Water, water, water! Tom: as for the water soaking in. when I planted mine I created a "berm" about one foot from the tree all around--for 90% of them. The other 10% take as long to water as all the rest of them. The main batch that don't have a berm are the last ones I planted--the extras or potential replacements. I was in a hurry to finish up. DUMB! A few others the berm I created had a gap or two. DUMB! Those with a good perm, they get the water as fast as it can pour out of the jug, the berm holds it all and it soaks in, in its own good time. The others take forever--pour a little bit, let that soak in, pour a bit more, let that soak in. When I am doing this I pour some, set the jug aside, and go to another tree, pour a bit, to another tree, etc. etc., then back to the first one, pour a bit more. AAARRRGH! Sometimes I have 10 or more jugs going at one time in this "replacements" area. Never again! Anyway, with the trees with the proper berm, each watering, including filling the jug and getting the water to the tree, takes maybe, at the most, as much as two minutes per tree. It took me an average, all parts of the process included, 30 minutes to plant each tree (not counting fencing, which was extra time). So I could water each tree 15 times and not spend as much time as I did planting. I guess so far I have watered each one 4 or maybe 5 times. And even if only 30% would have died, timewise I am way, way ahead. And, the watered trees, now with really nice looking buds and thickening leaders will grow beautifully next year, cutting down the time I will have to look after these trees. Water!! But, Tom, where you are where it is much cooler and not quite so drought prone, in a good year you should not have to water. I never did at my timberland. But of course there were three years in the last 20 or so when watering was necessary--one of those years--1988--I planted a lot of seedlings--mostly larch that year, and I don't think any survived. Pam, in places like where we are, we can almost certainly anticipate that we will need to water every year if we want to avoid losses and/or weakened seedlings. If a little tree is struggling to stay alive, it is not really growing roots very well, and not creating the strong top foliage that is necessary to manufacture the elements that go into growing roots the following year. --Spruce

Dax, it was partly your posting some time ago comparing the various silver-backed ones that made me jump at this opportunity, I remembered your preference. Dave, I'm going to post it here rather than gallery, figuring it is on-topic enough that I can evade having to figure out the photo-loading process over there... It was tied to that stake but it looked constrained so I released it for the photo and in anticipation that I will stake it better (she said optimistically). KarinL

Dave: Thanks for the update - it is encouraging and a relief. I was concerned about the loss of leaves so early in the season. When a hurricane or TS comes through, it strips the leaves from trees but this happens later in the season. I used to worry but the trees come back, often stronger than before. In September, a tropical storm hit and stripped the leaves off the persimmons that grow in beach sand, added more than a foot of sand around the trunks - and turned the fruit ripe. The orange fruit hung on the leafless tree like Christmas balls. I took this photo the next day; That persimmon has grown at least 2 feet since the storm. Re: water bills. Thankfully, I have a crock well for watering. We built a rainwater catchment system for the house - water quality is excellent and the water is free. I found the device you recommended. My husband invents new things and improves old things. He may be able to make a similar device that will do the trick. Thanks for the progress report and advice. You had a rough time last year but if all your trees survived, all is well. Pam

No fall preps here yet. Usually don't even think about that until the end of September. My tenders (Plumeria, Pigmy Dates) come in in late October or early November, and my Sago Palms come in usually mid December. I really am torn between spring, summer, and fall as my favorites. I think Spring and Fall are equal for #1. Just so beautiful and active seasons. Summer, especially like the one we are having this year, well, its often just too hot and things just stay the same for a long time. Same with winter, only its cold. September is mainly just another hot summer month here. Seeing 90s in September is fairly normal, but we can also see nighttimes in the 50s at times too. I think October is our biggest month of change from beginning to end. It is probably one of, if not the most beautiful weather months here in the DC area as well. Crisp cool nights in the 50s, and nice warm days in the upper 70s to low 80s. It can and does get HOT now and then, and it also can and does get cold now and then. We have seen temps in the 20s at night in the very last days of October, but that is only once in a while. Usually our first frost is after Nov 1 as well. As for tree color, well, it often is fairly spectacular around here, and the mountains just to the west rival anything anywhere. The farther west you go and the higher the elevation the earlier the change happens, and the more spectacular the colors are. Above 4,000 feet is where all the quaking aspens grow, along with the Red Spruce forests and the combination of the two in the fall is simply stunning! I prefer to go leaf peeping along the Eastern Continental Divide in eastern WV which is 4 to 5,000 feet in elevation. Its BEAUTIFUL there. Looks more like Maine or Cananda there. Fall comes much earlier there. Mid to late Sept, and frost occurs there every month of the year. First snows hit around late Sept, and last snows occur in May or June. The leaf peeping there is much more pleasant than in the Blue Ridge. Along Skyline Drive its constantly backed up, and sometimes there is a 15/20 minute wait to get into an "overlook" and almost every trail head has no parking available at all. Its Not exactly "getting away". Go into eastern WV, and the crowds are 50% less. Much more pleasant. I honestly don't think I could live in a place that did not have the 4 seasons, or was far from any real mountains (over 4,000 feet). But I also don't want to live somewhere were winters are brutal and last into may either. I also happen to like snow. At least if its frigid, snow is something to look at. When its 104 with 98% humidity, there is nothing to look at except plants wilting in the heat, and a sky so hazy its often just milky white instead of blue. Each season to me has its own merits, and its own unique beauty. I guess I feel a bit fortunate that I'm able to see the beauty in each season, instead of feeling like I have to "suffer" trough any one. For as much as I love my tropicals, I'm also equally in love with some Conifers, and do love the subalpine environs too. My 'winter garden' keeps me fairly happy and busy during the cold months as well. Here is a look at the "winter" garden. =o)