A mattock comes in several weights and has about a 36' long handle (for scale). A cousin was saying several weeks ago that because her ankles are so weak, she can't use a shovel even to replant annuals each spring. So we asked her why she hadn't used a mattock...well, there was an easy answer...she'd never heard of a mattock. You stand up, and swing it and it DOES go into soil, even when the soil is hard clay. And it will make a hole when a shovel just won't do. Here is a link that might be useful: Mattock

I suppose everyone knows this passage about tea roses from "Elizabeth and her German Garden" (1898) but in case they missed it: "My roses have behaved as well on the whole as was to be expected, and the Viscountess Folkestones and Laurette Messimys have been most beautiful, the latter being quite the loveliest things in the garden, each flower an exquisite loose cluster of coral-pink petals, paling at the base to a yellow -white. I have ordered a hundred standard teas for planting next month, half of which are Viscountess Folke- stones, because the teas have such a way of hang- ing their little heads that one has to kneel down to be able to see them well in the dwarf forms -- not but what I entirely approve of kneeling before such perfect beauty, only it dirties one's clothes." --"Elizabeth" Countess von Arnim (Mary Beauchamp), 1898

Thanks Murahilin, I guess the starfruit is out the window lol.Maybe thats why it wouldnt work for me. I do have alot of guava and pineapple guava seedlings growing great. I also have almost all the passiflora/granadilla varities growing great (some even bloomed) I have dwarf banana trees (in the house for the winter but they are happy) Ive got a babaco papaya seedling(12") thanks to an awesome trader in the plant exchange and a few citrus. Kiwano melon,pepino, Ive got two kinds of mangosteen varieties (not original) growing,even a kiwi,several kinds of tomatoes and peppers,caribbean herbs,italian artichoke, a dwarf fig tree, two dwarf apricot and plum trees and several kinds of plants,flowers and unlabeled seedlings. To answer your question on the annona seeds, the company that they came from say that they were fresh but not 1 seed made it, Im just going to go ahead and get the plant/tree itself and end the torture of waiting :)

Add me to the list of the thankful! I do sooooo appreciate all the help I have received. I'm sure I will be asking for more in the future. XXXXX & OOOOO to all you helpers who are so willing to share your knowledge and expertise with us "dummies" (speaking for myself).