I think you're getting into the ideas behind succession planting. Particularly the type of SP where you sow another group of seeds every couple of weeks to get a continuous supply of a certain crop. Lettuce in particular springs to mind! I agree with jwstell42 that as long as your days to maturity are less than your days to first frost, you should be fine. Down here I do worry about being "too late" with heat-sensitive crops like peas and broccoli. Up closer to you, my Mom worries about being "too late" with anything that needs a long season like winter squash. And to answer some of your questions, yes, they likely are selling short-season varieties. You can get them too, especially if you order seeds. I actually use a number of quick-maturing varities here because I do a different type of succession planting (small yard, long season) where I grow cool crops first, the pull them out and plant hot-season crops (and sometimes pull them out and do cool season crops again). I get my seeds for those from a company called Pinetree Seeds. I get a really late first frost down here and the only other thing that can have a "too late" effect on certain crops is the fact that the trees to the south of my yard are fully leafed until sometime in November, so there's a lot more shade in the garden than in spring. So even though the temps are good for things like tomatoes, they stop producing due to lack of light. So, too late? Who says? :) Cheers! Sunni

Velleta, A couple of thoughts: I think your plants may be having problems with the heat. You may have to resort to the 'just keep them alive until' practice. Here in Ohio we have very cold winters-last night it was -9 (F). So with many of our plants we just endeavor to keep them alive until better growing conditions occur. You may have to do this in reverse with your hot weather-put them where they will least suffer and keep them alive until better blooming conditions occur. Your plants pictured look good. You should probably concentrate on those that do well and weed out the ones that do not. Some varieties do better in the heat and some do not. The only way you can discern this is to grow a variety and see how it does. Get rid of the ones that don't thrive. With cooler weather, move them around until you find a spot that they like. Your conditions will be ever-changing. Last year we had a mild winter and my violets just sulked. Barely any blooms and very little growth. This year, they are blooming their heads off and have so much growth I can't keep up with them. It goes against everything we have been taught about violets, but as my college professor once said, "Plants don't read gardening books". The game is always changing and if it didn't we'd get bored and move on to another hobby. Let me know if you have any more questions! I hope this helps! Linda

Natanya..Sun amounts,intensity and zone is something that should always be part of the thought process when choosing where to plant clematis. For instance..my zone of 8B in Texas has very hot summers..pruning group 3's adore it..especially my Florida's..but some of my pruning group 2's really do fade or droop if not properly watered..which is HUGELY important down here in Summertime...I have a Sprinkler system which services my front and side gardens but NONE in the back gardens...so soaker hoses and hand watering is a task I perform until I work out getting my new drip system going!!..I have found the Japanese Varieties prefer morning sun and afternoon shade down here..and others get brown-out by August...I have both Clematis "Barbara Harrington" & "Comtesse de Bouchard" and they BOTH adore the tons of sun I am letting them have..so they should flourish just beautifully in your zone 6.I would think your zone must be heaven for clematis...just like the three bear..not too hot and not too cold..but just right!

Thanks everyone for your support. I know I need to leave but I suppose I've always been a sucker to help people. Amber - Thank you for your words. You are right, the only person I can save is myself. I suppose the battle is really working up the courage to say enough is enough. I struggle because I hate hurting people or feeling like I am letting them down but in the same regard I suppose by me doing things for my partner, he will never do anything to help himself or his son. Colleenoz - thank you for your kind words. I never thought about it like the way you put it. Seeing that he could turn like that if something bad happened to me is some what alarming. Because when I think of the answer to something happening to me and would he be there, I can't answer that. And if I can't answer that, then there is a real big problem. LaVerne - Thank you for your comment. Do I want to change? Yes i really do, so I guess I know what I have to do. Reading Lady - Sadly this situation is real, it would be nice if I was making it up but unfortunately I am not. I know everyone on his mother's side has bi-polar and basically have lived their lives in and out of either jails or foster homes. Sometimes I think the cycle can be broken but in the same regards, it's not my responsibility to have hero complex (i.e. trying to save everyone). Let me just say this, I know that none of you know me from a bar of soap, which in turn makes you more truthful. I appreciate your honesty and i thank you for your wisdom. I know everyone goes through hard stages in life, but you are right. If I am not happy with the situation, then only I can change it. I think it's time for me to worry about myself and get back what I want. If I succeed (and I truly hope I do) than please know every little word by each of you contributed to giving me strength. You all really have no idea how much you have put my mind, heart and bank balance at rest.