I do all my plants from seed. Petunias, I start in January (all petunias including waves and non-waves) and I pinch them at least once. By the time they are ready to be planted out, they are in 4 inch pots, rather than cell packs or larger. My petunias are thick and lush, and I have found that rabbits dont bother them as much when planted out if they are thicker plants (anyone know why??). These Dolces have super thick stems and are really tough plants. I would like to post a picture, but it keeps raining here and they are all hanging their heads a bit. However, even after a heavy rain they rebound quickly and still put on a show. I grew about 1200 impatiens from seed this year, and yes, they will damp off quicker than any other seedling I have ever seen. One trick I have learned is to keep them on the heat mat just a bit longer after germinating...........I have several heat mats and I have some that are under lights but without the dome for post germination but still needing heat. I keep impatiens on this additional heat (without the dome) for several days before I remove them from heat. I have 99% better chance of no damp off doing this (I learned the hard way last year). I have also found that certain kinds damp off more than others, I grew several kinds this year: Tempos, Encore, Xtreme, and Brunos (my favorite), and others. Brunos damp off terribly, Tempos do also, but the Xtreme and Encore were outstanding performers, from seedling on. I had 100% germination out of both of them and they are very stout robust plants. You will be pleased with the performance of your Dolces! I cant wait for more colors that may come out of them.

$100 seems like excessive for a large gold hosta. Given its Tokudama parentage I wonder how fast it grows. Notice that the description didn't mention growth rate at all. There are so many great large golds like Piedmont Gold, Golden Sculpture, Key West, Gold Regal, Zounds, Sun Power and Lakeside Contender. You could buy all of them together for less than the price of that NGP plant. Steve

Wow we went over 100! and it looks like it won't be long before we at 100 again soon! :) LOL Grovespirit: I hope you get well real soon and playing in the dirt soon, I will keep you in my prayers :) UPTREASA: Wow! that's a lot of cheese! and I loooove cheeeeese!, and your farm sounds so awesome, I hope you get a lot of visitors. :) I hope everyone else is well and if your not or are feeling a little blue than I hope you feel better real soon and can play in the Gardens too! My Husband is doing better, he had to have surgery on a bunch of old fractures that wouldn't heal on his femur bone and some other bone repair, his surgery was really long this time (7th surgery in 4 years) we were expecting everything to be routine as usual, but he had some complications and needed a transfusion and than had a fever that wouldn't go away, and low blood pressure and really high blood sugar. Got a bit scary there. But he is much better now and came home this week and is recovering in a hospital bed that the kids set up in the middle of the living room so he could still be apart of the daily chaos and also retain his rights as king of the remote! :) My poor garden suffered a bit, but nothing some water, a few seeds and a little weed pulling wouldn't cure :) Okay secret pal look out for June, I found a cute garden idea While staying at the hospital's family care. I will say no more! oh.....but it is such a neat idea!....nope, zipping it and throwing away the key...not saying more....:) oooh I can't wait til June! Have a Great Memorial Day Everyone!

Hi All, I just wanted to make an interesting observation about the Indigo Rose that I planted from seed I collected the first time I grew it in 2012. I planted a flat of tomato seeds in the late spring of last year with the intention of planting a garden but due to a myriad of distractions I failed to do so... I kept watering the flat on occasion but was mostly neglectful and every so often would pull out the dead and dying until one day in august (I think, maybe september) I decided to plant the survivors who were quite stunted but alive none the less! To my surprise they immediately jumped into action and began to grow rapidly, so since I live in temperate Southern California I decided to let them go and see what happened, in short order they started to set fruit but not ripen very quickly which is a known factor so in keeping with my 2014 gardening 'style' I ignored them some more except for watering and they continued to grow and set fruit throughout the the fall and winter and I have been able to pick some ripe fruit through December and January so far... I was pruning them back yesterday and noticed that some plants were still putting off new branches and flowers so it makes me wonder if I kept better care of future plantings whether or not they might become something of a perennial tomato... Interesting huh?