I know that Crinums can be grown as house plants - like Amaryllis/Hippeastrum. If you can plant them up in 9L/2gall. buckets and give them care they will probably come through the shift, though it might take them a year or so to settle in again. If you're talking about the Irises with rhizomes (Bearded), suggest you check on that forum to see what other Iris fans have done in similar circumstances. Taking young growth with an active root system and trimming back to a fan would certainly reduce the impact. I think I would choose a fairly shallow container if your Irises need a good baking to do well the following year. The Pacific Coast and Louisiana irises would need different care again. If you're moving something like I gracilipes, though, an azalea pot might be best, with a good autumn treat of leaf mould over the root system. Those particular Irises do NOT appreciate lots of sun! Do ask the folk over at the Iris forum and put your mind at peace on this aspect.

That should be just fine -- I've kept a Parma in a pot for several years here in the hot, humid, sunny summers of Washington, DC. The more consistent shade you can give it the better (a larger plant would work well) and needless to say cloudy days are your best friend; be careful to water before it wilts too far without keeping the plant wet all of the time, and always be on the lookout for spider mite damage. If you see evidence of the mites, you'll need to spray the plants thoroughly (especially under all of the leaves), and hopefully you can obtain the correct horticultural spray oil (the summer type, which is even more ultra-refined than the winter version, which can harm plants when sprayed on foliage during the warm season). A second spray will need to be applied one week after the first to kill the newly-emerged hatchlings, and that should take care of the problem for a good while. This is a safe, non-toxic solution to the mites if they occur. I've often taken mine in and overwintered it in the refrigerator once it gets too cold outside (low 20s Fahrenheit over night seem to be their natural limit to avoid permanent damage without some protection), but I have also noticed that keeping the plant enclosed in plastic guards against the desiccation injury that I used to think was simple cold damage. Even putting it into a clear plastic bag with the top left partly open is much better than no protection at all; it's mostly important to maintain high humidity around the plant when the temperature drops significantly below freezing, and I believe this is precisely how cold frames keep the plants happy during the winter's coldest weather, in combination with the added warmth and protection of being rooted in the ground, of course. Stefan

Who laid your sod? All those seams from the sod should not be lined up and should have been laid in a brick pattern. It's not a huge mistake, but the reason you lay it in a brick pattern is to keep the sod pieces from shifting. I would not apply any weed n feed products or pre emergents until your sod has rooted together and you can no longer see the seams in the lawn. Once you start seeing the lawn green up start watering it to keep the soil underneath moist and then you can apply a starter fertilizer or a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10. You are better off spot spraying the weeds over using a weed n feed product. The weed n feed product don't usually work all that well and cost a lot more. Just be sure not to spray weeds when the temps are over 85F as it may harm your lawn. Once all the seams are gone you can start using the Scott's Turf Builder for the rest of the season. You want to apply 1 lb of Nitrogen every 4-6 weeks, this will help keep the grass healthy and choke out a lot of the weeds.

flowerlilies, Often people who work in garden centers don't really understand much about pests, diseases, and chemicals. You should ask first on the GW forum for the particular kind of plant. And don't believe the first poster who responds, because we can make mistakes too. Though, if we let a reply stand without further comments, that's probably a tacit approval. It's really important not to panic and apply a barrage of remedies before you have a good diagnosis. Also, when you post a question, it's important to give a general idea of where you live, because pests and diseases are regional, rainfall and winter damage can play a role, etc. For example, a diagnosis of scale insects on roses would be more likely if you are in Southern California, Hawaii, or Miami. But rose midge, suggested above, doesn't exist in those places. One thing I can say for certain, the purple spots with lighter centers are either cercospora spot or spot anthracnose, both fungal diseases that usually don't require control measures. Also, there may well be some spray damage, because homemade and "organic" sprays are rather likely to damage plants if not used carefully. Large purple smears are often the result of spray damage. What are you saying is wrong with the open mauve flower? If the grayish things are scale, they will scrape off easily with a fingernail.