I don't usually make resolutions, but after reading all the good posts in this thread, I've made up my mind. I want it ALL! I no longer want to enjoy the holidays looking at a gaily decorated petroleum-based interpretation of a fir tree. I want the live green tree with the O2 mitigation. I want winter interest and shelter for the birds. So my Christmas gift/resolution to myself will be - a balled tree. Yeah, it'll cost a few bucks, but for the next 30+ years (I plan on living a loooong time ;-)), imagine how nice the whole place is going to look when they are planted, and how much the wildlife will appreciate them. Unless someone can suggest a better way to go, here is my plan (I've never had a balled tree before, so save me from myself if I'm off base). I'll buy it in November, tub it on the deck, decorate it there with lights and strings of popcorn and fruit and I (and the critters) can enjoy it for the holidays. Then, after the festivities, drag it over to a pre-dug hole, plant it, and voila! If I get one small enough I think I could handle it (root balls are heavy!). At least I have a year to get any kinks out of this plan. Kris (already thinking about she's gonna do with her next Christmas tree....)

Recently I: - Had my grandchildren choose and plant their own plants in our garden - children do make excellent choices (like Helichrysum and Brachycome)! My almost six-year-old granddaughter pouted when I told her we had to bring her home and wouldn't have time to plant any more plants. Sounds like me! - Planted lots of new (to me) variegated plants (e.g., Carex 'Beatlemania', variegated daylily and spotted Heuchera) with the goal of lightening the mood of the garden. - Acquired lots more ornamental grasses, after getting hooked on them last year. - Started consciously thinking more of designing with color, and being bolder with it. - Realized that, with a nice variety of plants in place, and with something blooming at any given time in the growing season, I can splurge by getting lots of each of a few plants that I love. The backdrop is in place now, about seven years after the start of my current garden. Wishing you a belated happy birthday, Wendy

Yep, I have seen the same thing. You should do as you say and "rough up" the old root ball at the least. I basically strip them of the old soil. This is easily done by swishing them in a bucket of water to loosen and wash away the old soil. When transplanting trees, they normally come with instructions for "scoring" the old root ball to encourage it to break out of the old shape. The same holds true for peppers. Bruce

I hope I'm not too off topic here, but, MamaP, I have 4 dogs. All small, and I use disposable wee wee pads a lot of the year because they don't tolerate Minnesota winters well, especially my senior Chinese crested. I am interested in washable wee wee pads, not for convenience obviously, but because all the waste from disposable materials. Hearing that you use them, and you wash them at the laundromat, makes it seem....more workable. Any advice on quality of fabric wee wee pad, or your washing routine would be enormously appreciated. I wouldn't think their is enough interest in this topic to start a new thread, but who knows. And I haven't figured out how to pm yet, so I'm asking here. I realize you have a lot going on at home, so no rush, and I hope all is well. Harlow