We also planted a nectarine seed and the tree grew up so large and strong, but again the fruits were tiny, green and bland. We used them to throw at each other :D We did however, have great success with a yellow peach tree, the fruits were plentiful, large, and very sweet. The new owners of the house decided to take it down though because the tree didn't stand very well, it needed a lot of staking, the root system wasn't very good. As long as you have the space though, they are extremely fun to watch grow and develop from seedling to tree never knowing what you will get. And you never know when you may be blessed with something really unique and desirable.

That's pretty much what I would do speedster1. I don't get in a hurry about planting them because they will develop a good amount of roots in the refrigerator. Sometimes plant them straight in a pot with the seed still damp and sprout them using soil mixed with ash. Both methods work but if you use a grow light place It just over the apples so they don't get spindly trying to reach for the light and keep a fan on them part of the day to simulate wind which makes them stocky and hardens them off. The top leaves should rest almost on the fluorescent bulb and as they grow raise the bulb slightly.In Kansas it's very windy so they won't survive if you don't do use a fan. If you have a Seedling you like on its own root you can cut off some new growth and dip the cutting in clonex rooting gel stick it in a pot of sand and place a jar over it to control humidity and clone your cuttings in that way. If you want seedlings or clones to grow faster place them on a heat mat. You get the idea. Cloning is faster with some plants. What no one tells you is that seedlings roots are always better than layered cuttings of rootstock because they have a tap root vs side roots only. Tap roots head straight down but side roots are more shallow. There are more ways to do this stuff than what I mentioned but that's a few tricks.

I got home today to two big boxes from Garden Web and one from my daughter in Alaska..... I really hit the jackpot. Char, Faithinfrogs sent me so may great goodies I don't know where to begin. She obviously did her homework because she hit all my favorite categories. There is a lovely wooden basket in a beehive motif. Very cute and unusual. It will be used to showcase my best houseplant on the DR table. Two teabags and I'm enjoying the mango apple right now. Love mango and this is very tasty. A jar of homemade plum strawberry jelly. Looks good I may try that for my snack tonight. A pack of nice plastic plant markers for my house plants. A very cute notepad and matching pen with spotted tiger lilies on it. Nice and cheery. Two packs of morning glory seeds and two nice little pots that I hope will soon hold some of the African violets I'm trying to root. There is a darling little USA angel that I'm going to put onto my Alaska sweat shirt. Then she went into all my animal friends. A plant stake with a monarch butterfly. It wiggles and jiggles on a spring and will be a bright spot on cold winter days. The sweetest little bear in a red sweater. He looks like he might have come from Kodiak for a visit. He's right at home today too with all this rain and wind. I love this guy. The frogger sent me a puppy too. Alas, no not a real one but a cutie and he is sitting here looking at me. There is a wooden ornament in the shape of Minnesota. I think that will go in with my Christmas decorations. It's just the right size and that way I get to remember you for years and years. LOL I got a jointed wooden snowman that goes perfectly with my favorite piece of my snowman collection..... A plaque that says 'fat snowmwn last longer". It has a guy on it that looks so much like the one in this box it is amazing. Ahah! a squirrel. He is cute as can be. He'll sit in a flower pot for awhile but he just might hitch hike along when the mighty "Nuts" starts out on his next cross country journey. Char, how did you know. There is a candy stick and a book by one of my favorite authors... Patricia Carnwell. A perfect ending for a stormy day, a good mystery story. Thanks Char. And now, down to the nitty gritty... I got four different sedums. Wow Wow, fantastic! One, Matrona I've been wishing for for 2 or three years so I'm really glad to get that. I never knew there were so many different types and it looks like I want them all. Thank You a whole bunch! Char thanks so much for the wonderful package. Everything is just so "right" I'm delighted that Susie matched us up for this swap. I'll be sending you the website for the book exchange AND hopefully soon, some froggy portraits. BB

Jana, oops, you're quite right~~CC is no comparison to Westlake. Although I might add, it is a very NICE middle class neighborhood. Coming from CA, the house I posted would be over $1 mil. probably closer to $1 1/2 mil w/property. deedee, it's been a lot of years! Yes, it *was* Morris, and I remember what a scorching hot day it was. Austin is hot, but humidity is not as bad as it is/was there. The picture of the house you posted looks fairly familiar~~where exactly is it? Is Foxy's still in Oswego? I used to love the tenderloins! These days you can't get them anywhere. I'm originally from Ottawa, and know of a place in Streator that still has them, but that's about it. When I visit my BFF, i'm sure we'll be making the trek or our 'annual tenderloin'. Good to 'meet' someone from the same area who knows familiar places!! ;o)