Hi: Hearing from you all is like a reunion! Thank you!! Sherry, planting and caring for that many seedlings just about did me in last summer. One thing helped - Pete put an underground water delivery system in the field. It runs about 600 ft with several faucets and hoses spaced about 75' apart. That made it easier to water during the drought. Still ... In January, I accepted a new job (in addition to the usual ones) that took ALL my time this spring. I expect the crunch to ease as I get used to it. I don't want to stop planting but need a Plan B if/when life gets crazy again. +om: thanks for the encouragement and advice. I don't plan to hold them over long. In general, they will be seedlings ordered in spring that I'll plant in early winter after they go dormant. lkz5ia - thanks for the photo! 500 NS seedlings - WOW! What you describe and show in the photo is exactly what I want to do. I found a great source of healthy seedlings, more diversity than state nurseries. Like you, I want to be able to hold some over. John: I'm happy with the reforestation project. Some black locust seedlings are 10-12' tall after one year (others are 4'). The forester says my survival rate is as good or better than theirs. This year, my goal was to increase diversity so I planted shade tolerant trees, like sugar maples, and wildlife shrubs and trees. Added Burr and Shumard oaks, tupelos (black gum), red mulberries, more dogwoods, more longleaf pines. I'm planning a veg/herb/cutting garden, can put seedling nursery bed(s) in the same area for protection. Thanks to you all, I learn something new every day. Many thanks for the encouragement and advice. Pam

Seeds- I habitually try to "hold some over" just in case I do not get the lil ones to grow on- and that is if there is enough to do that with- and I really want to try that plant. There are many more seeds that will keep a high germination rate for years- there are a few though that are best sown fresh- a little research should give you the info you need to know to save or sow. Now- with established plants that I collect seeds from- I try to get those seeds out there to folks who may want to try them. Swaps- Exchanges- and bringing them to other gardeners and garden groups I know. Seedlings- I grow on what I can find room for- and seem to add new beds every year.... But I do offer up MANY MANY seedlings/plants to friends and gardeners and garden groups for their sales- and bring to local exchanges in the spring and fall. It is a good feeling to be able to share what you have with others. And when you can do that on a large scale- well- the feeling is even better! Every year- there are far too many seeds to try- and far too many seedlings to plant- but- there are also many more new people to meet and share the wealth with also. Last year- my sister found a country food shelf that actually wanted all the excess vegi seedlings I started to give to their folks in need. Had I know that was an option open to me- I would have started every vegi seed I had to give to them! As it was- they had a bunch to share around. Last year was the first year that I had plants still in their sowing containers come fall. It was a bit sad to see the lost potential of those that did not get planted soon enough- but- I did get them planted. It is a bit much to be planting out seedlings all summer long- but know you are not alone- there are many of us in this forum who's "eyes" are bigger than their garden beds (look at some spring and summer past posts)... And- there are ways to not be wasteful- Share- Swap- Give- Enjoy! And, if it comes down to it- compost. Natures way of using what was- to give to what will be. Enjoy your new WS experience- plant with abandon! Share your joy! Julie

The specialty mail-order nursery seems to have been well established before the Civil War. Definitely by 1900, a pretty close relative of the mail order business as we know it existed. Nurseries would place ads in magazines, offering free catalogs for the asking. Customers would mail in orders, and receive plants by mail. Since there were no agricultural inspections in those days, international mail order was simply a matter of money, time, and interest. Unfortunately, there don't seem to be many old catalogs available on the web. Old horticultural magazines are findable in a hit or miss manner. You may want to look at scanned copies of 'Meehan's Monthly', a horticultural magazine put out by Meehan & Sons nursery of Germantown, PA. Among other things, they sold conifer cultivars.

Yesterday I did a little search for clones of the Disney model that is discontinued and found many. I had a tidy little post all typed up with links for similar TV interactive toys in that price range and then *poof* the electricity here went out in the storm........only momentarily but I lost my whole post with all the links I found. I was so mad. I just said "I'm not going to look for it all again." Anyway, there are similar devices not made by VTech. The Leap Frog Click Start is a toy for ages 3-8 that can hook up to a TV. The software is abundant. http://www.leapfrog.com/en/families/clickstart/learning_systems/cs_clickstart.html Here is a link that might be useful: Leap Frog