Toni, Lol! Well, here, the frosts are random (unfortunately). We had a somewhat warm start to Winter last year, but in February it snowed and then we had an ice storm two weeks later. Some of the worst weather we've seen in this area.. ever. Our Summer wasn't as hot as I remember either, so I think it'll be interesting to see what happens this Winter. We also don't have curtains so being waken up at 7am when you don't want to be, bleh lol. Jon, Okay, you got me... what's Samhain? Planto

I'm with uroboros up there. I like to know as much as possible about the seedlings...operative word being 'like'. That said, I have some Dan Bachman seedlings here that I know nothing about. I think he regularly sells his seedlings. I have a seedling that the seller Perennialist on the LA sent as a bonus...it's really pretty. I can't remember right now if I have others. Of course, the hundreds and hundreds of my own...lol! Someone said once somewhere that if you get a chance to buy some hybridizer's seedlings, you should go for it to really advance your own program (think of folks who have bought some of Larry Grace's). I think, too, a little known thing (at least to me) was how many hybridizers do sell seedlings. At lot of them, you have to actually go and visit them to know that. Some hybridizers themselves talk about seedlings they've gotten from others. It's interesting how our views evolve on things. Now that I am starting my fourth year growing seedlings, I know how much work they are! I think this (famous last words) will be my last 'big' (for me, at least) year of seed starting as room is just nonexistent. It takes me two to three years to see bloom. That said, if I found someone offering a seedling of a cross I like, why wouldn't I want to jump ahead those years?? On the other side, when I get ready to cull...because of space (first) and because a plant doesn't work toward what I want...and if it is an otherwise fine plant, why shouldn't I get some compensation for all that effort? As long as people are clear about it...seedling...whether it is all or not...bloomed or not, etc.....I don't see the problem there. I think problems come later if individuals try to sell them or give them garden names and sell them. But, the thing is...people already do that! The horse has already left the barn! If you're an AHS Display Garden or aspire to that, you might want to be careful. But, if like most people, you just want to enjoy beautiful flowers, who cares. I mean, I know plenty of people who don't know the names of their other perennials and it doesn't bother them. Look at all the people who post on here trying to find out the name of a daylily (pretty hopeless in most cases). For the big guys, most don't keep their intros around for more than a few years because they know people resell them (for less). I don't really think they're threatened by a seedling market as the folks buying those are probably not their customers anyway. I think the big guys (and girls) deserve their money, knowing how much goes into it...however, they're out there really advancing the flower. Most of the rest of us are just hobbyists. I think there is plenty of room for everyone. The newest and best genetics command top dollar (as the new everything does). I can see how hard it is to make money (most of us clearly aren't in it for that...lol), but I'd sure hate to see folks like Paul Owen fail. We need all kinds of different people producing all kinds of different flowers. I thought his offering flowers for people to name was rather brilliant. I mean, I've read about people visiting in Florida and getting daylilies named after them. Not everyone gets that chance. Where I live, there probably isn't anyone in 30 miles who would willingly pay $100 for a daylily. However, they'd probably buy unnamed blooming seedlings for what are bargain prices (not that they appreciate that!). I think for those of us that are collectors, we're going to continue to collect. I still see lots of green lawn everywhere...lol...so there are plenty of folks. Some will eventually move up the ladder to pricey ones (like a lot of us)...others will be just as happy with their $5 bargains. It's all good. Let me just conclude with the thought that if you belong to the AHS, a local club (or two or three), the robin, hang out here, etc, and have zillions of labels all over your yard.....you are not the 'average' daylily person! For those folks, registration has meaning. (I thought I was concluding...lol) I remember vising Mr. Benzinger's garden on what was probably his final open garden (Buttered Popcorn, among others)...and I don't think he had any registered daylilies that I could see. Had a sign up for you to see from the road...something like "Daylilies $5"....and you walked around and picked out what you wanted....they were all seedlings. I still have one (oh yeah! forgot about that one!), a nicely speckled diploid (that I had to figure out for myself!). It's appealing to me because it is something I might work with. I mostly prefer...without a doubt...registered daylilies, but that doesn't mean I don't like to play with seedlings!

Hi Merry Heart! I was figuring you must be at the lake. Hasn't the weather been wonderful....so much cooler and cloudier than usual and not nearly as much rain these last 2 or 3 weeks. It sounds like you had a great time there. I am still getting ripe tomatoes from some sorry-looking plants too, and I am very grateful for that because many people here lost all their tomatoes to the rains and/or flooding. I am slowly removing the yucky plants after I harvest the last of their good-looking ripe fruit, and am replacing them with fall tomato plants I raised from seed. I have been doing that since June, and some of the June-planted replacement plants are already 3 to 4 feet tall and have blooms and fruit, so I think it will be a good year for fall tomatoes at least. I always grow about 15 tomato plants in containers (in additions to those in the ground), ranging from 5 gallons to about 30 or 40 gallons and they always do incredibly well as long as I keep them well-watered and well-fed. This year, Better Bush, Jaune Flamme, Early Girl, Little Lucky, Lucky Cross, Kimberly, Orange Banana and Nebraska Wedding have done very well in containers. Several others, including Ultimate Opener, Red Star and Galina's Yellow did not do as well in containers. Susan has had really great results with a tomato I think would be PERFECT for a container. I think it is Husky Red Cherry. There is a whole line of Husky tomatoes that are short internode plants which are great for containers. In the past, I have had lots of success with Better Boy in containers too. My melons have been slow too, but have finally begun to form fruit. My pepper plants are like yours....smaller than usual and bending under the weight of the fruit. I bet that we will harvest peppers until the first frost, though, so the plants ought to be able to grow and get a little stronger. I also have basil everywhere, and have been having to cut it back and cut it back and cut it back. The flowers are looking great, and it is still hard to keep up with all the mowing and weed-eating. We had bobcat problems earlier this spring/summer....he got a total of 2 chickens and 2 guineas, but we haven't seen him the last 2 or 3 weeks, so maybe he has moved on. The coyotes haven't been howling and running much yet, but it is usually August when that kicks in big-time, so I guess time will tell. The river is back down in its banks, although a lot of pastures near the river still have huge amounts of water that just will not drain and dry up...so I am guessing the water table is high under those pastures. We have had lots of deer, including one doe who always leaves her still-spotted fawn on the edge of the woods while she (the doe) nibbles around the edges of the garden. I just love little fawns, so, of course, I have been putting little piles of cracked corn, sunflower seeds and hen scratch on the edge of the woods so the fawn can eat them while the doe devours the garden. (She stands outside and reaches over the fence.) We are having tons of birds (including some we've never seen and haven't identified yet), butterflies, moths, frogs, turtles, dragonflies, etc., so it is a great year for sitting out in the lawnchairs at night and watching the wildlife. It IS hard to believe it is August 1st, and we haven't even hit 100 degrees yet (which is OK with me). I hope we have a really late first frost so we can enjoy a long, lovely, mild autumn. Welcome home! Dawn

Some shelters around here have started adopting a policy that no animal leaves the shelter until it has been altered at the shelter. That eliminates the problem of people saying "Oh, yeah, I'll get it done..." and not doing it. But obviously, not all shelters can afford this. Still, I think it's a wonderful idea, and the extra cost they charge me to adopt the animal is still less than paying my own vet. I've never adopted a cat (never had to, the furry little buggers seem to find us OK on their own), but this is what happened with a dog we adopted. We had to wait a week to pick her up, too, so that really let the shelter know that we were seriously interested. As far as hunting cats - I am tempted to say that organized hunts for ferals in rural ideas is probably a good idea. I don't believe that TNR works, given the constant influx of new animals. Open season is a terrible idea, given the many reasons stated above. But a picked group of hunters (probably DNR, DFW people?) targeting known feral colonies - well, it might be necessary. I think we all know that there just aren't homes enough out there, or people with enough patience to rehome ferals (I know it can be done, I have done it several times - but then again, I have had cats locked in rooms for months at a time, screen doors inside my house, etc.) There do need to be stricter leash laws for dogs and cats - and the money, people and will to enforce them. The fact that too few people in charge care about escaped cats and dogs is a big part of the problem.