My big tree is about 2 and half feet and I have it in a medium pot that you would grow a coleus plant in..(I cant think of its pot size) lol I hope this helps you..:)

Joyce, I have never heard of water attracting rats, lol. bird food, like Karyn said, wood piles, household compost, stuff like that, but not water. They aren't going to come just for the water, if they are already around, they will drink from the pond, but that sole thing won't make they come. I think your neighbor just doesnt want you having a pond..for whatever reason, maybe they are worried about skeeters. The only unwanted critter I have is a raccoon or 2, and they are only unwanted because they knock rocks in, trash the plants, and eat my fish. Well, they did when the fish were in the smaller preforms, now with the bigger deeper pond, they can't get to them. My dog Daisy is forever drinking out of my ponds..Duke decided to try and take a dip in it a few weekends ago. But as long as I am on Daisy, and watch her she is pretty good. She looks to see if I am watching, if I am she doesnt drink, or go into the gardens, etc. But when my back is turned or she is out there with someone else, forget it. SHe's only a year old, and getting better, so I am hoping she will eventually completely listen, lol. As long as you have water out there for the dogs, they should stay out of the pond. Just make sure they know, they cant drink out of the pond, only their water. Just like kids, ya gotta keep on 'em. Right now Daisy is driving me insane because she discovered the aquarium..she keeps slamming her face into the glass to try and get the fish. If you really are against the pond idea, maybe just drill some more holes into it for the drainage, partially sink it, you could cut away a section in the front, so the soil is kinda spilling out with sporadic smaller rocks there, and then finally spilling into a section of bigger rocks..I dont think I'm saying this clearly but I can see it in my head..this dang headache isnt going away, and I cant think right.