Steve, I don't think it would really be a problem. Both species are naturally understory trees, and should be used to some competition from other plants. In the remnant of woodlands behind my house (what little was left after developers got through putting in McMansions), there are several large, mature serviceberry trees growing in the understory that seem perfectly healthy, even though they are fairly deeply shaded in the summer. I can't answer the question about persimmons growing in woodlands, since they don't seem to grow here in SE Michigan, even though in theory they are native. I suspect it's not a problem. As far as the "splat" of the fruit, well, yes, they do have that problem to some extent. It depends a lot upon the surface they are falling on, and how soft they are -- colder weather makes them more firm, and less likely to be damaged as they fall. I've found overall that very few of them are ever totally ruined, although some of them are damaged to a greater or lesser extent, usually ruptured open on one side, and need to be used rapidly to avoid spoilage. Dennis SE Michigan

I have read that when flowers are hybridized they lack the same amount of nectar and pollen than before. Yes, as I said above, that is true for some hybrid flowers. It all depends on the degree of hybridization, the genetic changes that are made by the hybridization - what genes are messed with. :) What determines the resulting changes is whatever the purpose of hybridizing the particular flower is - EX: different color genes won't affect nectar or pollen production, but size/height/flower diameter genes may affect it but they could make it more or less, etc. Some hybrids are created specifically to produce greater amounts of pollen. Hybridizing for sex purposes - all female or all male would definitely affect the nectar production. So in other words it isn't an all or nothing issue in as that statement would imply. Some hybrids may produce less nectar, some may produce more, some may be unaffected. See what I mean? If you want to get deep into the subject and the botany and biochemistry of it here is one good article. all the marigolds I bought to put in my garden, only to learn that I needed to buy French Marigolds in order to attract the beneficial insects. Don't know where that info came from as many species of marigolds are considered attractors. Same goes for most varieties of sunflowers, cosmos, celosia, all the salvias, 4 o'clocks, columbine, etc. And don't forget the herbs. Many of them, if left to bloom are very attractive to all the pollinators. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Check out this discussion and pics

I would hold off on the banana.....tender perennial there. I just planted a Desert Willow and it was an iffy decision. If we have a hard winter with low temps I may lose it. Depends on the tree really, tropicals like banana I would wait until spring. Doc, I don't know where the university area is in Tucson but there are two nurseries there that I like. Mesquite Valley Growers - Speedway and Pantano and Desert Survivors on Starr Pass near I-10. Desert Survivors is run by disabled vets who start lots of native trees, bushes, plants. Mesquite Valley is very upscale. If you want cactus plants you cannot miss with Bach's Cactus Nursery, Thornydale north of Cortaro Farms. HTH.

I first learned about astrological gardening back in the early 1970s from author Louise Riotte, who was a ghost writer for Organic Gardening. At that time, I was living in Louisiana. She also was the author of many original book publications. In the back of her early books and original publications, there was a section with her home address and phone number. She welcomed letters and phone calls and loved to talk "gardening". I learned much from her back then and I still reference her books. She was such a darling old lady - home-grown and plain spoken. She was such a character - she almost always had her hair done up in pin-curls and even posted her photo in some of her publications with her hair like that. :) Astrological Gardening: The Ancient Wisdom of Successful Planting & Harvesting by the Stars - Astrological gardening has been practiced for centuries, and author Louise Riotte's 40 years of planetary planting have confirmed its usefulness. She identifies ideal astrological conditions for planting and harvesting a wide range of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs. Here is some information I found about her on the web: Astrological gardening has been practiced for centuries, and author Louise Riotte's 40 years of planetary planting have confirmed its usefulness. She identifies ideal astrological conditions for planting and harvesting a wide range of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs. Author Biography: Beloved Storey author and life-long gardener Louise Riotte passed away in 1998 at the age of 89. She wrote 12 books on gardening, companion planting, and garden lore, among them the ever-popular Carrots Love Tomatoes, which has sold approximately 515,000 copies. Her father taught her to believe in and practice astrology, while her mother was a practicing herbalist. Together they inevitably influenced her life and her books, Roses Love Garlic, Astrological Gardening, Sleeping with a Sunflower, Catfish Ponds & Lily Pads, and her most recent book, Raising Animals by the Moon. Her own line drawings are included in all her books. Before authoring books, Riotte was a ghost writer for Simon & Schuster and for Jerry Baker's radio gardening show, and she wrote a number of articles for Organic Gardening as well. Riotte took pride in her garden near her home in Ardmore, Oklahoma, which her son Eugene helped care for in her later years. She also wrote: The Complete Guide to Growing Berries and Grapes; Success with Small Food Gardens; Grow the Best Grapes Grow the Best Strawberries: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-190 Planetary Gardening: A Guide to Organic Gardening by the Signs of the Zodiac and probably more that I don't even know about. Below is a LINK to a website that pays Tribute to Louise. I hope you will buy her books and treasure them as much as I do mine. ~Annie Here is a link that might be useful: Gardening by Astrology