I can't speak to the in-floor radiation, although it sounds marvelous. We just did a retrofit of our 1910 whole-house hot water heat using the original castiron radiators. To our surprise and continuing delight, a new German high-efficiency direct-vent boiler with Triangle hot water heater has saved us over 50% each month over our old bills. We now have tons of heat, and we're in Maine. Do make sure that your original cast-iron radiators aren't repipable before replacing them? They don't make 'em like that any more, etc etc. For the addition, that's always tough. We removed a radiator in our kitchen, but made up for it a wee bit by relocating the laundry room directly below it in the basement. I'd kill for in-floor in my kitchen, but it is indeed terribly expensive. Up to you to decide what the priority is -- it certainly would be a very understandable outlay in cold climates like ours, and potentially could be paid for by the expected savings with the new boiler?

I pay extremely close attention to these trees. Enough to notice the difference between Japanese and hybrid plum buds leafs and fruit from its visual features and fruit texture The ptitsen bloomed at the exact same time as this plum did maybe a few days after but very similar bloom time hence the heavy loads of fruit the two produced as they are only 4ft away from each other. I assume it's a ptitsen 9 as it came from bylands and summer land budwood orchard near by sells ptitsen 9 I'm certain bylands buys bud wood from them i do agree with you Konrad they look very similar to the ptitsen 10.

Lololol, K!! Isn't that the truth??? I still have a few weeks left to get my trees inside and settled for the season. We did have a low of 47 degrees the other night, but they were all fine. They will start drying and I'll give them the second spraying of the Bayer in another week. Sounds like you are busy with the greenhouses.. ;-) Thought of you the other day.. We have a new Coach store and as I drove past this new store, I thought of you and your wife!! Lolololol!! Looking Great Kawagoe!! Great job!! You do have plenty of room in that setup?? Mmmhmmmm, won't be long... ;-) Have a great evening!! Laura

Al: Gorgeous garden, what are the yellow roses in your pics? Also what type of soil do you have: loamy, sandy, or clay? What's the lowest layer of your soil? Thank you. I try to UP my winter-survival, lost many roses in poor-drainage clay. At first I felt bad, but many street trees here (N. Aurora) also died through freezing rain & poor drainage clay in my area. Now I spend at least 1 hour digging a hole, after testing for drainage by dumping a 5-gallon bucket of water. I have rock-hard clay above, with yellowish rocks & sticky & hard clay below that water can't drain fast enough for our heavy rain. Small comfort: Here in alkaline clay I have very little blackspots & no spray compared to my last garden of acidic clay in Glen Ellyn.