I gave them 6 to 10' spacing until I had to move Fragrant Plum to the back fence. Going to be a fight going on there, but the two look good together:) I give the grasses haircuts several times during the summer to keep them in check. They rapidly grow back. I put out the saucers as watering holes for the toads, I have caught them in there too. Yes they like snails and slugs and I open a 'house' and throw in a roseslug for them and they snatch it up like candy. There are only a few left now, they've gone to the ponding basin behind me to winter, I think. They'll be back the first of May if it's like the last two years. BTW that's one HT that isn't naked to the ground either, Purple Passion. I may not be wild about it, but it makes a fantastic rose to put in the bathroom for fragrance and it is my color, LOL* Les

Yeah, sorry about altitude and pH I forgot them in all that data. So, 85 m is altitude, and pH...Well, I don't know exact on micro location, but I will tell you that here is the biggest forest in the world of Quercus robur, it grows here very prosperously ( this area is famous about that oak ), and he likes slightly acidic ground, so it is probably below pH 5.5 njoasis, as I know, USDA zones are based on average minimum temperature, not absolute minimum, and since that for Vinkovci is -12.2°C, I put them in 7b. Considering frost, it is you can say common in April, every couple of years in May, and in 1987. believe it or not, it was recorded minimum temperature of 0.0°C in July.That probably happens one time in 50-100 years, so I'm not worried about it, but I mentioned that data, since I have it. Frost is normal from November till March, and every couple of years from October till April or May.In September is also very, very rare. I hope I haven't confused you.We don't have that harsh climate, as it may seems, USA has far, far more harder winters then we do, mostly thanks to cold air from Canada, and type of air masses we don't have here ( OK, we have from Russia and Arctic, but not in the way you do - you have really sudden and cold masses of air with blizzards and low temperature, something like that here is rare, and much more milder and slower then in USA ). Resin, from experience, Picea abies can grow here, and indeed it is very, very common, but it haven't got good habitus, which differs very much from those spruces in hilly areas, with more rainfall.They don't look good, if you ask me, they are healthy, but they branches are all kinda pendulous, not towards the sky like in hilly or mountainous area. Pinus strobus also had some issues in this area, mainly beacuse of relatively dry climate and Cronartium ribicola, and he also likes humid climate more. You said Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Taxodium distichum - I know that, especially Taxodium, can grow in drier climate, but are you sure in this conditions with 639 mm of rain and dry winds, do you have any example from USA?Why I ask, because our climate, is tricky if you ask me, ironically my area ( Slavonija ) is one of the richest agricultural areas in Europe. I will tell you what I added in my local forum on list: Abies nordmandianna Cedrus atlantica Cedrus deodara Ginko biloba ( I know it is not conifer ) Larix decidua Picea pungens Pinus nigra Pinus silvestris Pinus mugo Pinus wallichiana Taxus baccata Glad to here more of your opinions, thanks guys, and regards, Anton.

PK, I pulled it up as soon as I saw the first leaves emerge. When I pull up an invasive, I don't merely tug and yank, I get my hand weeder (or shovel) and go down deep to get the roots. Merely pulling the plant up usually leaves too much root behind. Even in places where I could not get rid of every bit of root, I just made sure that I cut off every leaf that sprouted, which insured the death of the plant trying to emerge. Diligently removing emerging foliage on pesky invasives (such as alstromeria) worked well for me because the little brittle roots were impossible to dig up. Molly

Graywings, Bibb lettuce is the type I see here sold in those clamshells. As long as the roots exist and have been kept moist, they can be planted and will grow more leaves. I planted the remains of our local hothouse Bibb variety about 2 weeks ago and they are almost ready to pick. My daughter allowed red leaf lettuce (greenhouse purchased) to go to seed last year and this year she has several beautiful heads. here's my lettuce surrounded by pepper plants in the grow box. We can’t have a garden here because the deer, rabbits and other critters have a field day.