I am not sure of my elevation? Around abilene texas and already bought a mini greenhouse from ogrow. I can't find any information on line or from the company I purchased the product from? Your answer is the closest google match I had and am shocked you answered from this older thread.. Do you have advise on herb growth in this greenhouse? I am assuming complete shade it area (like under an tv awning with 3 open sides and covered top) may be my next attempt. I was shocked to find my first set of sprouts quickly die when temps hit 80 yesterday. I put a thermometer inside and watched temps reach 120 + and it wa starting to rain inside. Rambling but at a loss?

I am a plumeria grower and I live in Alice. I purchased 1 each of several colors a number of years ago and then did a swap for 2 unknowns; I've been hooked ever since. When I was on Kauai a few years ago I collected quite a few sticks from around the island and brought them home with me. I've also gotten quite a few cuttings from a lady on O'Ahu who has a Yahoo group. She collects cuttings from around the island then sends them to group members who pay the S&H costs. I also got several plants from Tally today at the SA plant swap. I have none that are named varieties, or at least I don't know that I do. I'm not really worried about names as much as I am about beauty and variety. At present I have 16 semi-grown plumies (4-6' tall), the 3 plants I got today and 5 large rooted cuttings. Not a huge collection, but I'm just getting started. ;-)

Hello Flutterby ! I hope you love gardening as much as the rest of us do ! GardenWeb is a great research tool for you, as there is lots to learn, and plenty of valuable people here who can point you in the right direction. Depending on what part of town you're in, your soil could be different than others. North usually has a lot of rock, while other areas are great blackland. Either way, a raised bed is definitely the way to go. Personally, I don't think that I would grow herbs in pots (unless they are large) because our hot summers just seem to dry out the pots too quickly. That being said, I don't grow herbs, so I really can't say that firsthand. I do grow hundreds in pots though, and water constantly during the hot months. What grows well here ? Well, I'm terribly fond of salvias, and natives. I venture to say that many here will agree with the native side of that. A good way to determine what will do well in your area is a drive around the neighborhood to see what plants are doing nicely in yards and public areas. Starter plants -- one of my favorite nurseries is Rainbow Gardens. There are two locations in SA. Pretty soon (maybe March) they will start running a weekly ad in the Express News with great plants at great prices, and usually a freebie when you make a purchase. They have an awesome choice of herbs, as well. I also like the Antique Rose Emporium. Many of us also drop by Lowes clearance racks now and then for some really good deals ! Some stores are better than others. I prefer plants rather than seeds, just to get a headstart on things. But I don't usually buy large plants, because of the cost. Stick with 4" or 1-gallon and they'll get to that larger size soon enough at a fraction of the cost. Something else you may want to consider is attending our plant swaps. You may find the San Antonio swap post on the first page of GardenWeb, or it may have gotten to the second page by now. Or look for it also listed on the Texas Exchange sub-forum. The spring swap is March 10. You will learn a lot by attending the swaps and no doubt will go home with some plants. I also attend the Buda swap, which is April 17. I've been going to these swaps since the first one for Central Texas was started over 12 years ago. They are awesome ! You go home with all kinds of plants you couldn't find in a local nursery, and you make the best friends ! Please feel free to contact me directly by email if you want more information. Regarding your other questions, I'll let those with more knowledge about the timeline answer those for you. Mainly, you just need to watch out for those late freezes ! patty

Wish I lived in San Antonio...