Morning...I can really use, straight-up caffeine. I'm not a coffee drinker, 'prefer tea,' but the cupboard is bare. Feel like Mother Hubbard. Don't you dare say old. lol Speaking of nursery rhymes.. The space in your garden isn't 'too small,' 'too large,' it's 'just right.' 32 degrees. Asleep, the weather is terrible. It's a little warmer here, but very dark. I'm tired of cloudy. Don't get me wrong..I enjoy t-storms, but enough is enough. Worse as a victim with SADS. Anyway, I thought you said, 'some time ago,' you didn't have much room at the old place. So, your new yard is about the same size? Oh, how the heck did you draw the photo? How many plants do you have? Approximately. Do all go outside? Some? Most? When your plants are out, they're grouped? Close without space? Really, that's interesting. I 'try' grouping by type, but it doesn't always work out. Depends on plants that are hauled outdoors. I'm so tired of ants. I know greens love summer vacation but insects crawl inside soil, then brought indoors...Not to mention spiders!!! Did the previous tenants garden? Wonder who planted the Hosta. Okay, I'm a bit confused. 'what else is new?' lol. Do you intend digging the entire lot or just the area under your window? What type of soil is out yonder? Will you amend ground where Alocasias will be planted? Oh God, all that work is making me more tired. lol Yes, Alo's grow a lot taller and wider in-ground, 'depending on variety,' of course. Are your Alo's small, mid-size or tall? I have one Alo 'African Mask' that's been in the same pot for years. It's in a ceramic pot, upstairs bathroom. I'd love planting in-ground, but can you imagine all the ants that'd hide in soil???? You wrote, your Alo's among other plants will be planted under the window... Do you keep windows opened in summer or are you an a/c person? lol. I'm an open window type. 4 O'clocks, Mirabilis, are so fragrant. They grow tall, with, literally, hundreds of various-color, fragrant blooms. Especially after 4pm when blooms open. Perennial. Just saying... Comfy-cozy, sitting on the couch before opened windows, reading, while 4 o'clock fragrance permeates the air. When you have time, please take before and after pictures. I for one would love seeing your 'awesome' garden. :) Seriously. It is nice looking out the window, watching nature do Her thing. Aww, summer!!! What type of water feature? A pond? Waterfall? Oh, that'd be nice..humidity increase for tropical's plus soothing sound. Maybe you'd best speak to the manager before purchasing equipment in case he/she/they say no. Just explain Nature's importance. That outta do it. lol. Yep, that Mike..btw, he has a pond..If you plan on adding a water source, he's the one to talk to. He has a pond with Koi and plants..Ever see his photos? Oh, did I say Mike is nearby? Not physically. lol. He's in the eastern states, I'm mid-west. 700-900 miles apart. Mike and I talk on the phone, mostly about plants. If I wasn't afraid to fly, I'd love to head east..Especially around autumn. I've heard trees/plants are gorgeous that time of year. Mike's personally met a few people from the forums. They went plant shopping. lol. There's a lot more to see in his area than here. Most nurseries, one over 100-years-old, closed their doors. Anyway, good luck with the garden. Don't forget to snap photos. I'd love seeing pictures after completion. Do you ever post pictures? I can't recall any at the time. Okay, now that you've finished reading part 1, I'm certain you're bored to death. lol. Take care, hugs, Toni

how good is your scale? 100th of a gram wouldbe minimiun I would use, 1,000 of a gram is what you need. Here uis a site that can give you more info on saving seeds. Here is a link that might be useful: Seeds

I agree with oakleyok regarding the window treatment. Is there anything you can do to completely cover the white that shows along the top and both sides of the windows? Perhaps panels that hang straight down on the ends and a valance that goes across the whole top of the window.

This recipe: http://recipecircus.com/recipes/Katie/PRESERVING/Smoky_Chipotle_Ketchup.html Harvest Forum Smoky Chipotle Ketchup Recipe By :Katie Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Preserving Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 5 lbs. ripe tomatoes -- coarsely chopped 1 large onion -- finely chopped 1 large poblano chili -- finely chopped 2 jalapeno chilies -- coarsely chopped 4 canned chipotle chilies -- (2-5) chopped 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1 cup dark brown sugar 1 tsp. celery seed 1 1/2 tsp. mustard seed 1 tsp. black pepper 1 1/2 tsp. salt Combine all ingredients in large, heavy nonreactive pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and sauce is reduced by one-fourth. Puree in a food processor or food mill, or use a stick blender. Strain through a sieve if desired. Bring to a boil and simmer until quite thick and dark brownish red. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or process in a boiling water bath: 15 minutes at 0-1000 ft., 20 minutes at 1001- 6000 ft. and 25 minutes above 6000 ft. Pretty sure it's been posted here before. Cindy