greenhaven, no slight at all. The mir gro says potting mix, feeds plants up to 3 months, so there is something in it. Before I used Canadian Gold, doesn't seem to matter, this brand and size is usually drier where I buy it so can load it up and carry it into the house more easily. I think some people have good luck by putting them along the wall joining the house of an attached, unheated garage, but it may go dormant which is more natural, but I wouldn't know how much water to give it. I'd be open to that if I had one, basement is too damp, drier in winter, but my gut tells me not to try it in mine. Now I have the option of putting them under my lights, but sunroom works and toughens them up a bit more. My cat jumped all over stuff in the sunroom but never bothered any of my plants. Any get knocked over, it's usually me, hasn't happened with any roses, and I don't have little kids, just visitors. And my dear cat is gone, used sit on the table w/no plants to scratch on the glass if she saw something outside in the night :-). Since this is the regular rose forum and that book and interview was mainly about OGR's, maybe you won't be that thrilled with it, but some very basic knowledge & tips there but not a walk thru on everything to do. I don't know if my old rose friends know about that book, but I loved it, and don't read many rose books, much cross talk between the two forums so don't worry about it any more. I do try to get a heel when I take a cutting if I can, have scored, scraped and started by not scoring, some cut straight, some on diagonal, see, so many ways, dampen, roll in Rootone, tap excess off, make a hole w/pencil, stick, firm. Jury is still out on that, but I think it might help scoring or scraping the lower 1/2" or so, especially if you wound at the node where you have removed the leaves. My rooting medium is primarily a seed or tender plant starter and think it has an anti-fungal in it to help prevent damping off. The ones that have rooted the fastest retain all their leaves. As long as the canes stay green, and sometimes I have cut off parts that are starting to rot successfully, some not, but never give up unless the obvious, sterilize all my pots and pruning shears, everything, they still root. Losing the leaves is more stressful for them but some will make new ones, root and pull through. I go for healthy cuttings, but don't always have a choice in the spring or fall with found roses people let me try cuttings from - usually, one I did the no no, it was on a vacant lot but I sensed the owner would say no. I don't feel good about it but have a real beauty now, and like I thought, he ruined his, it's back now but is probably destined for destruction when they build on the lot and clear things off. You're doing fine, yours are very delicate yet, so I think you are choosing what is right for you. Hope that is my last long post for awhile, people don't want to wade through too much.

Karw, the best way to erradicate them is the crowning technigue. I used it on the ones the former owner of this hous left next to the sidewalk on the way to the door. They have not returned but it is work. Linda So far, no easy means of dealing with this pretty weed. Best method and hands-on, seems to be initial removal of each plant's crown and all berries: with follow-up digging out. An effective way of removing Asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus) by hand with minimal soil disturbance is by crowning. The growing point of Asparagus fern is the crown, which is below the soil surface. The crowning technique is as follows: Grab the stems and hold tightly so you can see the base of the plant (wear sturdy gloves). Insert boning knife or trowel around the crown, going in at an angle to the base of the crown. Cut through roots to remove the crown. Only the crown has to be removed to kill the plant. Either remove the crown completely from the site or leave it where it has no contact with the ground (Remember to replace any soil that has been disturbed and put the existing mulch back over the site.) The tubers of Asparagus fern are only for storing water and can be left in the ground

Hi, Go to Walmart,Target,etc. and get you one of these powerful Water Blasters;they can send a water 50' and will give that cat something to think about when he visits your yard. Here is a link that might be useful: Water Blasters

L-Lass, I'm in North Carolina, but we sure do have mosquitoes. Off-topic, but has anyone tried that new mosquito stuff that doesn't kill the mosquitoes but prevents them from breeding? We had it for the first time last summer, and wow does it work. Yes, leaving the doors open does sound nice. My idea was that it'd be nice to be able to walk from the dining room straight out the back door ... with the only door to open being the slider in the dining room. I had also considered screening in the whole thing ... keep the exit door in the dining room and have another door straight ahead of it ... now I'm thinking that might be the better option. But, no, I'm not loving the flip-flop idea. I understand about improving other people's things. In my work, I often proofread and critique other people's creative writing /photography, and although I'm not so good at STARTING a project, no one beats me in polishing up other people's work! Cpartist, retractable screens around a whole pool would be so expensive! And -- obviously -- we'll have a fence around the pool /back yard area, so that'll keep out big critters. Glad you like the layout, Autumn! As I said earlier, we'll tweak it a bit here and there, but I'm sold on it, and -- yes -- the kitchen /butler's pantry, and its flow and connection to the rest of the house is kind of the "it" factor that attracted us to it. We have a garage issue, which I think I'll post in a separate thread, but I think it's do-able.