I really hope some will be encouraged to try to propagate roses, now they can see it really is not that hard. And I really want to stress that it is very important to choose the right rose for the root stocks (I think it has become very clear that different root stocks do better in different parts of America or even Europe. I do prefer either R. Multiflora or Rosa Laxa. While some in Florida and other places might do better with R. Fortuniana or Dr. Huey. And Cass you are right! These rootstock are seedlings! But I am not sure that many will have the patience the raise these first, when it so much easier to root the cuttings. We live in a rose wonderland here since we have a very large rose production and many nurseries and access to so many thousands cultivars. We are always not very far from a nursery that sell rootstocks (a bundle with 100 (seedgrown) rootstocks cost about $) and I use about 200 myself every year, to propagate and exchange rare roses or roses that are simply very hard to get. In July here we send rose canes all over in damp newspaper and Plastic bags, to other rose-enthusiasts and nurseries and use the canes as "budwood". Many will however find it easier to use root-stocks grown from cuttings, since that is what they have available. Do use your seedlings if you have any. I am not sure we have the same nematodes here Cass. We do have some but we always bury the Scion at least 3-4 inches under soil level to protect from frost. In areas without harsh winters it seems to be more common to plant the rose with the scion in the surface or even above soil level.

That is an Areca PALM. Container plants should be watered thoroughly each and every time you water....enough so that the entire volume of potting mix and root system is completely saturated and the excess should drain out rapidly. Then....you wait until the soil becomes somewhat dry again. If you just water certain parts of the pot, then sections of the roots will dry out and die. Now that you know the name of your palm, you can look it up and find out all sorts of information. You might consider, too, posting your question in the Houseplant Forum. Lots of people have questions and concerns about their indoor palms. When your fertilizer comes in, READ AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ON THE LABEL. I believe that most MiracleGro fertilizers are mixed with water and applied on watering day. But you may have a different kind.

Hi, I just went through the process of having my deck refinished. The deck is about 500 sqft half covered, half full sun. The deck had lousy opaque stain that was badly weathered. I estimate the deck at 10 years old and the stain at 5 years since application. About 20% of the boards needed replacing. I didn't do the work, I found a contractor who had done similar projects in the area and had him do it. The results are ok, but not as good as I hoped. I wound up spending about $1300 on the lumber and stain and $2000 on the labor. I think I didn't get great value. This is the step by step guide to how I think I should have done it. If I had held my contractor to this process, and presented it this fully at the start of the project, I would have had a better chance at getting the beautiful result I wanted. This is not a quick of easy approach, but I think it would work well. Restaining a Redwood Deck in Bay Area - Total elapsed time should be about 20 days. Assumes no rain at all for the duration time, normal summer weather. Agree on goals and the quality standard. e.g. No glossiness. No rough spots or unevenness. Gap should be about 1/8" and all the wood should be installed to cup down. Agree on inspection failure and rework approach. -If it fails a step, then what will we do? Will it add cost? What about accidentally destroyed materials? Assess wood, choose boards to be replaced. Decide on additional wood, eg trim to be added. Note trim should be al single pieces even on long sections. Scarph join sections when long pieces can't be found. Agree on stains (Cabot semi transparent oil), paint (Sherwin Williams Duration) and primer to be used. Get all needed plus one gallon for paint and stain. Take delivery, check color, get receipts, note formula used to mix color. Light power wash deck, 500 psi, 40 deg tip, 18 inches away. Wait to dry out for 5 days. Go get wood at yard together, agree on quality and kind of trim. Shoot for older wood to maximize color match. OK Lumber in Redwood City is a good yard to use. Buyer to keep all scrap / excess lumber. Do a color check on trim, old wood, new wood, house with stain and paint. Inspect all wood, get receipts. Lightly sand (120 grit) all new wood to remove mill finish. Remove all boards, including verticals. Make temp ramp for access top back yard from kitchen door. Make sure ramp is dog friendly. Sand all faces of boards using orbital sander with 80 grit, get into all tight spots with hand sanding or sharp detail sander. Vacuum all boards with brush attachment. Power wash all boards, 1000 psi, 12 inches away, 40deg tip Wash house too. Allow to dry 5 dry days While waiting, fix substructure of the deck, clean and repair. Vacuum all substructure, garage, driveway and surrounding area. No sanding dust left anywhere. Stain all trim. Stain extra trim to allow for scrap. Stain with brush or mitt. Apply stain outside in the shade from 10am - 4pm. Set to dry in garage. Work only with great light, bright and indirect. Brush oil stain into each board on all faces. Use natural bristle brush, set to dry on blocks in normal horizontal position. Apply only one coat. Stain 5% extra boards to allow for scrap. Do not use too much, to avoid glossiness. Allow to dry 4 days in garage. Do all house painting while waiting. Inspect and approve all boards and trim for color and quality of stain. Also inspect against warping. Install boards - remain careful to not scratch or mar finish. Do not over drive deck stews, they should sit just slightly below flush. Position at least one inch from board edge. Use good, color appropriate corrosion resistant hardware. Inspect all boards as installed. Check no big gaps, no gouges or scratches. No warping. If any boards fail, use back up boards, use new spot for attachment of board to substructure to avoid stripping out hole. Walk all boards individually to check for squeaking or looseness. Install all vertical boards, use small screws. Will require piloting holes first. Inspect verticals for thin, even gaps, good attachment. Install trim. Use finishing nails. Mitre all corners. Scarph joints, not butt joints when necessary. Inspect all trim work. Look for good joints even miters. Check straightness of lines. Check good attachment, give spots a light kick, especially on step edges. Vacuum up all debris and dust. The End! Wasn't that fun and easy!

Are you doing this with a building permit? You'd be smart to involve an engineer and your local building authority. If your municipality doesn't require an engineer's stamp, they may go so far giving you a plan to work from. They may also have info on your soil type. Some things a professional would consider: Soil, frost line, seismic issues, slope, existence of any fill (maybe during the construction of your house the builder filled some areas of the lot), drainage, water table, etc. For general info on building a block wall and a plan showing a footer and rebar placement, see my personal website: http://www.billb.name/diy/retainingWall.asp. At least it'll give you some language for speaking to your building inspector. Bill