I just saw another picture with potatoes in tires, but the way they were set up, there would be plenty of space for planting pumpkins around them. Maybe the warmth from the tires would help my pumpkins ripen faster :) Also, any ideas to keep the deer out of the corn? I can fence one side with the cattle panels and grow some beans on them...maybe string some wire around the other sides? I don't want to fence in the whole garden. Has this worked for anyone?

I too have been suckered in the past by the easy sprouting seed packs of cacti at WalMart. I think the answer lies in what you are willing to do. I have scaled back on the bigger cacti as I run out of room at the sunny windows, and I'm not willing to spend money on lights and greenhouses and so on. I've had a Cephalocereus senilis since the eighties, but his life hasn't been a bowl of cherries. I've cut his cephalo off several times and rerooted a small piece as he just gets too big and heavy for me to carry in and out of my house. It's brutal. My neighbor about had a cow when he saw me cut the top off. It was such a cute little plant when I got it that reminded me of what my dh looks like when he wakes up in the morning. One thing I do is I don't water my cacti at all when there isn't enough sun to support good growth. If you are into cacti for the long haul, I would try to buy ones that stay small longer. My favorite one of mine is a gymnocalycium that has a jillion little off sets all in a tiny 3 in pot, and it blooms for me every year. Perhaps someone here knows of a smaller cactus that would be as cute as a C senilis.

Wildflower- So now what do you do with them? I'm relatively new to starting Brugs from cuttings- what kind of environment will they go into now- i.e.- indoors or outdoors- under lights- darkness- and what would the temps be? I'm struggling to start some this very minute- they are on my potting table outside- I took 4 inch cuttings, dipped them in rootone- then into soiless potting mix that I made (peat moss, perlite) They are in dappled sunlight, @ 2 weeks old now- It's been getting pretty cool at night 51* tonight- 75* days. I hope they don't rot! I checked one- no roots yet! Any pointers- anyone? I really like Suetrain's idea with wrapping cuttings in newspaper & then placing them in a plastic shoe box. She places a small flower pot on the bottom so the water doesn't touch the plants, then lays them in there.- I think she places the top on lightly, I'm guessing.... & I think she said she puts them in an unheated garage... Suetrain- if you're reading this- could you give us more info? Thank you! Kasha77

Well I said I wasn't going to bring home as much this year, and I didn't. In the past it's taken me weeks to get it all done! Good luck with your foundation bed. That will be really nice! We did ours the first year we were in the house, and it made such a big difference. Still waiting for all the stuff we planted to reach a good size. What kind of shrubs are you going with on the redo?