After many years of fussing around with those flimsy domed trays, cell packs, and jiffy pots, and expensive full spectrum/hydroponic lights, I started reading and thinking!! I save money by not using starting flats. I start all my indoor seed (tomatoes,peppers, and some annuals & veggies) by placing them in folded coffee filters (they are stronger than paper towels), moistened with a weak solution of orange pekoe tea. They are stacked on an old pie plate over the heating vent in my dining room (instant heat mat). Once they germinate and have a fair-sized root on them, I transfer them to styrofoam cups (I re-use them), and place them under lights in my basement, until time for planting out. The lights are tied to existing shelving. Initially, I used expensive ($38.00) hydroponic lights, but found that regular fluorescent tubes from Home Depot worked just as well. Bits of styrofoam packaging under the trays keep the seedlings nearer the lights initilly. To prevent damping off and other fungi, a weak solution of chamomile tea, and watering from below seems to work. I found some really good trays (I don't know what they came from) at a Goodwill store which are sturdy and do not flop around like those regular gardening trays, which I find completey useless. I do shell out for seed starting mix especially for my indoor plants because I have had infestations of aphids that killed off entire sets of tomato seedlings, so I like everything to be sterile. Every now and then, a fan is used to strengthen the seedlings and also prevent any bugs which may be lurking to infect them, but I do not keep it running constantly. Perennials and hardier annuals get the winter sowing treatment. I also use seed starter, but the cheaper Walmart stuff, and I use (and re-cycle) 2-litre pop bottles for my containers (some stolen from neighbourhood blue boxes). Margarine and yogurt tubs are good for lettuces and petunias which do not grow very tall. A few years ago I purchased a 'Root Trainer' system which works very well, but is best if you are growing 20 seedlings of any one plant, which I never do. The cells are very deep, grooved to keep the roots contained and dircted downward, comes with a sturdy tray and dome. The cells come apart so there is no stress at transplant time. I used it last night for my peppers - a nice compact little system for about $12.00 designed to be re-used. That being said, every year I yearn for a heat mat so I can start my seeds in the basement. It's much too cold up here in March & April. I also yearn for one of those small green houses, but also, we go from winter to summer so it would not really be useful. Every summer, I'm glad I resisted the temptation. In reality, seed starting is forgotten once we get those little seedlings in the ground.

i use stone in alot of different ways in my gardens. they are all lined with local field stone. i also put alot of it in the gardens. i try to get my plants and shrubs to grow over the edges to break them up. i do line my gardens with a weed barrier before i mulch. i also spray the rock borders with roundup 2 times a year. i try to keep mine looking natural. i have seen many rock borders that look awkward, especially when the garden doesnt have any stone in it other than the border. i can understand botann's opinion cause i know he bases it on his strict japanese gardening rules.

1. Reel Mower --> not recommended, miss a couple weeks and you are hosed as they don't work well on tall grass or long stems. I like the electric - corded models - same $ as a fancy reel mower 2. Wheel Barrow --> yes, agree with renee :) If you plan to mix concrete often get a metal one... 3. Pruners --> Felco, cheapest price is at Frostproof. 4. Rake -- bamboo if you will rake around plants, but it's better to leave the leaves there anyway. For the lawn the big plastic one is best 6. Shovel - get a digging fork and spade which have the U or T handles. Stainless steel looks nice :) 5. Tiller --> biggest waste of money I ever made... Don't get one - layer mulch/amendments on surface and 'fork' in. 6. Composter --> also a waste of money, just make a pile 3x3 or use some old fence boards to make open bin(s) 7. Hoe --> get a scuffle or hula hoe, small and narrow for weeding around plants 8. Garden clogs/ gloves that will fit a small hand. I buy gloves regularly, the Nitril coated ones are great for touch, but wear quickly, aren't padded and make your hands stink :) Expensive leather ones are cool, but turn your hands yellow...clogs are whatever slip on shoes I have which are no longer clean enuf for work. 9. Anything else you use often.. Gopher traps...Sluggo...Garden Knife... Automated Watering System !!! Chad

Re: Fragrance in Julia Child (and other roses, for that matter) Undoubtedly conditions where the rose is grown (weather, soil, light, etc) have something to do with the fragrance expressed. Nonetheless, our ability to detect fragrance is very individual, and varieties of roses smell different to different people. Some people can detect strong, appealing fragrances in tea roses, for example, while others think they smell about as fragrant as a piece of paper. Some people are devoted to the scent of Souvenir de la Malmaison, while others think it smells unappealing. I find that David Austin roses with a myrrh fragrance smell like chemicals to me, but others find them to be sweet and licorice-like. So whether or not Julia Child has a strong, appealing fragrance is going to be partly down to the noses we are equipped with. To me she smells like bananas (probably in part due to her color, which influences how our brains interpret scent).