I know a lot of people like to push organic marketing, however, I've used pre-emerge herbicides for years. Discouraging the use of herbicides around the garden is far from "pushing organic gardening". The two issues aren't even related. Herbicides have their role in landscaping, commercial agriculture, and horticulture, no doubt, but the issue with using them around the vegetable garden is the damage to the plants you WANT to grow, not the herbicides themselves. Every year both the tomato and pepper forums are inundated "what is wrong with my plant" posts with pics of plants damaged by herbicide use. And no it is not just from spraying. Herbicide damage can also result from using mulch that has been exposed to it. Dave

>HOW do you determine if it's an echeveria, aeonium, >sempervivum, graptopetalum, pachyphywhatever? I have >scrolled through websites mentioned here until I'm cross- >eyed. As to the differences as to some of these, I'm not going to be able to help you as I'm 1) new and 2) more into cacti. I will recommend a book (though I would first get it from your local library (or if they don't have it -- your library's interlibrary loan system (as long as rates are low)). Terry Hewitt's book "Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents" It was published in '97 and the author's now deceased, but it has some excellent pictures and descriptions that will help you determine genus, if not species. (If his book isn't available, check out some other general references on cacti/succulents (at this point you want pictorial)) The internet has vaster information, but much is disorganized and the the best pictorial guides have far better picture resolution than most online photos. BTW, of what you have the sempervivum's are the most likely candidate to overwinter outside. >I'm also confused by 'family' and 'genus', not to >mention 'species' and 'variety'. Some of my plants look >like they could be in every catagory! For scientists to be able to classify and help determine 'inter-relatedness' life is grouped in to Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species. So all cacti are in the family Cactaceae, African violets and Florist Gloxinia are both in the family of Gesneriads, all plants in the mint family are in the family Lamiaceae (square stems, opposite leaves, emitting a strong-mainly pleasant smells when crushed). Usually however you want to know Genus and species because they uniquely identify your plant (plus 'possibly' variety/cultivar). Sometimes these names are in flux. For example there are two groupings of plants known as prickly pears, one group has flat pads and generally fleshy fruit, while the other has round long pads and dry fruit (these are sometimes known as chollas). Their flowers are very similar and they both grow their new growth as jointed segments (as opposed to many cacti that keep growwing smoothly from the same growing point). So some scientists group all the prickly pears in one genus (Opuntia), and others seperate them out into tow (Opuntia and Cylindropuntia (for the Chollas)). A species is a group of plants that grow in a similar region and can interbreed fertile offspring. So the definition of a species is sometimes obvious and sometimes vague. A Variety(or sometimes cultivar (for "Cultivated Variety") is a nursery/legal term. It is either a vegetatively propagated plant or hybridized seed, or a seed line that has been selected or bred for unique qualities (usually a unique fruit, or flower color, or leaf pattern not appearing in the general species population). For example all the different apples in the grocery store are the species Malus (genus) domestica (species). However each variety was selected because of unique characteristics and vegatatively propagated (Red Delicious, Gala, Rome, etc.). Note too, that a vegetatively propagated variety can be patented and then marketed under a 'Trademarked' name. Thus if you look at roses they have a trademark name (something catchy), but it will have another name (David Austin's roses patented names all begin with AUS...) that it is actually patented under. >Does anyone have an easier way to determine what is what, >as far as family and genus? I'm trying to figure which >need to be houseplants with bright light, vs. outside >plants with full sun, vs. the 'do best with some shade' >plants. I wouldn't worry too much about the family - the genus is more important. Try that book (or ones like it that I mentioned. >I don't think I'll be buying anymore from WalMart. All >the info you get from there is "Grown in Mexico". I hope >this post even makes sense, because I feel like a raving >lunatic right now... Unfortunately, I've found that most of the retail nurseries don't provide labels on their cacti/succulents. Mail-order are usually much better about labeling, but even they can sometime mis-label. >So is there a very elementary explanation anyone could >give me? Like how would you teach it to a third-grader? >I'm still looking for the best color pic book with all >the info, but haven't found one yet. Sorry this went on so long - hope it helps. Try the book I mentioned or one like it. Here is a link that might be useful: Terry Hewitt's Book

Hi M-I-M... IMO, it's not brevialata but incurvula. I have that one (and it was on my list to send to you, so I guess you don't need that one now, huh!) It's a great little-leaved one. Sweet little flowers. Ann Wayman (who co-authored the most recent book on Hoyas) e-mailed me a few years ago when I found mine and there was a bit of a debate on DG about whether it was brevialata or incurvula and said it was (in her opinion) incurvula. That was good enough for me... Anyway, congrats on your new acquisition! Denise in Omaha

HU, no, a deglosser is not enough. lol. it's a ton of work to properly paint cabs. Have you ever painted? or sanded or primed anything? all doors have to be removed (and properly marked so they go back in the same place) I've painted cabs 3 diff times, and I'll never do it again. If I were you, I'd get a pro to come and do it. so they can spray it at their shop. if you still want to DIY, then read up on the proper way to do it. here: https://www.evolutionofstyleblog.com/how-to-paint-your-kitchen-cabinets-like https://www.thriftydecorchick.com/2015/11/the-epic-how-to-paintyour-kitchen.html https://www.paintedbykaylapayne.com/are-you-thinking-about-painting-your-cabinets/