Firsthouse, this is only my second year starting from seed, but I can give you my plans, given we live in the same general area: This weekend, I'm starting bok choi, broccoli, cabbage and parsley seeds for a 3/1 transplant. I give them 60 days before transplant, since once they germinate, I've got them in an unheated garden shed where the growth time is a little slower than what the books say. I'm starting my tomato seeds around 2/15 this year for a 5/15 transplant. I waited until 3/15 last year, and didn't feel my plants got big enough before my transplant date of 5/15, so I'm starting a little earlier this year. 3/1 I sow my peppers, onions and herbs. I don't put peppers out until 6/1 and they grew reeeally slow for me last year, again most likely because I'm not keeping them really toasty while they start. Peas get direct sowed in March and April. Pole beans, squash and cucumber get direct sowed around 5/1. I started in pots last year and was amazed at how fast they grew (and grew out of!) their pots. I've learned they're best put right in the beds. Like I said, I'm also fairly new to starting from seed, but I was pretty successful last year, and am making some adjustments based on what I learned. So take what you can use of the information and toss the rest. And congrats on the Christmas presents! I'm really enjoying growing from seed because I love the control I have over what I grow and when I plant it. It's also fun browsing through those catalogs in the cold months and daydreaming of my lush summer garden.

What a clever idea, having a product made in the same country where most people will buy it, whoever heard of such a thing!?! Let's hope, with rising fuel prices, it's the beginning of a trend.

Lucky you! It is fun to watch, and really, just let them get on with it. This year I noticed that the ones that sunk actually did hatch too, I think because overall the pond was warmer this year. Whatever happens, they will gradually eat the stuff. They do eat constantly! Go out at night with a torch, and you will see some of what really lives in your pond. When they get their legs, they will need to safely be able to get out of the pond and live on land for awhile (or they drown). So make sure they can get out of the pond, and not onto paving slabs (poor things are so delicate they stick to the slabs and fry). The froglets are quite amazing (tiny perfect frogs) and will need to find shelter under plants, rocks, etc. For awhile you will be spending your time in the garden looking down before each step!! Only 4 in 1000 will make their way to adulthood to spawn themselves. So you can never have too much frogspawn, and anything you can do will help! They start off as algae eaters, but later become carnvivourous and will eat one another. Mostly everyone else eats them including newts & frogs, dragonfly nymphs, but they do survive. Bigger fish though much their way through a lot of tadpoles. There are some really good information websites on frogs and other pond life--just google and you will find! The bugs are incredible too, like the caddis fly larvae and their amazing houses, and damselflies and dragonflies. The latter leave their papery perfect exoskeletons behind on leaves before they fly off. So welcome to the wonderful world of ponding. You may find yourself making a second, bigger pond.... Chip

Hello I am new to keeping stickies and just found this site after a search. I got seven tiny stickies last year for my 3yr old concrete pond that has naturalised nicely. Then I got worried after that bad winter we had as my pond is only about 10' diameter and about a foot deep. It froze pretty much solid but there are biggish rocks that must have prevented all the water from freezing as I kept the waterfall running all the time. Fantastic icicles! I have since seen two survivors one about two inches the other about one and a half. Can anyone tell me what my chances of getting a new batch are or should I source some more?