Anne - never thought of that. It is grafted. However, I had about 15 roses that survived my disasterous overwintering in the garden. Of those that have flowered - 10 - they've all come back as the rose I've bought. So, I'm hopeful. I'm not going to dig around in the pot. I'll just wait and see. Probably won't find out until next year, since it's so late in the season. But it sure was a surprise to see that growth. :) Carol

Hi Merricat-I've been growing banana plants from seed for the last couple of years. Though I've been growing Ensete not Musa (the true banana). I found the seeds in the spring at our local nursery. They are large, hard, marble like seeds that only come 5 to a package. They take 1-6 months to germinate and I've grown 2 out of 5 and 3 out of 5 each year. They grow so fast! The seeds I started this spring are already plants that are 4 feet tall with huge leaves. I'm sure they wouild get even taller if I was in a warmer climate and could leave them outdoors all year. I plant them out in 1/2 barrels and bring them in each winter. This year I'm going sacrifice one and experiment with leaving it outdoors. I planted it in a protected area and will cut down the foliage and mulch it. And keep my fingers crossed! Unfortunately, Ensete don't bear fruit or grow pups or I could send you some. When I travelled to Florida this winter, I tried to find banana seeds but the folks there just looked confused. They just pick off the pups and don't bother with starting from seed. Try this web site if you want to order some seeds. Here is a link that might be useful: Banana tree seeds

Buylady: Hi..It is so good to see you again, well hear from you again! Did you have growing your trees this year? How did you like seeing them get better and better?:-) Here is some info that will help you.. Citrus trees like deep, infrequent watering so that the conditions move towards dryness and REMAIN ON THE DRY SIDE OF MOIST! I have a friend that says that once it gets to the"""" #3""", then you can water again...The key is to make sure that number comes back in less than a week...If not, your pots are holding way too much moisture, in your environment.. Watering frequency will vary with soil porosity, tree size, and temperature. . It is important to access soil water levels from deeper down where the roots are. A moisture meter can be used to read moisture at the root level. It can help assist you in the temptations that lead to over watering. A wilted tree that perks up within 24 hours after watering indicates the roots got too dry. Adjust watering schedule accordingly. A tree with yellow or cupped leaves, or leaves that don't look perky AFTER watering can indicate excessive watering and soggy roots. In this case one should, water less frequently. My friend grows in heavier mixes than what I use, and has too flush his pots out every month or he will get very inaccurate readings.. That is how some use this tool..But Buylady, you know that I do not use them anymore, since I never found them reliable and more so now that I use the mixes I use..My mixes are very porous and leaves lots of room for air exchange which is the reason why I now use wooden dowels..... Based on what you are growing in, I would skip the moisture meter all together and just stick with the dowel method..As long that stick feels moist if pressed up to your cheek or wrist, don't water until it comes out dry.. Take good care of your self:-))) Mike:-))))

"Y'all can do what you want. But I guarantee if you make the same dish, using fresh spices in one and your old stuff in another, you will taste the difference." Of course there will be a difference! Belindach joked about the spice police and I joked in kind. She wasn't referring to a recipe for a contest or sale, she was talking about a pie filling she made that was delicious. Obviously, the age of her cloves didn't hurt. >If the spice is old, just use moreBzzt! Wrong! Thanks for playing. :>) Well, I stand corrected. I've only been cooking for 40 years, I guess I was just too dumb to know that old spices taste different from fresh ones. Of course, I was speaking of spices, not herbs, where the difference is not as pronounced. A year-old container of tarragon or basil is really no more flavorful than hay, while a similarly aged portion of cloves, cinnamon, or star anise retains flavor much longer (presuming proper storage), though of course, fresher is better.