Truzella: I have a Craftsman corded electric trimmer/edger/trencher. The head can be pivoted to function as a trimmer or edger. In the edger position it can be set at a slight cant to dig a shallow trench. In the edger and trencher position it absolutely takes the grass out when edging, but a very narrow strip. As a shallow trencher, it tears out the grass when you have it trenching with a hard surface facing the blade, but just makes an angled slot when you have a soft surface on both sides of the blade. Sorry to hear your Mantis is not giving you the desired results. Fairyprincess

LOL! Tomato Freak, my whole gardening adventure started with tomatoes. I bought a little seed starter tray from Burpees, back in January, and some tomato seeds - three kinds: cherry, roma and Bloody Butchers. I started 72 plants! Can you believe it? 72 tomato plants! I didn't have anywhere to put them, when they grew too big for the seed starter tray, so my husband built me some boxes to use until we had the money to rent a tiller and get them in the ground. The money took too long in coming, but it came. We went to Home Depot, bought some landscaping bricks - the kind you build a wall with. We got enough for one row, 20 feet long and two feet deep. We also bought some "composted mulch" and rented the tiller. As we tilled our little garden, we mixed in the composted mulch. (Obviously, I didn't know the difference between compost and composted mulch.) My tomatoes were very tall and skinny and very root bound in their boxes. I had way too many for the little garden spot, so I gave a bunch to my son. He planted them and his dogs promptly killed them. I picked out the best of the bunch I had left and planted those. I think I had 15 plants by then. I watered them every day and gave them plenty of Miracle Gro, until I learned Miracle Gro doesn't help the soil. Remember, my soil was half mulch. Stopping the fertilizer was probably quite a shock to the plants. After several weeks, my tomato plants were out of control, but I only had a few tomatoes and if they didn't get blossom end rot, it was a miracle. I found out about bone meal. That ended the rot problem, but still my tomatoes were few and very tiny. The Bloody Butchers were as big as cherry tomatoes. The cherries were smaller than grapes and the romas... actually, now I think of it, I never could get them to quit rotting. Still, everyday, throughout the summer, I went out with my hose and sprayed. I ate what little tomatoes I could find during the process. It was very exciting. Somewhere, I learned about dirt and I realized composted mulch wasn't compost. Someone told me I might have better luck, if I put in tomato transplants. I found this site and read about Early Girl tomatoes being so good for the area. When the fall plants showed up in the nursery in August, I bought four Early Girls, a soaker hose, some top soil and some real compost. I dug up my entire tomato patch and started over. (I did keep four of the old plants, just to see what would happen. I'm down to two old plants and they don't look good.) I have three Early Girls left. Remember, I assassinated one last week, thinking it might be contagious? I also have four Anaheim chile plants, one jalapeno, a watermelon patch, a pumpkin patch, I had a canteloupe hill. I've got four roses, a vinca, a star flower, a Mexican pansy (from the garden party), three drumstick trees growing on my window sill. I just planted five royal poinsiana seeds, a clivia seed and five hyacinth bean seeds. (Those are from the garden party, too.) I have spearmint, sage, oregano, basil (out the ying-yang), and cilantro. I just started some lettuce, spinach and brocolli. I've built a wall for a raised bed out of rocks. I fertilized the grass and started feeding and watering my orange tree. (Which, of course, caused most of the oranges to split, as it's not used to being taken care of.) I know the names of everything growing in my yard. Oh, and this doesn't count the jasmine I fried and the begonia I choked. ALL of this, because I wanted some tomatoes! I will say, the tomatoes that are on the vine look BEAUTIFUL! But, this morning, when I had my breakdown over the top leaves, I thought to myself, if I could just get ONE, BIG RIPE TOMATO! That's all I want... and some chiles... and some lettuce... and brocolli... and...

Alotofplants, often what happens with many ideas about clematis is that what was initially thought about them came from the British and their experience with them. This information is parroted along by everyone and it often takes a long time to get the information corrected. (As far as googling to get information on the web, you can probably find information out there that will support any position.) As an example about info that is parroted about clematis, take for example the idea that clematis are difficult plants to grow. Nothing is further from the truth especially if you give them what they need and you choose a variety that is suited to your area. The same is true about how some types of clematis are better suited to growing in a conservatory. Clematis fremontii and other similar types are grown in England either inside or in containers because they have trouble with them dieing off over the winter. I took this information to heart and planted my fremontii in a pot based on that information. I then learned of quite a few people here in the states, some in the cold north, who have been growing theirs outside in the ground for several years. As a result, mine are now in the ground and are doing fine. Yet, another myth out there circulating is that clematis need cool root runs. What they like is the moisture that is associated with cool root runs, that is moisture. The plants can exist in pots that get quite hot in the summer if they are provided the moisture, which is what they really need. Janet, if you look in Edith's book, you will also see that she says the following: "The only exception to the rule of not adding lime would be if you live in an area that has a major calcium deficiency. Have your soil tested by a professional soil lab and add lime only if their findings reccomend that you do so." Perhaps this is your issue lotsofplants. Perhaps a soil test would show that your soil lacks calcium that it is getting from the lime and that is what your plant is lacking, not the affect the lime has on your soil pH. I garden in acidic clay soil, have tons of clematis, and have never added lime to my soil. How can I grow them in acidic soil and you not? Perhaps the issue is calcium or some other deficiency in your soil that is being helped by a microcomponent in the lime and not the pH affect caused by the lime. Edith goes on to say: "I have found that in this country it is better to grow clematis in the more acidic planting situation of a pH of 6.5. Growing clematis in an acidic location is important for gardeners who live in areas where there is little rainfall." In another section of her book, Edith states that lime can inhibit clematis from utilizing essential nutrients such as iron, manganese, and zinc from the soil. The bottom line is that unless you have investigated your soil conditions via a soil test, you don't really know if the lime is doing anything for your clematis or whether it is really needed. Something else may be the actual cause of clematis failing to thrive and lime may be just adding that extra ingredient. The pH affect may be totally unrelated. Excuse my insistence on fact and investigation, but it comes from graduating college with a chemistry major and biology minor. I am a science nerd and proud of it! LOL

Thank you lilbit for being so encouraging! :) Hmm, I asked in another post and a couple people said to water and fertilize right after planting, which was unlike what I've usually done in the past, but I did it anyway because I obviously don't know what I'm doing with this stuff. When you used the pencil for the string of pearls, whenever you pull the pencil out to put the roots in, doesn't the mix immediately fill the hole you just made? That's the issue I'm having.. I really hope everything does turn out well though. I don't necessarily think it's the gritty mix itself, I mean, everyone has success with it. I think it's something I'm did wrong with the gritty mix. I wish there was a video I would watch or something like that, you know? Lol I hope I didn't leave out an important step while getting materials together and planting. I just hope whatever I did wrong isn't so bad that I can't save them. Itecato - Thank you for your advice. I'm not sure I know what you mean by 'sticking together when moist.' I put some in my hand and spayed it with a spray bottle and then made a fist and it didn't stay in a ball when I uncurled my hand. Is it supposed to? I thought the point of a gritty mix was to have it be as gritty as possible? But on a happier note, all of the cacti that I've potted seem to be doing really well and my jade seems to love it as well. So that's good! Do y'all have any idea that can cause a little yellowing and some leaves to drop with a sedum treleasei? And one more question- I have an E. Blue Princess that's about to bloom, should I wait to repot until it's done or is it fine to go ahead and repot? Thanks for all of the help! I appreciate it more than y'all know! - Sam :)