Congratulations on your first....of what will likely become many - clematis! Hope you find the following helpful. 1) What you read about planting depth is correct - the root crown should be planted 4-6 inches below the soil surface. This helps to generate multiple stems form the base as well as encourage a strong, healthy root system. And with the exception of fruiting figs, tomatoes and potatoes, I know of no other plants that come with a deeper planting guideline. If the planting was recent, there is no reason why you cannot dig up the vine and replant at the proper depth, as long as you are careful with the rootball. Doing so can affect flowering but it is far more important to get the planting right for the long term than to enjoy a few flowers now. If you feel uncomfortable digging and replanting the vine, go ahead and mound soil up to the appropriate depth, making a small berm. That works, too :-) 2) I can't tell you how often to water - no one can. That depends on your soil composition, how fast it drains, temperatures and rainfall amounts. What you want is for the soil to stay evenly moist. If the mulch makes that unclear, go ahead and rake the mulch away to check. And make sure that is evenly moist to the full depth (and preferrably deeper) of the rootball. It will only take a few trials for you to become familiar with your specific conditions and really know how often and how long to water. FWIW, twice a day seems excessive to me if you are giving the newly planted vine a deep, slow drink when you do water, not just a spritz with the sprinkler for a few minutes. 3) MiracleGro or any other water soluble fertilizer can work, although I'd opt for one that encourages blooms rather than foliage (or those with a lower N number). Many clematis growers like to use a tomato or rose fertilizer, both of which are available in organic formulations. Alfalfa meal is very good, as is compost. Your choice :-) 4)You do not need to do anything in winter other than apply mulch. Generally clematis are pruned back in late winter/early spring or when you prune roses in your area. Piilu is a type 2 but you will want to prune your vine back hard for at least the first two growing seasons (next spring and the following). This hard pruning encourages establishment, disease resistance and a good root system and is recommended for all newly planted clematis regardless of pruning type. 5) Fast establishment is the result of following all of the above :-)) Do not expect too much too soon. Clems (and all other vines) need about three years in the ground before they really take off. Encouraging the vine to grower faster than it should (or would naturally) can promote wilt or disease and insect problems. 6) Shading the soil with other plants is not a requirement, especially if you are mulching well. All you need to do is assure an evenly moist root run, which both the mulch and adequate watering will provide. Many folks DO plant at the base of clems - you want a shallow rooted plant that doesn't need much dividing, so you don't chance disturbance of the clematis roots.

In central Texas I've had pretty good luck by alternating sprayings of 50/50 mix of skim milk/water (for powdery mildew) then at two week intervals spray two TBSP baking soda, two drops dish soap to a gallon of water (for black spot). This way the sprayings are not too arduous, one each per month, and the roses really take care of themselves. Keeping the soil very healthy, adding some vinegar once per season to the soil, a 2" addition of good homemade compost annually in the fall, and random grooming is about all I do. The sprayings can be a little labor intensive, and if I'm really busy at work, sometimes they don't get done. As long as the soil is good, and the earthworms active, the diseases don't become much of a problem. If I have a basket of leaves that had black spot, I don't add them to my compost bin. I only use good grass clippings and leaves from the fall. Occasionally I get a bag of alfalfa pellets and throw about 4 cups of them in a 60 gallon trash barrel full of water. Let them steep for about 5 days, then use the 'tea' to water the plants, roses included. The leftover alfalfa goop goes into the compost bins because it often contains viable seed. I just don't like them sprouting in the rose beds. Cheryl

Cloud Swift - I think your bread looks great! It may be what you are using to score the tops (or how deep), but there looks to be really excellent ovenspring as well. Scoring is another huge debate item. Angeled (30°) cut, use a lame or a blade, using scissors or a knife - the experts spend a lot of time on the subject... I also think the "poke test" for dough should go the way of wearing hats and gloves in church! I might also add thumping the bread to test it for doneness should also get a second look. I prefer to actually KNOW if it's done by using an instant read thermometer. Some breads really need that extra 5-10°F to BE done, and a "thump" doesn't give that information. It's brown, doesn't cut it either. I use agave nectar, and honey gives the same false "brown enough to be done" look. Both contribute to early browning - much sooner than the loaf is actually done. A dough rising bucket will help new/infrequent/hesitant bread bakers make better bread because they can actually tell when the dough has doubled - NO GUESSING. An important part of successful breadmaking. I also set a timer to check the dough in the dough rising bucket. When I bake I WEAR a Polder Timer around my neck (I've been known to wander outside and get distracted while waiting for dough to rise...;-) These may seem like piddly details for the experienced bread bakers, but there are more questions about "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BREAD - AND HOW CAN I FIX IT" than details about successes on this site. If an inexpensive plastic tub with a lid can make a failed breadmaker a successful breadmaker, WOOO HOOO! As far as the final proofing goes (panned or free-formed) - it takes all five senses to make good bread and our eyes have to be our guide at this point. Over- or Under-Proofing Panned Breads: 1. An incorrect amount of dough placed in the pan to begin with is a prime suspect for over- or under-proofing panned breads. It's the fear-of-the-scale problem. A standard loaf pan (1-1.5# dough) and a 9x5-inch loaf pan (designed for quick breads) are not the same volume. If you put 1-1.5 pounds in a 9x5-inch loaf pan (which can accomodate 2#+), you may allow it to rise way OVER double to fill the space. If you put 2# of dough in a standard size bread pan it will be easy to under-proof it, or you can end with a mushroom and a lot of shredding on the sides. If I place more than 1# of dough in my Pullman pan, as soon as the dough hits the oven and I get a good amount of ovenspring, the additional dough will quickly seep out any crack in the Pullman pan lid. This is a "MUST SCALE THE DOUGH" loaf. I also scale dough amounts so that I have equal amounts in each pan that bake in approximately the same amount of time to nearly the same size. I scale the dough for hot dog buns, hamburger buns, dinner rolls, etc. The scale is my friend! 2. The next mistake comes when people think they need to allow the dough to rise to the size of the finished loaf - this is over-proofing. The little rule-of-thumb: The dough log is approx. 1/3 the size of the finished loaf. You allow that amount of dough to rise until it's approximately "double" the dough log size - which accounts for 2/3 the size of the finished loaf. The ovenspring (the amount the dough continues to rise after it's in the oven) accounts for the last 1/3 of the size of the finished loaf. After you are familiar with a certain recipe, you'll know when the dome of the rising dough is about 1-inch over the edge of the pan, it's doubled. You'll use little signs like that to guide you, but that doesn't work all the time on all recipes.... With formed loaves it's a little trickier - hydration and human error play into this, as well as the type of bread. Many aren't supposed to "double". -Grainlady

i shop at several different ones if i am in those areas. as for the "deception" with their items being boxed to look like others, that's what everyone does. heck, just peruse the dollar store aisles - scrubbing bubbles is one that comes to mind. in any event, every item that is in the aldi stores is tested by a group of employees/tasters, etc. i purchase what i am comfortable purchasing. other items i'll get at other stores. i have the luxury of so many different grocery stores within a short drive of me that i can spread my shopping out and get the most for my buck. i was not aware of the refund policy but we haven't complained about anything yet. i don't care for the brand of milk they buy, so i never get it there. at christmas they had those ferraro roche candies for some ridiculously low price, i didn't realize it was just a one time thing. in the stores the prices are crazy. i also purchased this most delicious chocolate cake and when i went back, realized the freezer stated "special purchase". had i known, i would have stocked my freezer, it was incredible. i've been in three different aldi's in three completely different areas and each was well stocked and well kept. if i don't have a quarter, i carry one of those pretend things that slid in the cart. i have no problem returning a cart to where it belongs, sure beats having to fight for a parking space when people just leave them wherever. as for bags, i have been carrying my own bags for all kinds of shopping for the last 25 years, so it doesn't phase me. maryanne