UPDATE: All fixed up. Here is what I did in case this helps someone else in the future. I bought 2 extensions for my grease gun as lowes. Sorry I threw away the bag, but just ask as they know where they are . In my store they are in the tool section. You will also need couplers for the extensions. My is called Watts LFA-706 1/8 in FIP (3mm). For the spindles themselves the zerk fitting is 1/4-28. Not sure if all spindles are the same size but they did have a fitting chart if you have your old zerk. The reason I was having issues is that the fittings that come with the extensions are rather cheap and one actually broke. I ended up using the one off my grease gun and had no more issues.So now it's fixed and all greased up. I am mowing one last time for winter (down in the south, we are going back and forth between hot and cold right now , but grass is not really growing). Mower has not been used in about a month and batt was low and almost didn't start so defiantly going on the tender tonight when all done. I was advised to wait till near spring to change oil filters/etc but think I will go ahead and buy them so I am ready. As you may remember, I got this mower from a friends Aunt last Dec. He changed the oil to 30w as that is what a dealer told him to use. But is that really the best? I normally used Rottella synthetic in my air cooled engines. Well mower has paid for itself already since it made it one season without issues. When I was sick and had to have a lawn service, it cost me about the same as what I paid for the mower plus my fixes and add ons. So happy about that! Thanks again for all the help!

Thanks X! I tend to do well with orchids in sphagnum, so for now I think I'll keep my epis in it as well. I've done quite a bit of internet searching on epis over the last coupla days, and what I keep finding are all these complicated mixes -- very little mention of sphagnum as a pure medium. But I like sphagnum, so I'll give it a try with these guys. For the other species, I know it's hard to make an across-the-board recommendation. I think the hardest part for me is the "no peat" rule. I'm gonna have to spend some time looking around town to find any kind of pre-made medium without peat, or to find pumice, or to find coir. But I do know two places in town that sell Farfad, so I'm going to start there. I'm not quite dedicated enough (yet) to pay for shipping costs, so it's gonna have to be local. As for my growing environment -- in warm weather, I throw everything outside. Very little true full sun, mostly dappled shade to a few hours full. Knoxville, TN -- warm and humid, but not as bad as many other parts of the country. In cold weather, shelves in front of very large south-facing windows. I have had some trouble with rotting in the summers, because I haven't in the past done enough to protect the plants from watering. I gotta work on that next summer! My biggest succulent buddies right now are agaves and haworthias, especially a few variegated ones of each that I just bought. I would be very sad if I killed them this winter! Thanks for your input!

Poochella, Do you have Microsoft Access in your office program? If you do it's the only way to go. If you do, which one do you have ( office 97 or 2000)? You can start with a blank database in the wizard. With this program, you can list your dahlias alphabetically,embed photos of each,and add any information about each that you want. I do have one I built, database on flowers,one on iris, and plan on building one on dahlias so if you have the program, email me and I will send it to you and all you will have to do is convert it to you liking. (LOL,My DH is a computer geek! )

Hey Carol If you want seeds - just ask! I'm sure there are lots of people around here that would send them to you for free (or posteage) so you can learn. We all want you to have fun with this! I can probably send you some - let me see what the deer have left me, the stupid hooved devils denuded a bunch of my plants last night :-( As far as growing instructions, there are as many ways to start them as there are hosta growers. Truth be known, tse seeds have sprouts in them that WANT to grow. We just need to provide an opportunity for them. I am attachgin a link to Bob Axemears site - great info on growing hosta seeds here. Here is a link that might be useful: Hosta Seed Starting by Bob Axemear