Granted the lack of sun in making some of my annual seedlings leggy in their containers, so I've moved them away from the rest of the pack to get more sun. But because of all the rain I'm not having to water 60+ 2 liter soda bottles, and because I poke 5-6 rather large holes in the bottom of each I don't have a problem with soggy potting soil. That is why it is recommended a good soilless potting medium be used. To those who are complaining about standing water and green algae, I can only recommend to make a note to yourself next year use Promix (in the classes I teach on WSing I tell the attendees if when you lift the bag of potting soil it is light weight use it, if the bag is heavy the soil in it is too heavy for ws'ing), increase the number and size of the drainage in each container, and also increase the size and number of transperation holes in the lids. In fact I've taken advantage of the rain by transplanting many of my seedlings already, the best part is I don't have to water because I transplant in the rain between downpours. Besides the sun will come out eventually and we'll have days where we wish it would rain, so enjoy it while you can.

Great pics! I love Euphorbia mammilaris too. I've not tried E. resinifera, although I do have a LOT of euphorbias too (very anti-rabbit as you mentioned). Happy Birthday by the way. :) I pretty much follow JoJo's regime. I water most of my cacti and succulents once a week in summer whether they're in the ground or in pots, and it's good to emphasize what JoJo said that plants in the ground will stay more moist than those in pots. Your plan of reading up on the specific plants is good. It's always good to find out if a cacti or succulent is a winter or a summer grower. Winter growers like most Aeoniums and some others like, say, Aloe variegata (partridge breast aloe) are winter growers so enter semi-dormancy in the heat of summer and will easily rot if given too much water in summer (though you can water them several times a week in active winter growth and they'll thank you for it). I always keep a close eye on Crassulas and their relatives in summer as they have CAM which means they generally keep their pores/stomata closed during the day to avoid excessive water loss, however they have a backup threshold of also keeping the pores closed above certain temperatures at night in order to save water, but in Phoenix especially some of our summer nights are above that threshold so the poor things hold their breath day and night and eventually croak. As an example, I grow jades either indoors year round, or outdoors autumn through spring but then bring them inside in summer. Same for Christmas cacti and most echeverias which often melt in our summers (though not all do). I have a five foot tall Aloe 'Hercules' and he wants water once a week or so autumn through spring, but not a drop from the hose all summer long. It almost kills me to not water for those long hot months, but he thanks me by staying alive and growing quickly during the cool months, when my friends or corporate landscapes water them in summer and they rot fast (and I killed a ton of partridge aloes before I toughened up and stopped watering them in summer, LOL). Anyway, succulents and cacti are fun aren't they? Their biggest enemy if overwatering at any time of year so like you've both said, when it doubt, don't water. Keep us posted! What books did you get? Take care, Grant

I'm a college student majoring in dental hygiene and I just finished a course called microbiology. Basically the study of organisms only visible by microscopes. One thing we studied was the herpes virus. Like a few people have posted before me there is herpes simplex 1 and herpes simplex 2. My professor and textbook stated that herpes simplex 1 infects basically from the waist and up while herpes simplex 2 infects the genital area. On rare occasions they can both infect other areas but the outbreaks are milder because the virus is not where it naturally thrives. Both are highly contagious but they're actually the most contagious right before the visible outbreak of blisters occur. I still wouldn't advise popping the blister because of scarring though. If you happen to accidently pop it, immediately use soap and water to wash off the infected area so that you prevent the spread of the infection .

tinman, I am a Master Rosarian in north Phoenix. Perhaps I can help you. As you've guessed, bare root season in Phoenix ended in mid-February. Any bare root rose you purchased after that date had less than 50% chance of growing enough to protect it from hot temps, hot soil, hot water, etc. Bare roots purchased now will have 25% or less chance without some major work. First, no more ground planting until after Oct 1. The soil is so hot right now, that feeder roots will cook. Use the largest light-colored container, with excellent drainage, a rose-planting mix and plan to place the bush and container in the shade, preferably on the patio. You'll not only need to water the bush every day but you may need to erect shade cloth over it. My recommendation would be to create a little shade structure using part of your covered patio. You can purchase outside roller shades that produce the same effect and don't look quite so ugly. These are weighted shades that can resist some monsoon winds. Better to roll them up before the dust moves in, though. Don't feed those roses until after Oct 1. The planting mix will have enough nitrogen to give the roots a boost through the summer. Too much nitrogen will just cook them. Soak the bare roots for up to 24 hours in a 5-gallon bucket of water with several drops of SuperThrive. You can continue to use SuperThrive at least once a week throughout the summer. Unfortunately, you'll also need to mist these bare roots every day until they leaf out. There are several methods of erecting shade structures for established roses but all need to be weighted in order to withstand the monsoon winds. Trellises need to be galvanized, powder-coated or redwood for best results in heat and dry. The trellis should be attached to the wall with at least 4-6 inches of airflow between. You can accomplish this by using a 4x6 block between the trellis and wall and using masonry bolts to anchor. There are plastic polypropylene trellises but they don't last any longer than a lawn chair made of the same stuff. I start most of my bare root climbers in a large (20-24") container and use a tomato cage to hold up the canes. I do the same for David Austin English Roses that droop and OGRs that do the same. You can also use a large/giant tomato cage and shade cloth to create individual shade structures for these bare-roots. Attach the shade cloth with twist ties, shower curtain hooks, or some such. You'll need to weight the shade cloth down with bricks, pavers or similar. Leave some type of access to get water and mist inside the shade area. Next Phoenix Rose Society meeting is Tuesday, June 20, 6:30pm, at the Valley Garden Center, 1809 N 15th Ave, Phoenix (between Thomas and McDowell Roads). It's the potluck before we take a summer break in July and August. You can also find me at the public rose garden most Saturday mornings at about 9am. During the winter, I'm there for several hours a week but during the summer, I may only drop by for a couple hours, 1-2 times a month.