Mine is a Blizzard and it has bloomed and grown beautifully in the past two years. We put it in 3 years ago in August. It has an east exposure with lots of sun until about 3 PM. This year, I've got to thin it and that's on my to do list in the next few days. It's got lots and lots of crossed over branches. Here's an interesting article comparing the 'Blizzard' to the 'Snowflake' in different areas throughout Alberta. Seems like the 'Snowflake' doesn't bloom very often in Edmonton, whereas the 'Blizzard' is highly recommended. Interesting. I think we just lucked out buying the right one because we didn't know too much about what we were buying 3 years ago. Shauna Here is a link that might be useful: Alta. gov't Mock Orange comparison

IMO, zone maps should be taken w/a grain of salt. It's possible to have different zones on the same property, due to windbreaks, structures adding warmth to an area, protection of snow blankets, etc. Wikipedia article addresses this pretty well http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardiness_zone The way I look at it, is what is growing well for me in my garden? I may have a micro-climate & the ability to successfully grow something that my next-door cannot, yet we're def. in he same zone. Maybe I planted that questionable plant in an area that's protected by a tall stone fence/wall that protects it & gives off warmth at night, while in neighbor's yard it would be exposed to wind & not get protective warmth. When in doubt, plant questionable plants & wait & see, you may be surprised at what you can grow up north. The zone police will not come after you if you try growing a zone 6a/b plant while the USDA map says you're really zone 6! And for longer growing season, remember you can always put black plastic down to warm the soil on an area for a jump-start for some plants. And use row covers, etc for protection in early/late season. There are endless ways to prolong your growing season, they usually involve more work but a garden is perennial work anyway isn't it? Good luck, hope you find the info you're looking for. Here is a link that might be useful: zone map drawbacks comment

I agree with shrubs_n_bulbs and dcarch. While it is useful to study the aquarium community, because they are very obsessed and very knowledgeable, you do definitely learn a lot. Unfortunately there are just not too many people participating in this forum and some of the people just seem to be here to sell lamps and spread misinformation. Our local lamp salesman should have banned long time ago. (New lamps for old! New lamps for old!) FWIW in my other life, I'm a senior pathologist, who is rather obsessed with perfection himself. In my professional life and in my hobby life, I like to go all the way, understand it all to the maximum that I am able to, and apply my knowledge to the utmost. My most inspiring person is Henry Kuska, who is a member of this forum, and who applies theory, scientific method, painstaking dedication, sweat, and generosity, all tempered with what is practical, and how can resources be applied most efficiently. Henry got me started on indoor gardening, and I have been going strong ever since. I think I started out with germination of rugosa achenes about 6 years ago. For that reason I commend shrub's comments most highly, please take 100% heed of them, because I completely endorse them. My viewpoint is also a very practical one, and although I am blessed that I can afford just about any gizmo or setup my heart would desire, I restrict myself however, I don't just go out and get the "newest and the best", don't play into manufacturer's hype, learn how to recognize real data from bogus. My holy grail is "most bang for the buck". I work hard for my money, and I try to spend it as wisely as I am able. The aquarium community is very good at evaluating reflectors, that's why I bought myself some lumenmax reflectors, although they're bent metal, the bends to the first approximation if a full parabola. I recommend them. Choice of lamps: Pulse start metal halide, blows away conventional halide by a country mile, there is absolutely no reason why anyone should use probe start for growing on land. Venture lamps sold by businesslights.com have a perfect spectrum for vegetative, can be run continuously, and in that mode last up to 30,000 hours. For general growing, a ratio of 2 x HPS : 1 x MH maximizes the terrific growing power of the sodium lamp and adds the blue spectrum that is critical for synthesis of chlorophyll and to discourage stem elongation. Try to design your garden so that it has at least 3 "sides", and cover the sides with mylar. A garden illuminated by 2 lamps, and surrounded by mylar, due to reflection, is equivalent of a garden out in the open illuminated with 3 lamps. For example I built a grow-closet, and lined all 4 sides by mylar, but my next project is to have a garden across the short dimension of a room that has kind of a 8' alcove. The back and sides of the "alcove" are covered in mylar, and the front is open, for general viewing, and access to work on it. Practical things and attention to detail is always critically important. The aquarium community must grapple with very high scattering losses of water. Scattering is proportional to wavelength (why the sky is blue), and for any useful light to reach the bottom of the aquarium, it must be top heavy with very short wavelength (blue violet). Aquarium owners also grow beautiful ?coral or other vegetation, they have colorful fish, and the extremely high color lamps are essential for the esthetics. Remember, the aquarium owner is buying it for pleasure to look at, we are buying for maximum size of crop for us to eat (vegetables and fruits), admire (various ornamental plant), or smoke, as the case may be. So while I am grateful to the aquarium community, and like yourself have read over extensively the forum discussions, the bottom line is I adapt what I learn there and apply it to land farming. Also why I study the cannabis growing forum, but due to LEO, the best forum overgrow.com was shut down. If you visit plantlightinghydroponics.com you will even notice that under their horticultural lamp selection, they superimpose the photosynthesis activity spectrum with the spectal output of the lamps they sell. However, the regular horizontal 400W pulse start Venture metal halide lamp sold in the sister company businesslights.com has the exact same spectral output as a SunMaster "horticultural vegetative" lamp, but has higher lumen output and longer lumen maintenance.Paul Mozarowski.

When I first saw the wasp, I wasn't sure it was a wasp at all. It looked like a cross between a dragonfly and a wasp. They have very long legs, the thorax is striped yellow and brown, and the abdomen is long and thin. I found one deceased on a leaf and was able to examine it a bit closer. It was wholly intact. I am not real fond of them because they are predators of caterpillars, and you know how I feel about butterflies since I have a butterfly garden that includes their larval host plants and nectar plants. In that I don't use chemicals of any kind, I have to accept the good, the bad, and the ugly along with the butterflies and moths. Wheel bugs remind me of the "armored cars" of the bug world. They are a steely grey color, and pretty large. I'll attach a photo of one. They are also predators. I found two of them and put both to rest. I only hope I don't have any eggs around the yard. Geez! Both the wasp and the Wheel bug are considered beneficials. Not to me, but to many veggie gardeners, in that they will attack horn worms on tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, and other caterpillars that harm vegetables, grasshoppers, etc. But, they are not selective so don't exclude the beautiful butterfly larvae, bees, and other things I try to attract in the garden from their diet. Here's a link for the Ichneumon wasp. They are about 1.5" long and tall, so good sized. "Ichneumon Wasp" Susan Here is a link that might be useful: