Ok, here's one for you, my plants will be 2 years old next year, hopefully they'll put on a great show this summer. Guess this plant, botanical and common name please? Sharon

Jeanie, I agree 100%. And what I keep telling others and myself. I'm starting some seeds earlier than normal but will also start some at the normal time. Also have invested in some larger pots I can pot up to if I need to hold the early ones longer. But if they get froze after they have been in the ground for a while I will have those started later to replace them. If I don't need the later starts I will either sell or give them away. And I'm not starting my whole amount either. I always tell someone gardening is a gamble but never put all of your eggs in one basket especially if starting this early. I posted on another thread about my visit with my friends and favorite greenhouse owners this past week. He said they've been receiving requests to start seeds for people for a few weeks now. They want the plants ready to transplant no later than April 1st. That is way to early for this area even with protection. I have set out April 10th and with protection the plants have survived and did well. They warn those who order plants so early but they grow for the public and if that is when they want them then they start them. One order was for 100 habeneros for a small market grower who wants the first peppers and tomatoes at his market. The quest for the earliest fruit will never end. My lean to greenhouse along with my cold frames allows me to start plants earlier and to protect them if needed. I plan to build another frame also. Any of us who have been around a few gardening seasons know full well that pushing the envelope carries certain risks. And in the end many times the results aren't any greater. I won't push peppers or ora at all. I'm going to push a few tomatoes hoping to get set before the heat arrives.Jay

It was 91 and 92 degrees all week long, on Saturday, it hit 100 degrees. I did the digging early morning and just before dark, never during the hot part of the day. I never even got tired. I had all week and just paced myself. I put the dirt in 5 gallon buckets and used a dolly to move it. The real work was done by the Chevrolet truck and tow staps. My husband did not think it would work, without the extra weight in the bed of the truck. I had the new palm trees planted while my husband went to dump to get rid of the palm roots. I was very proud that we were able to do this. Barbra

Hi Lisa, If it suckers—and if it was coming up thru pavers I assume it does—all you have to do is to look around the “outside” of the plant for “small” plants that are rooted and can be (hopefully fairly easily) dug up and potted as separate plants. I think that might be easiest to do when it starts actively growing in spring. If you can’t find suckers, I’m not sure! I suspect you could take one of the longer (and smaller) canes and bend it over so it’s touching the ground and “attach” it to the soil at some places, or bury parts of the cane slightly in the soil, and wait to see if roots develop at those points—I think that might work, but I’m really not sure! Maybe some other Rose Person will be along with more “rose expertise” than I have! I’m not really a Rose Person! But I know some folks around here have started them from cuttings, just have never done it myself, so not sure of the best way! David, can you start them in straight perlite? Here’s how to get your “real name” back! Go to “your page” (don’t know what it’s called now!), click on “edit profile,” then put your “original GW screen name” in the “first name” box, and if you want to add your zone and location, put that info in the “last name” box! Strange system, but it works, and at least there IS a way for us to Continue To Be Who We Are! Houzz said, or at least implied, that anyone with the same name as somebody already on their site had their name changed—but I have a HARD time believing there was already a lisaluwho on their site!!! I think pretty much everybody had their name changed! If you want to stop getting all the MAIL—when you discover that you are getting all the MAIL!—on the profile page go to “advanced settings,” and change all the boxes to “NEVER!” If you come up with any other questions, post them on the “RMG – How do I do it…” thread I started. Skybird