Tom: OK, maybe you will have to water. Some pointers that may help. Do you have some kind of SUV? I have a Suburban, so I am lucky. I have been watering about 400 new trees and some that I planted in prior years, If I use my methods and had just 100 or so--"piece of cake." I got a shallow rubber-like or flexible plastic tray that fits in the back. I can line up 40 jugs on this and can re-fill them right there and drain off the spillage out the back of the tray by pressing down its lip. I have another tray in the side that holds another 18. I drive close to me trees and carry them by twos or threes to the trees. For 90% of them I created a nice berm to hold the water, so I can pour it out fast. 100 trees, if they are in rows close toghether, maybe 2 or 2 1/2 hours. With kids helping, much less. No problem! Good luck. If you water them and keep up their strength, they will get established fast. If you see good buds form and the thick leader develop, you are home free, and one good watering now could do the trick. If the buds are really small and the leaders don't show any thickening, you should water more regurlarly until fall, if needed. --Spruce

Hi Annette and Everyone, I have been a member since 2001. GW members have helped me so much. Big hugs to everyone!!! I so appreciate you sharing. I hope you don't mind if I do. For the first time in my life, I have space to plant. I live in PA now with an acre and a half and a dream of one huge cottage garden. It was a blank slate with self-sown maple trees when I bought here 11 years ago. We have installed many, many gardens but are barely making a dent. I get so far and the ideas just stop (or funds run out). Basically, I am trying to keep the view which is awesome of the farmlands all around and trees in the distance. It is challenging because to plant a garden next to my one neighbor will be creating a division so I will lose the long green. There is also a septic mound smack in the middle of the property. I keep threatening to put a round door on it and a sign that reads, "No Admittance except on party business" for those of you familiar with the Hobbit. There is also a bluebird trail that is used every year and so I also need to keep open space for the birds. So basically I want open space but also a filled cottage garden. LOL! I guess I need to post another pic and get some ideas from you all. Meanwhile, I placed my first order for 2015 - lots of glads. See what happens when I don't have Gardener's World to watch? Happy 2015!!!

Karen- Thanks a bunch for the birthday wishes and the virtual weeding. ;) Earlybird- Thanks for the beautiful pic. I can't wait to get back to my yard. Fortunately, my family pics were backed up but, my fun graphics and plant pics were not. Katkin and Imatallun- Thanks for the well wishes.

Hi Everybody! I can't believe how this week has flown by. Tomorrow is weigh-in day again! Other than more demolition on the kitchen, I haven't been getting my exercise. Actually, I should be doing my step aerobics right now, but here I am instead. The days are getting noticeably shorter, but the temperatures here are still warm. I guess we will be getting remnants of Ivan in the form of rain, rain, rain for the weekend. But I can't complain. My heart goes out to those affected more directly by the recent string of hurricanes. Well, I wore a pair of jeans today that I had not worn for a looong time. They fit, and were not tight. I know that the changes in my diet are really working. Yellowhair--I wonder if we will see Bunny Tracks here. I really love the Skinny Cow fudge bars. My DH is now eating them, too. You know, I have never had problems with my feet. But awhile back when I was trying to take long walks, I started having a problem with my big toe. It felt like it was sprained or something. It was very odd, but it just went away. DH has lots of trouble with his feet. I am sure it is just that we are getting older. Anyway, he has heel spurs, which are bony growths that kinda jab you from the inside. he has other things going on too, and has even been through physical therapy. He says they told him that whenever he is getting pain to quit whatever activity he is doing for awhile. In other words, if it hurts when you do that, don't do that! Kathy--When I first got into gardening and landscaping someone, who was a seasoned gardener, told me that a garden wasn't really yours until you had re-invented it about a million times. Well, they didn't say it quite like that, but that was the general meaning I took from it. I was fretting because the year before I had planted a shrub that I now thought would be in much better spot if I moved it just 4 feet. I wasn't sure it was worth it to go to the trouble. The advice I got was to go for it. I did, and I am still glad I did. And that is still my approach to gardening now. I am always seeing something that needs to be improved and gardening is all about the process. So it sounds like a change will be coming to your garden soon! DeeMarie--Talking about your commute reminded me of when I was doing that. Several years ago, I drove 50 miles one way to work. It took an hour and a half on most days with traffic and all. DH says I used to come home in the worst mood. It is interesting how we get ourselves into these things. I mean the trade-off for a job that you love vs. having more time for activities at home vs a nice paycheck vs whatever. I try not to regret the decisions that I make, but it sure seems that life is all about the trade-offs sometimes. On that note, I will wrap up this longwinded post. Eat healthy!!