Karia, I would second motion of possibly canceling your order- those are not rare plants you ordered and their deal is not "a deal" Waiting for clearance sale at Bluestone perennials last weekend of May will get you much better selection at similar prices which sends very healthy plants and stands behind 100% on all their seedlings. RE: plant swap that my neighbor and I host in Skokie does not have any special rules as it is open for all kinds of gardeners- "newbies" who only starting and "oldies" who has plants coming out of their ears ;) in a couple of weeks I will post info on Winter Sowing forum about what I have to offer and other people who coming will join in- this way people can prearrange their exchanges as many of gardeners might have plenty of something but do not want to go into trouble of digging it up if there is not much interest in it. All based on being fair basis there is no rule one plant for another plant of same size etc,. Newbies, who very new and have no plants to share might want to bring a plate of cookies or give couple $$ donation to the cause if they feel like "they can't come empty handed" we also have separate table for anything garden related- old magazines, pots, tools, etc. people bring divisions, seedlings, cuttings, veggies, perennials and annuals. Usually we have crowd about 50 people or so. Preference is for plants to be clearly labeled and possibly potted few days earlier so they have time to adjust to transplant shock but sometimes things happen. I could recognize majority of plants even if they not labeled. ;)

Now that I have learned to grow citrus with no problems I have 3 Poncirus trifoliata of grafting size and 4 sweetlee tangerine trees of vigor that will be graft-able next spring. That's 7 root-stocks that I can graft my twigs from the grafted tree I can purchase. My purchased tree will grow faster by waiting a year and will out grow anything I bought a year earlier. My decision is to not buy a grafted tree and to grow what I have. If it fruits, great If they don't. Well we'll see My from seed Nagami kumquat for grafting to poncirus trifoliata Seed grown Meiwa kumquat tree. The tree fruit I am interested in. To be grafted on to the poncirus trifoliata moots through the Nagami inter-stock. May also go directly to my sweetlee tangerine tree root-stock, Seed grown sweetlee tangerine tree for root-stock #1 Seed grown sweetlee tangerine tree for root-stock #2 Seed grown sweetlee tangerine tree for root-stock #3 Seed grown sweetlee tangerine tree for root-stock #4 Seed grown poncirus trifoliata to be grafted on Is posted above . Its in a blue 55 gallon half drum. This completes what I have done and what I have. If I think of anything I'll add on to this thread Steve This post was edited by poncirusguy on Tue, Nov 5, 13 at 18:29

Suzie, I've only seen the seed at one place....Wildseed Farms which is down in the Fredericksburg, TX, area. Back when I bought my original seed 5 or 6 years ago, they only had purple and pink, but now they also have a mix which includes purple, pink and white. (The pink ones I have don't reseed as well as the purple ones, and I haven't deliberately planted white, but I get white ones from some of the volunteers that come up from the pink ones every year. I also get some solid pink and some pink and white streaked, striped or mottled ones.) Orginally, when I still lived in Texas in the 1990s, they had a petunia called VIP (for Very Important Petunia) and it grew better and better as the weather got hotter. You did have to cut it back once or twice during the summer or it would get sort of raggedy but it came back into bloom really fast after you cut it back. It spread out about 3 or 4 feet and was wonderful. Then, for a year or two, it seemed to disappear from the stores. Then, just as suddenly, we had 'Laura Bush' petunia which I think either was an improved VIP petunia, a selection from VIP or maybe had VIP as one of its parents. Then we moved here and I couldn't find them here. After several years of searching for them, I found seed at Wildseed Farms, ordered some, planted them, and they've been happily reseeding themselves ever since. The ones I planted last spring (volunteers I dug up from the garden and transplanted into the pots) in large containers (as understory plants under brugmansias and daturas) have been overwintering in the garage. They were in bloom until it snowed and our temperature dropped to 3 degrees. They didn't die, but the cold knocked their blossoms off and the tips of some branches are freeze-damaged though not dead. I need to cut them back and feed them and see if they'll come back into production, but am amazed at how cold-hardy they are and also at how well they flower in the heat. I've linked Wildseed Farms below. I get a lot of my flowers seeds from them, includng a wildflower blend, Texas Bluebonnets, Alamo Fire (Red) Bluebonnets, the Laura Bush petunias, and various types of zinnias, cosmos and sunflowers. Dawn Here is a link that might be useful: Wildseed Farms

2012 Potting Shed University Series A Series of Free Gardening Classes presented by Master Gardeners of Greene County Here's a wonderful way to get ready for spring, learn gardening tips and techniques to get the most out of your garden. Master Gardeners of Greene County offers a series of 12 free short courses this spring. These courses will be held Monday evenings at 6:00 p.m. between March 5 - May 21st. Sessions last for 30 minutes followed by a question-and-answer period where Master Gardeners will stay as long as needed. Classes are Free No registration required. Stop by on your way home from work! Location: Workshop Studio, Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center, 2400 S. Scenic Ave, Springfield, MO 65807. MAP at the bottom of this page. March 5 Shape Up for Spring! Prune Plants for Better Form and Health Not only does proper pruning help keep a garden looking beautiful, it also maintains the health of the plants, saving you time and money. Pruning is a useful practice to control size and disease and promote better blooms and form. Timing and technique differs depending upon the type of plant being pruned. Learn the what, when, whys and hows of selectively pruning plants. Presenter: Katie Steinhoff, Botanical Center Coordinator demonstrates proper pruning techniques and give you helpful hints. March 12 Safe Use of Chemicals in the Garden What's in a product label? Learn what to look for, how to choose the appropriate chemical for the intended use, how to safely apply chemicals, how to protect yourself from chemicals, and how to safely store chemicals. This was one of our highest rated classes last year by attendees. Back by popular request! Presenter, Patrick Byers, Southwest Region Horticulture Specialist, Greene County University of Missouri Extension. March 19 Gardening With Your Chickens In addition to providing delicious fresh eggs, chickens can be a gardener's best tool providing free fertilizer plus organic pest and weed control! Learn the basics of chicken keeping plus info and techniques a gardener can use to put their hens to work in the garden, but at the same time protect the plants they love to eat! Presenter, Rebecca Nickols, Class of 2009, Master Gardeners of Greene County member, experienced chicken owner. Visit her blog here: thegardenroofcoop.com March 26 Low Water Plants: Beat the Heat! Weather-proof your garden with heat and drought resistant plants. Discover the strategies of low-water gardening and get a list of plants that thrived last summer with NO water! Make your gardening life easier in the long run by using plants that require far less maintenance once established. Presenter, Barbara St. Clair, Class of 2004, Master Gardeners of Greene County President, Xeriscape Garden Coordinator, passionate gardener. April 2 Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Composting The single most important step to great soil is incorporating beautiful, rich compost from your own backyard. Now is the time to start a compost bin! Composting is cheap and easy to learn, but there is a little bit of an art to it that comes with practice. In the right conditions, bacteria and other microorganisms quickly break down organic material into rich, fertile earth that you can add to your soil to increase its fertility and health. Learn how to get started to create and maintain your very own soil amendment. Presenter, Bobbie Ream, Class of 2009, Master Gardeners of Greene County. April 9 Vegetable Planting Calendar Q & A Every plant variety has its own temperature and sunlight requirements for seed germination, flowering, and fruit production, there is an optimum time for planting. These dates can vary slightly based on factors like weather conditions and microclimates. A little planning and good timing provides a variety of delicious vegetables over a longer period of time. Have your garden pumping out something delicious not only through the fall, but even for winter harvest! Presenter, Patrick Byers, Southwest Region Horticulture Specialist, Greene County University of Missouri Extension. April 16 Weed Identification & Management Learn how to fight weedy invaders. Hone your skills in weed identification by observing live specimens and pictures of summer weeds encountered in gardens and landscapes. Develop a plan to control weeds before and after they appear with management strategies and practices. Participants are encouraged to bring samples for identification and discussion. Presenter: Katie Steinhoff, Botanical Center Coordinator. April 23 Bloomin Containers Create stunning plant combinations for a variety of container styles using unusual plant combinations including perennials, , tropicals, herbs, and vegetables. Learn the steps to design and plant an easy, colorful, and stylized container garden. Cathy will share helpful tips on soil selection, watering, fertilizing and maintaining your container garden in the Ozarks. Presenter, Cathy Staats, Class of 2008, Master Gardeners of Greene County Speakers Bureau Chair. April 30 Keep Em Bloomin Make those gorgeous blooms in your garden last throughout the season. Knowing what to trim throughout the growing season promotes healthy growth, keeps your garden tidy, and reduces the likelihood of pest infestation. This method is a great way to spend time with your flowers � and the best approach to achieve lasting blooms for a garden of beauty. Presenter: Katie Steinhoff, Botanical Center Coordinator. May 7 Care of Annuals Annuals provide brilliant color throughout the summer, and provide instant gratification, giving a garden an immediate boost of color and energy. Select the appropriate varieties for your garden. Learn when to plant them and how to care for them, and the secrets to keep them blooming all summer long. Presenter, Patrick Byers, Southwest Region Horticulture Specialist, Greene County University of Missouri Extension. May 14 Guided Tour of the Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens at the Botanical Center Established in 1994, the Master Gardeners of Greene County are well known for theorem demonstration gardens which have grown and matured over the years. Do you enjoy a strolling through the gardens? Have questions about the plants or the dedicated volunteers who make it a reality? Take a guided tour with Cindy Arrowood, Class of 2001 former Demonstration Garden Coordinator. May 21 Earth-Kind Roses Earth-Kind roses do well in a variety of soil types, ranging from well-drained acid sands to poorly aerated, highly alkaline clays. Learn about Earth-Kind rose varieties, and how to incorporate them into your garden. Presenter, Dan Faflak, Class of 2011, Master Gardeners of Greene County, Rose Society of the Ozarks, American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian. For more educational programs from Master Gardeners of Greene County visit swmogardens.com/fogcalendar Here is a link that might be useful: Master Gardeners of Greene County