Digging a planting hole for a beginner is a lot more work than I thought. I didn't expect the root systems to be very wide or very deep (I guess this is a good thing) but I ended up with pretty large holes. I tried my best not to but I think I ended up digging 2 out of my 4 holes a little too deep (maybe an inch to inch and a half). I put soil in the bottom to try to accommodate for this. The actual graft point for these trees is around 3 inches above the soil line right now. One of my trees actually ended up a little high in the hole. The graft point is probably 4.5 inches above the soil line. I can see that practice is really the only way to really get used to digging to the right depth. Measuring tape and a measuring stick only go so far. Hopefully none of my trees settle down too far and die as a result. I also saw that you can encounter a lot of different types of soil in your backyard just by walking a few feet over. I was really happy to find out most of my soil looked like and displayed a lot of loam type characteristics - nice brown, very crumbly, and good bit of earthworm activity. But there was a patch of soil I dug into for one of my holes that had grayish green pure clay in it. This stuff would not crumble at all and maintained it's shape even when repeatedly chopped with the end of the shovel. I chose to move my planting hole a little further down where the soil was nice and crumbly with only a few spots of this clay. I'm really excited. I really hope I don't lose any trees this time around.

HHMMM - Mixed bag. My usual routine with planting anything, (even B4 I was educated to the degree I am now, which is still a newbie), is that I'd thoroughly dust the roots with Sure Start with Micorrhizael fungi and organic fert. also adding this to the hole etc. So that is where my dilemna started since I couldn't do this routine with the peat pot interferring. I was surprised to see a peat pot on a bush of this height & maturity but it was only $20 to my surprise since I wanted this and didn't expect to find it. 2 of the flowers opened today & I can tell already that I'm really going to like it. The hole is still dug and I'll tackle it tomorrow. I put in an email to Star Roses but it turns out the other climber I put in was Star and this is Weeks or vice versa so I'm not expecting a response. I'm liking the soak, slit, pop holes and remove bottom of pot and maybe I'll still be able to get a little Sure Start dust in there somewhere. Maybe the reason peat pots are done is other parts of country to prevent damage from frost and freeze, just a wild guess as well. JERI, I took a trip to Roger's Gardens since I read they were a test garden or something. My list consisted of Polka, Colette and CandyLand or Berries 'n' Creme. You got me started on the interest of multicolor from your sugg. of 4th of July, but I'm not a red rose person so the combo in B 'n' C worked. The 3 Colettes they had just didn't look nearly as good as these other 2. I figured I'd pick up the Colette at another nursery I visited. I've got designs on 2 more block walls of mine now. It's a sickness. So I'll just keep my research list with me at all times. Thx, again, Nicole

I just cut open a huge Costata Romanesque Zucchini that had been sitting outside in the sun and weather for about eight months without rotting, and there were several seeds starting to sprout right inside the squash, where it was still moist. So I guess the answer in they don't have to dry out first.

I asked, as I usually recut the ends (used to be in the florist trade), but also grow cacti. Yesterday when the cuttings came I suddenly questioned whether or not to cut as I've usually done. I do soak in water with a bit of sugar, but didn't know you could soak for so long Mike:) I did end up soaking for about 3 hours, but it looked like some could have used longer, but I was uncertain about this. Well now I know. I don't know if we have Superthrive in Canada RFG :) This is the first time I've gotten cuttings this wilted, and so it made me question what I've done in the past, which has been very successful (recutting, soaking with sugar water, using a bit of rooting hormone on the cut ends and storing in large baggies until rooted). Thanks for getting back with your help! I may do another order where the hoyas may be quite wilted...