Cool! Thanks for reminding me. I have 8 mum pots full of 'Arctic Fire' and blooming their fool heads off. I really should get them into the ground when I give them the post bloom haircut. No more seed-making for these Dianthus. Two years in a row, leaving the seedheads on killed the plants. I'll just propagate them by division from now on. I also have as many pots of 'Brilliancy' waiting for a permanent home. I never got around to pinching back my 'Burpeei' like I planned, and they look like they're fixing to bloom. I wonder if it's too late to pinch them. I do the Shasta's just before they bloom, and it doesn't seem to harm them, just delays the bloom, and keeps them shorter. The 'Burpeei' and Purple Cones have taken over a large section of the bed now, and are intermingling. I had to pull a few out to keep them out of the 'Silver Princess' Shasta patch and the Dianthus 'Allwood's. Plus there's an ever expanding clump of BES encroaching from the south. I may just have to move the Shasta's and Dianthus out next spring. Leave the whole bed for the big boys.

They are quite little, looks sort of like carraway seeds, not sure of spelling there. And yes, was quite dissappointed when I opened up the package, however I was actually suprised to receive anything. The seller was from Thailand, and after I bought them was suddenly "not a registered user" on Ebay anymore, with quite a bit of negative feedback. So I wrote to him and just asked him nicely if I could actually expect to get my seeds. He wrote a nice email back and said yes I would most certainly be getting them. So since he is no longer a member, can't leave any feedback. I'm not going to be doing anything with them, so I figure if someone grows Orchids I will be happy to send them along. Otherwise, whatever they are meant to become will just go to waste. Lauri

I get volunteers but they come up a little late. They still have plenty of time to bloom. I have winter sowed them with good luck too. If you have any large pots or containers sitting outside, try throwing some seeds in there right now. You don't need to cover them or anything. They'll come up earlier than the volunteers on the ground and be easy to spot. My seedlings had black calyxes like the parent.

aww I'm sorry your contractor is an a$$. I agree with others to a) have a lawyer look over your contract, and b) stand your ground - HE works for YOU - you're the employer - and as long as you let him push you around, he will. Our GC has been pretty good but when times like these came up (charges we didn't feel we were responsible for) we spoke up immediately - and he backed down. On another note, I don't really understand why any electrician can't do a job because there's a ceiling in place. Electricians do wiring with all the walls up all the time - it's just cutting holes in the plaster (for the lights) and fishing wires. Since the walls are down, it's all the more easier. It's not AS easy as if the ceiling was down, but it's not a dealbreaker by any means. (My DH did the wiring for our entire house during this reno - just yesterday he was fishing wire from the basement to the foyer b/c the alarm company forgot to run one for the siren - duh.) Anyway if this electrician is your GC's guy, then tell GC to either find another one or to tell this guy to stop being lazy. I'd request a meeting between you and the electrician and the GC to have them explain to you why taking down the ceiling is necessary. Because based on what you've told us (no crazy weird wiring going on) I don't get why he can't do it.