Hello, Mikulas. In your email message you said some very kind things, so thank you for that; and thank you for inviting me to your thread. I hope you find my offering helpful. You also said: ".... I'm about to begin experimenting with inorganic-only mixes with my Nepenthes. I'm still curious, however: if given the choice of Turface MVP/Allsport or a calcined DE product of similar particle size (say floor dry from NAP Autoparts or All Sport), which would you prefer as a primary component in a medium? I ask b/c an article in the Sept 2006 issue of Orchids Magazine allegedly states that DE absorbs salts that damage roots. Not having the issue, though, I don't know how good their evidence is... So I was wondering if you had ever had salt troubles with any form of DE." First, let me say that, particulate size being the same, I would choose Turface MVP or Allsport over the calcined diatomaceous earth (DE), even in spite of the fact that the DE has a higher CEC and greater internal porosity - and thus more water retention. I think that the Turface comes in at a pH of around 6.2 and the DE at 7.0. I would go with the lower pH product because the CEC of container media isn't particularly important and you're going to want to have your o/a water retention adjusted to something considerably lower than straight Turface anyway, so water retention is also a non-issue - both products have plenty. I think you most wanted the salt issue addressed. I think the statement that "DE absorbs salts that damage roots." is in error. I can think of nothing to support it chemically, but neither does it hold up to logical examination. Assuming that you are watering correctly and flushing the media when you water, consider that if salt accumulated on the surface of the DE, it would be forced back into solution the first time you watered and be carried out of the drain hole with irrigation effluent. If, by some chance they are thinking the salt accumulates and will not go into solution, it would have zero impact on the TDS in, and EC of the soil solution. Another way of looking at it is: Salts must be in the soil solution to have any effect on TDS and EC, and if they ARE in solution, they are subject to being flushed out with the effluent, so their idea doesn't make sense, no matter how you look at it. I hope that's helpful. Take good care. Al

Frankly, I can't see a lot of difference between Americans and Canadians - we are pretty much the same, except when it comes to shopping and then we are considered "international" - and of course our ridiculously high airline taxes. When the Cdn. $ is weak against the American $, Americans buy everything they can from Canada provided it is the same product as is sold in the U.S. (skin care etc.) - either in person or on-line - and without the horrible tax/customs/shipping hits that Cdns. are forced to pay if a product can be shipped/mailed here. Actually there are many U.S. cosmetic lines that are not allowed to ship products to Canada period since our dollar rose in value - although it is weaker now. Yes, Canada is a different country - but there are good and bad things about each of our respective countries. Everyone gets excited when a U.S. store opens here - no one who understands finance expects the prices to be the same - but we would like access to the same merchandise. Hudson's Bay (thankfully the name has returned to the original from "The Bay") carries a small selection of items under the Lord & Taylor brand. My gloves were "liberated" last January and I had to buy new ones. I looked at the Lord & Taylor gloves carried in Toronto and they were garbage - a feeling shared by other glove purchasers. I mentioned this in NY while shopping at L & T and was told that many Cdns. have said the same thing. Now Hudson's Bay has purchased Saks (although I expect it is the holding company that did the purchasing) - but do I expect Saks Canada to be the same as Saks in the U.S. - absolutely not. It would be nice if more than one store in Canada carried many of the skin care makeup lines that are offered for sale in so many U.S. stores. Pretty bad when only Holt Renfrew carries a line - makes it tough when the store is sold out and associates are no longer able to check with another Holt's location and have it delivered to the customer's store. Personally, I buy most of my clothing and my husband's at a specific consignment shop in Toronto - although the owner can only carry what the stores have been selling and a lot of it is rather unattractive - depending on your taste and "look". Food is also extremely expensive here. I really miss the linens that were made in the U.S. - they lasted for many, many years, unlike the stuff we get now. But I do not fear products made in the U.S. and judging from what I have seen Americans do not fear products made in Canada (including food and pharmaceuticals). My dog's food is made in the U.S. - costs practically double here, but he does well on it.

Hi Amanda, you have already got some very good advice here, but would you happen to know where in Germany she came from? I have noticed that gardens here are very region specific and some areas will be populated with lots of favorites that might be rare outside. At that time things were grown more locally than they are today, so if she was from the North, Kordes roses would be a good thing to look at but if she was in Bavaria the selection and choices would be different. Similarly if she was in the East or West. Germans have always been rather practical and during that time the older garden roses that were established and known would generally been more likely to be found than a new introduction. Regardless, Frau Karl is a must. She is found generally everywhere and when healthy and in bloom, will take your breath away. Here, the blooms are the perfect creamy white and among the absolute largest that I have seen anywhere. What is also popular? Species roses. They are literally everywhere and there is a dogs rose nearby which they claim has been growing for centuries. What a kind gesture and I do hope you can bring her some joy with this project.

We are planning on buying in the Palm Springs area next year, I will be looking for an open plan. It will be a second home, smaller than our main home. Our current house is a partially open floor plan. LR and DR are open to one another, step down to LR. There is a 6 foot doorway between the DR and KIT, the kitchen is open to the FR, the FR is 5 steps down from the KIT. Overall I like the open feel, occasionally it can get a bit noisy when I am cooking and DH is enjoying TV, but I would buy the house again. Our previous home was a closed floor plan and it was fine too, but I had never lived in an open floor plan at that point. I think I prefer a partially open plan overall. In a larger home it would be nice to have the ability to close off rooms. The same concept as hotel ball rooms or schools use.