David- I am also considering doing a small side business to see if that's something I want to do before I get too crazy. I looked for your email address but didn't see it. I'm not sure if it had to do with changes that Garden Web is going through. I am trying to find the most cost effective method for growing trees in the container as well. Al's mix calls for more pine bark and less perlite (or others) I might go in that direction to cut down cost on turface, etc esp when I have to grow many trees. Cedar fibers seem to be very attractive alternative to peat moss (5 dollars for 40lbs or 1.5 cubic feet which is somewhat tightly packed in but fluffy and light when opened) I do not have many 5g rootmaker container. They are more of for personal use but I have 75 rootmaker 1g container that I am going to transfer to from rootmaker tray (18 cell that is (3.125" x 3.125" x 4"- fits in 10x20" flat tray). I have no intention of selling trees in the rootmaker container so I will repot them to larger container, probably 3 or 5g Sunleaves white grow bag for sale. They are pretty cheap. I do have those accelerator starter pots as well but a bit messy due to more holes all around. Not sure which one is better at this point. Everything will get transferred to cheap containers for sale. I am all about developing proper root system at least right at the beginning. I think it is okay to grow in the larger regular containers as long as they are sold quickly. I think the large or rather right word 'medium' sized pine bark is fine for 5g or larger. I mixed them with fine pine bark mix and it seemed to drain fast. I have seen this mix at some nurseries. You just have to make sure no fine particles are in the mix. That's probably the key. Where do you get perlite that cheap? I need plenty for seeds to grow in. it would be 50/50 of perlite and screened pine bark (or cedar fiber-another experiment) Which coconut fiber product did you get? I looked at CocoChoice website and I see that they have choices. I have no idea what to get since I've never bought one. How much are they? I emailed them where I could find them up here. Thanks for letting me know about this. It sounds like good alternative to peat moss. I'd be happy to give you montezuma cypress seeds but they all are in the fridge undergoing cold moist stratification but I will get you some next fall if you want. I would love to have Monterrey oak acorns. I looked everywhere for them but I only saw little trees. I have one growing in the backyard. It will be years before I get some acorns from it. I wouldn't also mind Texas Ash and Texas native Bigtooth maple seeds if you ever come across them down there. I can also give you Mexican Blue oak acorns and possibly Canyby-Shumard hybrid oak acorns. It looks like Shumard oak and it seemed to stay green well into late December. They are located in Marble Fall. In 2005 when it was 21*F there during early December and we went there for Christmas. I noticed this red oak with green leaves while pretty much all other red oak have turned brown or lost leaves. Hopefully, they will have plenty of acorns by Thanksgiving... I am sure I missed something. It's hard to keep my thoughts together when I have 2 years old daughter running wild in the house.

I had been getting my behind kicked trying to keep my yard and two others for neighbors watered for a week then the rains came every day for another week and I got sick and couldn't even do my own so yes it really saved me. We got nice soaking rain or at least a nice shower every day for a couple of weeks. Didn't get any the last couple of days though. Hope we get some more. I could get used to this, lol. One of my neighbors will be gone another week or so and he has even more plants than me so I hope we at least get a few more good showers, lol.

I've had success growing French lavender, but there are a few rules! First, amend the soil where you'll be planting it. Mix some fresh in-ground potting soil, a handful of gypsum, about 1/2 a cup of Azomite, and a handful of Perlite together, then add that mixture to the existing dark gray Dallas clay. I would buy small plants instead of starting from seed, so after you've amended the soil, simply plant your new plants and water well. Water daily until it takes root. As for choosing a location, it should be planted somewhere shady. I have mine on either side of a bench that sits under a huge tree. The smell...you can't be angry when you sit amongst the lavender!!!

After going to 3 other HEBI found one that had some, bought 3 packages and opened one lime to taste them, it had 4 seeds! I have the remaining limes from that first package in the refrigerator and vacuum sealed the rest and put them in the freezer. I looked up the address of the nursery, and I have a construction roject near them. Next time I need to go I think I might stop by. I heard it can take 3-5 years for a tree to produce ruit rom a seed, and due to hybridization, you might not get the fruit that you want.