I'm writing from Italy, and i'm not so informed about cold. However: Young fig tree bears without problem 4-6 celsius degrees under zero, (may be 21-22 F). Is important that the pot rests on (in contact) to the floor (especially if the floor is supported on the ground). I have seen interesting covers to allow the relative "warmth" of the floor can remain under a sealed cartboard bell covering the plant. (remember that the ground under a few feet can be that is not frozen, especially in a garage on the side of the house). I remember an old fig tree in the ground, if it has poor soil (when a tree is certainly very poor soil) and not too wet to stand at -18 � C (0 � F). I remember that too much nitrogen fertilizer, poor sun radiation, and excess water are harmful to the resistance to cold. In London, the temperature rarely drops below zero Celsius 30-32 F, but the excess moisture does find figs filled with sap, and then moderate frosts are deadly. In Switzerland, the plants on steep slopes and sunny, have a hardwood such as a bone, very strong and resistant to frost. In particular I have seen too rich and too soft soil in the pots, good soil for the fig tree is a good percentage of heavy soil and a little peat, have no concern that the fig tree grows slowly. At the end of the summer to reduce watering!, and NOT manure, and care very much that the fig tree takes a lot of sun. The wood must be hard; not to be herbaceous. Do not conserve the pot on temperature upper than 45 F. Congratulations on your commitment in botanist! My regards to loslunafarms and Giuseppe, my dear friends! Sergio

I finally got to read your whole post. I bet you are feeling like tearing your hair out because she sure doesn't seem to value your time or that you have other things to do. I am so sorry. My dad will be 91 in July and had hip/femur surgery in November and, sadly, it just hasn't healed. The next step is a partial hip replacement with a titanium rod inserted in the femur. What I have noticed is that on the days he has pain he can't seem to hand me his lunch or dinner plate or mail in order for me to clean up. I think it is a mental decision that they can't do the simplest of things. I think contacting any senior centers or any senior programs available through government services might be a great start. There are organizations that will take your mom grocery shopping or to appointments if they are fairly local. Some charge, some take donations and some are totally free. Many grocery stores have online ordering and will deliver to her home for a fee. That could be a lifesaver for sure. Do insist on being in charge of her calendar or you won't be able to attend or drive. She cannot make decisions for you when you are the ride. Let us know what you have decided to do and know that we all support you and most have gone through (or are going through) similar situations. The is a great place to vent! Robyn

I know this is an incredibly difficult time for you. Both of my parents were diagnosed with cancer about a year apart. My mother is still fighting lung cancer and my father passed in Sept. He, like your dad seems to be, was very independent and very very stubborn...LOL. They just get worse when they get older. He refused to let me go with him to doctors appointments and discuss his care AND his health issues. He had difficulty eating and meds really didn't help. Your dad sounds like he might be more amenable to something like Meals on Wheels where they bring a meal a day. There are all sorts of programs available. There is a program here were a person(nurse?) will stop by and check on a shut-in to see if they've eaten, see how they are feeling, etc. My mother was involved in it when she was still working. There might be something like that in your area? It is so frustrating to get them to eat enough. And to eat food that hasn't been in the cabinet since before Clinton took office. My parents did NOT like it when I cleaned out their cabinets and chucked all the old canned food. They didn't realized canned food expired. Oh, they can be too much sometimes. Visiting everyday and bringing something to eat or cooking a meal while I'm there is what I have done for about three years now. I also cook a few meals and stick them in the freezer to eat later in the week. They loved having the company and having someone to eat with seemed to help. It seems to work best in my situation. An assisted living situation might be a good place but many people fight that tooth and nail. There are probably some great support groups at hospitals around the area where you live. There are social workers that might be able to offer some helpful information. Good luck and don't feel overwhelmed. There are some great books out there too that offer some help with dealing with these changes in your life. Just a thought. Again, good luck.

Hi... i've posted my story on the stepfamily forum- am currently breaking up with BF after 13 months- came to realization that he is a controlling person. Just posting here to vent about his terrible gift giving. Some of this may be selfish of me: Birthday - his daughter's birthday was 2 weeks before mine. For her birthday, he told ex he would pay for the party ($300). Ex bought snacks for the kids (?$50)We went together to get her birthday presents- he picked out at least 5 or more outfits for her, wanted to make sure she had lots of gifts to open (his own words), spent $150? My birthday two weeks later: I got flowers sent to my work. Got home, he gave me a birthday card, handed me a small box & said "Sorry, I kinda ran out of money, but I wanted to make sure you had something to open". Inside the box was a decorative coin jar, the lid had a baker figurine, and the jar was titled "Extra Dough". I was very disappointed, but hid it. He explained that since cooking together was a thing that we liked to do together, he thought it would be cute. Then took me out to dinner at a really nice steakhouse (I don't eat meat except for seafood- which they had), and given his money comment, I was very budget conscious that night. I tried to let go of if, but it kept eating away at me so a few days later I brought it up that I felt he didn't place much importance on my birthday - compared it to how he basically spared no expense for his daughter (didn't ask ex to split cost), but then when it came to my birthday it was "sorry, i ran out of money". Wanted to make sure she had lots of presents to open, but got me a coin jar! He then told me I was wrong for making him feel bad about spending money on his daughter. He told me that he could have chosen not to take me out to an expensive dinner, and not to get me flowers. I just felt that he could have budgeted better - knowing he had two birthdays, he could have asked ex to split the party costs, but chose not to (another issue that always came up). 1st Anniversary - relationship was already on the rocks. The week before, I mentioned I was thinking of buying myself some jewelry (had some gift cards to use). He didn't want me to, said that he was thinking of doing something nice for our anniversary and buying me a necklace to match a ring that I have. I said he should do that if it's what he wants to do - me buying a necklace for myself would not be as meaningful as something from him, and that besides I hadn't bought anything with the gift cards yet, and might still choose to buy something else. I didn't have much enthusiasm when discussing the anniversary, but since he brought it up, after that i kept bringing it up - asking him what he would like - should we go out for dinner, cook a special meal, etc - he said we'll play it by ear & never made any definite plans although I kept bringing it up. Day of our anniversary, he said "happy anniversary" in the morning. We met up after work. I had my gifts and card laid out for him on the bed. He got me nothing. I was furious and hurt. Even afterwards, he didn't make it up by planning something for us, or even getting me a card or a gift. His reason - he didn't think I was very interested in celebrating b/c I didn't seem very excited about it so he didn't plan anything (true I wasn't all energetic & excited, but I did get him card & gift b/c I thought it was the right thing to do), and he didn't "want to be the jerk who shows up with a present" when the other person doesn't (so I was the jerk?), and that he never made it up afterwards because I made him feel so bad about it.