I sow perennials and hardy annuals thru the winter and wait until March'ish to start cool season veggies: broc, lettuce, chard, ect.. Heat loving tender veggies: tomato, pumpkin, melon and tender annuals usually hold off until mid April early May. A few times I got impatient and started things like Zinnia, Tithonia, Marigold and tomatoe 2-4 weeks too early and paid the price :) Vera

For me, as an amateur, I would not reuse the bleach water. I wouldn't know the correct smell nor would I want to have it on my hands. So fresh bleach water for me! "I have had limited experience with virused plants . . ." Good for you Bruce! After removing dead tissue, "they will come back SLOWLY if they are healthy." Makes sense! Thank you! I would like to note here that the concentration of bleach can vary depending on what brand you are buying. It would be good to check that out. You know what I would love? I would love to be there when you Bruce are dividing and/or redoing some of your hostas. I think that that would be a real education for me! But I will dream on . . . well, that's part of gardening, don't you think . . .

Yea, the process of keeping conifers indoors under artificial conditions for extended periods is hard on the plant, so I would be really impressed on any success you have with the bare root plants you potted right before bringing indoors. If you get your rootstock now and pot them up for next year, your % success rate will go way up. If you want firma, you probably have to grow it yourself... I've only seen it offered a few times and it was expensive. I believe Firma has a lower seed germination rate, hence the price and reason offered frequently. Similar issue with sciadopitys. If you are having success with Picea, that's great news. I've always had the most trouble with those. Firs and white pines are easy... I've never grafted Cedrus, but hope to next year. I brought my understock in on 12/27 and started grafting on 1/25 (Picea/Pinus strobus), they were the first to bud swell/new growth, then between 2/4 and 2/10 I grafted all the Abies... So far 100% takes on Picea & Pinus strobus, all scions have pushed now growth (only did 5 Picea & a triple graft on 1 strobus). But the firs are SLOW... Abies koreana scions were the first to push, but concolor and Abies nordmanniana 'dobrichovice' are just breaking bud now, and abies amabilis is just about to pop, but all 3 grafts of 'Golden Spreader' still show no signs of pushing, not even bud swell. Still confident they will though, no signs of failure. After 2 weeks of the chamber being sealed I start by just opening the door every few days to check on things and water as needed, then after 4 weeks I keep the door cracked open, but with the humidity still running... I'm probably around 75% humidity after 3-4 weeks regardless of where they are in terms of pushing new growth. At that point, the grafts are certainly healed and so 99% humidity in not required and just causes more issues with fungus, mold, ect.. Make sure when you do start bringing them outside, do it slowly, a few hours at a time for a week or so, then move them to a nice shaded spot for the rest of the summer. Keep the grafting bands on until they fall off, or maybe by the end of the summer you can start taking them off.

WORSE NEWS :( Oh No what do I do? Moses, BENT, Straw Chicago, and anyone else so kind Is this Rose Rosette in more than one rose? I've already destroyed 2 roses disposed in trashed,,, I have 14 in this garden I am panicking totally sad... :( I discovered THE DREADED "ROSE ROSETTE" disease IN MY GARDEN 2 weeks week ago. this pest came from my front neighbor very neglected ad sick Knockout rose taken out last year. In march I had to dispose right away of 1 rose, but now come back from a trip the affected rose branch/shoot has not change color on my beautiful Jude the Obscure and it seems the Olivia Rose (so healthy last year) has also this. It's been a while since I posted I was too depressed :(