Welcome to the growing number of gardeners who find gardening in wooden boxes very rewarding. I'm not sure if the Search engine is working, but there are numerous previous posts on this subject. If not, then just ask away. You probably will be getting many, many suggestions for the best way to treat your particular soil/gardening problems, and the nice folks in these forums can be very helpful. (just ask me how I know). Anyway, my solution was to have 9 cedar boxes to grow veggies in - (I wish they were all the same size now) - but the best dimensions seem to be 3 ft across by 6 to 9 ft. long. This is so one can reach across to pull weeds, plant, etc., and also have room to maneuver wheelbarrows or mowers around. They are without bottoms - but I nailed a piece of galvanized hardware cloth on the bottom to prevent burrowing voles, etc. One nice thing, they can be placed directly over existing grasses - so no need to dig below, any grass will be killed off from lack of sunlight. Soil - whether you grow in boxes or directly in the ground, a good porous soil is necessary. I recommended the box method above, if your soil is clay, hardpan, cement, sand, etc. Plants like compost, manure, peat moss, vermiculite, etc. to keep them happy. Many folks make their own soil - visit the Soil Forum for good ideas there. While not always easy to find material in the beginning, it can save a bundle if you make your own (leaves/grass/shredding). Otherwise, top soil can be had - check your landfills - they sometimes have free mulch, etc. If you intend to work your own soil - then adding compost or composted manure would also be beneficial, also deep digging if possible - to break up the existing hard soil clay/cement/hardpan/etc. Many older gardeners prefer the alternative box gardening to avoid this. You mention keeping watering to a minimum - this would also be ideal for that as well. Tomatoes and peppers love heat to ripen - so their biggest need in summer is to keep them watered. This is only a starter for ideas. But feel free to tune in again, whenever you have specific questions. The folks in these forums are only too happy to pass along their helpful ideas. Just my 2 c's. Bejay

It does seem odd but I assumed the potted Hibiscus was left by the previous owners since it was on the list of what came with the new home. I was going by the leaf shape and texture (they are more ovate and glossy) plus the way the buds are carried and the appearance of the calyx. I do grow H syriacus in my garden and I am familiar with H rosa-sinensis as a pot plant. So I just said what I thought. But I may be wrong. It will become clear which it is once it blooms. Maybe someone else can comment.

Hi Dave, welcome to Gardenweb. I don't have answers to these questions, but wanted to suggest you might get more responses on the organic or Alabama forums. Good luck!

I agree with FM on 1 and 3 but think that 2 is an aster, what used to be called Aster cordifolius , but is now called Symphyotrichum cordifolium AKA heart-leafed aster AKA wood aster. It's a common wild plant here in New England that blooms with a froth of pale purple/blue/white in the fall and then seeds around everwhere. Easiest to pull up when still young.