I don't have any advice for you as aphid problems are rare in my garden and knock on wood, never anywhere near as severe as you have experienced. If pesticides have not worked for you then I recomend not using them anymore as they are very effective at killing aphid predators. That's the cruel irony of pesticides (broad spectrum ones anyway). One uses them to kill something and it may or may not kill that something, but it also kills the predators and then some bug not affected by the pesticide sets up shop and explodes it's population. If you are using soap sprays are you using an actual insecticidal soap or a dish 'soap' that may not really be soap? If you are using anything not labeled as an insecticidal soap please stop. Too much potential for plant problems. It's probably too late this year, but battling them with very short lived, on contact only pesticides like insecticidal soaps or even sharp water sprays *may* be of benefit down the road. Predators populate slower than pests so there is some truth in saying the pest population has to be present for awhile to give the predators a chance to move in and set up shop. Anyway, good luck and happy growing. It can be frustrating at times, but gardening is definitely one of those things where it's more about the journey than the destination.

With the zone you are in, I suppose that Styrofoam cups might keep them enough at bay until you can put them outside. In any case, the 72 cell trays have 8 inserts with 9 containers each (809 inserts). What I do is to make sure I plant either 9 seeds of the same plant species in each insert (or germination compatible ones). Let's say, Cucumber (fast, 2-3 days) seeds and Fatali (unlucky, up to several weeks) in the same is not a good idea. Ok, as soon as I have an acceptable germination rate, I strip off the insert and move it to another non-heated 1020 flat under Flourescent lights. Personally, I like the Plant and Aquarium lights. Let them just sit there 2-3 weeks. The root system will develop and it will require almost no effort at all to transplant. If you take them early, then there's not enough root to keep the soil together and the "spoon" method sounds as reasonable. If you find that the Styrofoam cups caused some root-boundness, then I would definitely think about trimming the roots before transplanting into the final medium. I've had a few slightly root-bound plants that I did not trim. At the end of the summer, it seems like they did not really develop much outside of the styrofoam root. Lastly, last year, I had 140 plants. Transplanted from 72-cells into 2.5 inch pots, then styrofoam cups for the ones I started late and 6 inch pots (still under lights) for my January plants. The final place was either in my garden, or 12 and 14 inch pots.

I really thought Lauren could win it. But I'm afraid the days of female American Idol winners are a thing of the past. The voting demographic is just too geared toward cute male contestants. I think maybe Steven's song was cut short because the show was running long. Last year (or maybe it was the year before) my DVR cut out just as Ryan was about to announce the winner. I think they really wanted to avoid that. I thought it was funny that the girls got hip, current Beyonce, but the boys got . . . Tom Jones. Really? But I loved Haley with Tony Bennett. And somewhere in the season, Casey mentioned wanting to be like Jack Black, who acts and sings (for the uninformed, look up the group "Tenacious D"). So I'm sure that's why they got Jack Black on the show. Secretly I was hoping for Joe Cocker, but Jack Black was good. I think Lady Gaga is pretty cool, but I could have done without the crotch shot from the Matterhorn.

Believe me, I know those shoes are insanely expensive and, except for his ankle braces (because insurance deemed his developing the stability in his ankles so he can walk "not a medical necessity" -- it was a medical necessity to me), the most expensive footwear I have ever purchased for either child. But honestly? Given how freaking hard Li'l Bit (and I) have worked to get him to this place where he can walk I gladly spent it. I don't mean to sound like a humorless bore (because I'm really not!), but if you've ever had a child with a special / exceptional need (and igloochic, I know you're with me on this one!), then you know that the milestones so many of us take for granted (I certainly took them for granted with my older son) can be mind-blowing epochs for them, and need to be celebrated loudly and, in this case, expensively. (didn't "need" to be celebrated expensively, but it worked out that way this time -- last week when I celebrated his finally developing the ability to blow it was with a $1.99 orange recorder from Target, go figure) We spend hours every week on Li'l Bit's therapies (physical, occupational and speech), and by golly, if some cute pirate shoes on his now-walking feet are going to make me rejoice all he's accomplished then you better bet I'll spend that $110! It gave me goosebumps to get to do it. Plus I'd rather spend $110 on shoes for him than a few thousand on a Snapdragon (pint-sized wheelchair) .... I think many of us do things which might seem odd / extravagant to others, but if they knew what these odd / extravagant things represented to us, then they'd never question it -- they'd join us in that incredible elation. Plus I like the idea that I'm actually ahead of the game given the amount I saved on those vases. Yea! vinudev_liny -- we'll think of your son when we play "construction" after nap time! I'm so happy to hear of your tool-loving laddie -- now both Li'l Bit and I have virtual friends here. Imagine that! igloochic -- nap time = reason I am not in prison! If only my older son would still nap .... Thank you for the Tinysoles link -- there are some adorable shoes there! I've already bookmarked them -- thank you. k9arlene -- that link is so close! Thank you for sharing it.