Oh,thianks! I just bought ckn tonite! Neat idea!

Thanks, Kim, for the confirmation. I checked on Chinese chives, it's the same as garlic chives mentioned in Field Roebuck's book. He stated, "In at least one controlled experiment, when planted underneath roses, garlic chives completely eliminated spider mites and reduced aphids." Rose magazine site stated that high-nitrogen chemical fertilizer does encourage aphids. The Canadian website that advocated fall fertilization, rather than spring, cited less insect problems with earlier nitrogen fertilization for wheat fields. Garlic chives have white flowers, it is listed among the invasive species. In my experience with invasive species, it's the least invasive, since it can be pulled up easily. It's a tiny bulb - rather than invasive roots. If you cut the flowering stem off before it becomes seeded, then you stop the growth. I was hoping it becomes invasive enough to gather a gallon for making pot stickers -but it did not spread fast enough in our 40" inch annual rain and high germination in magnesium rich soil. I also have the American chives with purple flowers, this is invasive since it spreads by roots. This chives is more drought-tolerant than Garlic, or Chinese chives. Calendula, or potted marigold, is just as pretty but more drought-tolerant than regular marigold. Calendula host many beneficial insects, especially green lacewings. These lacewings fly around and eat Calendula's pollens. But they give birth to larvae, named aphid lion. More info: "Each lacewing larva will devour 200 or more pests or pest eggs a week ... After this stage, the larvae pupate by spinning a cocoon with silken thread... the adult will live about four to six weeks...Each adult female may deposit more than 200 eggs. Nectar, pollen, and honeydew stimulate their reproductive process." What I like the most about garlic chives, or Chinese chives is its medicinal and anti-inflammation properties. It's especially yummy in potstickers, better than green onions. I like Calendula (comes in bright yellow and bright orange), since they are drought tolerant and still bloom during frost. Below is a picture of Calendula in my tomato garden:

but is it true even for plants like tomatoes and peppers that languish in cool night temps? Again the important distinction is between AIR temps and SOIL temps. Tomato plants don't languish in cool night temps IF they are growing in warm soil - one reason why using black landscape fabric mulch on the soil for example can allow for much earlier transplanting. We all try to force top growth as it is the most visible sign of plant development. But we have to remind ourselves now and then that the focus early in a plant's life isn't top growth. It is root development. Bodacious top growth without the root development needed to support it only leads to stressed plants with all sorts of problems and poor production down the line. So while a plant may appear to be languishing at times - in that there is minimal top growth to be seen - that doesn't mean it isn't thriving at the root level. Dave

Oh I am so glad to see all of you so nervous. I am going out of my skin worrying about my poor little seeds in their milk jugs under the snow. I had them all taped and then it was warm so I pulled off the tape and just put the milk tops back on...hope I didn't kill them all. Also I am so happy you pick over recycleables for containers. I was leaning over a neighbors bin and my husband had a fit. Still time to get more jugs. Oh I have an idea for when I sow the seeds directly into the garden I cut the milk jugs into 3 sections and the middle ring I will put in the ground and plant the seeds inside it. That way I will remmeber where they are. Think it will work?