"I've tried many times to start my own Zinnias from seed and transplant them to the garden. They never do well and my germination rates are terrible. I now wait until it starts to get hot. For the St. Louis area, mid-June is a good time to plant the seed." Humm my experiences have been the exact opposite. My tray of zinnias has had almost 100% germination this year, as usual. I would say that you need to find a better quality seed source. My transplanted varieties always get bigger than the store bought ones, and that means more flowers. This is not a hard plant to transplant for me.

She only chews on the part that goes from the little box to the computer itself and I guess she doesn't get shocked since she did it several times, lol. Well the coffee table legs don't fare too well either but she is pretty good at keeping to her chew toys most of the time. I think its mainly in the mornings when John gets up he plays solitaire and doesn't watch her and she gets into things wanting attention. The guy I bought the laptop from is still looking to see if he can find me one. John went to get me a load of mulch and I have a doctor appt. Hope I get home in time to get it put out before dark. Gonna be pretty cold tonight. My inground plants need a blankie, lol. I got a heater from the pawn shop for $5 for the greenhouse but he stole it for the shop.

Hey Mitzi! Is spring coming up soon? Summer is almost over here. Lesly - The hoya bug is easy to get bitten by, so sometimes it is easy to over whelm oneself. Especially in the winter without a greenhouse. The hoyas that make it through every winter inside I consider the tough bunch and I am happy to grow those. Isn't Joni awesome? Mary - nice to meet you as well and best of luck growing. You seemed to amass a great collection. Susan - I've just kind of been hunkering down with all the cuttings I acquired. As we all know some grow almost immediatelly and some just sit there for a season or two. I recently was able to make cuttings to fill out a lot of pots that just had that single vine going straight up a bamboo shoot. I also lost about a half a dozen in a 'derecho' that we had a couple months past, I hope you didn't get much Susan. Mike - I thought Obscura smelled like a fruitier version of Lacunosa. Not quite Fruit Loops but close. Do you know if all Subcalva are scented like grapes or if it is only a specific variety or IML #? -David

Wow, thank you all sooooo much! What a welcome! Love it! I know Mara (Wantonomara) - met you on the Salvia Forum; and Rosalee, of course I know you from the Butterfly Gardening forum. I am thrilled to be among so many great gardeners. I started BF gardening several years ago, long before I found the BF forum at GW. I grow the following host plants: Aristolochia tomentosa and Aristolochia macrophylla and Aristolochia serpentaria and Aristolochia clematitis These all for the Pipevine Swallowtails. Asclepias incarnata and Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella' Asclepias curassavica annual Cynanchum laeve (milkweed vine) I am wintersowing A. purpurescens, A. speciosa, A. hirtella, A. viridis, Gomphocarpus (Family Jewels), and Calatropia gigantea (Giant Milkweed). The last two are annuals in my zone. These are for the Monarch and Queens. Boehmeria cylindrica for the Red Admirals, Question Marks Hops vine for the Red Admirals, Question Marks Passiflora 'Lavendar Lady' Passiflora lutea, both for the Gulf Fritillarys Senna hebecarpa (Wild Senna) Senna chamaecrista (Partridge Pea) Senna bicapsularis (reseeding annual) The above are for the Sleepy Oranges and Cloudless Sulphurs. Fennel (bulb) Fennel, Bronze Rue These are for the Black Swallowtails and the Rue is also host to the Giant Swallowtails Ruellia brittonia Diascia Plantago major Plantago lanceolata These plants host the Buckeye butterfly. Gnaphalium obtusifolium Artemisia stelleriana 'Silver Brocade' For the American Lady butterflies. Am wintersowing some pussytoes (Antennaria plataginifolia) for them as well. Baptisia australia 'minor' for the Wild Indigo Duskywings which are overwintering on the plant right now. I have Hackberry and Elm trees which are host for the Hackberry and Tawny Emperors. Raise a bunch of them last year. Question Marks love the Elm and Hackberry, too. I also raise sphinx moths: Elm (Four-Horned Sphinx) Trumpet Vine (Trumpet Vine sphinx) Tomatoes and Datura (Manduca sexta and Manduca quinquemaculata) Virginia Creeper (Virginia Creeper sphinx, Eumorpha achemon, Eumorpha pandorus, Nessus Sphinx) Lonicera flava (Snowberry Clearwing sphinx) Pentas, red (Tersa sphinx) I get lots of little Eight-spotted forester caterpillars on the Virginia Creeper as well, but I don't raise them because of their pupating habit of using wood to burrow in. They are gorgeous little day flying moths that are black with white spots, and fuzzy red front legs. I do not use any chemicals on my plants at all so I won't harm the butterflies. I let nature do its thing so that lots of beneficials come to the garden to handle aphids, spider mites, etc. For nectar, I have: Verbena bonariensis Cosmos sulphureous 'Cosmic Orange' Tropical milkweed Mexican Sunflower Zinnias (I like the single flowering) Pentas Lantana 'Miss Huff' Liatris spicata Echinacea purpureum Echinacea pallida Cleome (which also attracts the Cabbage Whites) Four o'clocks (moths) Datura (moths) Morning Glories Salvia pink/white Asters Blue Mistflower Butterfly bushes (Peacock, bicolor, White Profusion) Joe Pye Weed Dandelions (yes, the early migrating Monarchs love them) Spigelia marilandica (Indian Pink for the hummers) Lobelia cardinalis (for the hummers) I usually pot up some annuals for the summer that the butterflies, moths and hummers really like. One plant I really, really want is Flame Acanthus and I hope to find it this year. It is a host for the Texas Crescent butterfly which I see a lot here. I also have clovers for the Clouded Sulphurs - no, my yard is not weed free cuz I get lots of little tiny wildflowers that the Dainty Sulphurs and Checkerspots love to nectar on. I am also growing a hardy Ichang Lemon - hope it made it thru our winter. Last I checked the leaves were still pretty much green. I am hoping to get fruit some day, but also Giant Swallowtails like things in the citrus family. I also have Hibiscus coccinus 'Texas Star', and the Gray Hairstreaks lay eggs on the flowers - too cute. Their chrysalis is about 1/4" long. The caterpillars look like tiny green slugs. Most of the butterfly plants attract the hummingbirds as well, but I am adding several Salvia to the garden this year just for them. That's about it. Look forward to being on the forum! Susan