I have had fruit from 4/11 of my avocado varieties. They will all flower in the season as mine are grafted. Not all hold fruit if they are to young and drop them. But that is not true for everyone. There are many factors that play into a tree holding fruit set including weather, temperature, pollination etc....... I've known people who have had 2-3 year old trees that were grafted produce fruit and hold on the tree. I'm one of them who did so in containers with a Mexicola and Wurtz. You can see them in the Avocado forum under container trees. My Wurtz ( Little Cado ) has 30 plus fruit on it this year and is in a 24inch box and my Mexicola is in a raised bed now and I'm expecting it to fruit this year and several other trees that are now in the ground. I will update the group this summer. I'm expecting fruit from my Fuerte, Pinkerton, Stewart, Bacon, Mexicola and Wurtz. My other trees are still to young.

I'm so glad to hear that the seeds I sent out are making it to their new homes and two more cards with fantastic goodies have arrived to my home. Alana (poisondartfrog), thank you so much for the Argemone! I've really been wanting to try some of these but have been having a heck of a time finding seed. And the Pentapetes phoenicia, oh my goodness - this is the first I've heard of this species but as soon as I received the seeds I started reading everything I could find on it and this is most certainly my kind of plant. How absolutely gorgeous and I'm obsessed with the Monticello gardens and Jefferson's work as a gardener so it's so perfect. And last, but most certainly not least, the Ipomoea nil 'Sunrise Serenade' - this looks like an absolutely stunning variety. I'm doing a fence of Ipomoeas next season and this will look gorgeous there. Maria (elf7), thank you so much for the gorgeous card and the round carrots are absolutely perfect! They grow fantastically in the rocky soil here and I also love to grow them in containers and hanging pots. They're incredibly amusing. And I'm putting in a cutting garden and very much look forward to growing the dahlia zinnias there. ~Amanda

I didn't read all the responses and don't have kids so I can only talk from being one. I don't think I would force him. Your sister's comment caught my eye with "if we don't get them in early than they will never really be as good as those who have played for years." I completely disagree. My parents were athletic and involved with sports. Dad since he was wee little and Mom in high school. We weren't allowed to play sports and be in all kinds of activities as kids. We were told once we hit high school, and sports were offered through the school, we could (which was 7th grade). My Dad worked long hours and Mom worked on and off through the years. She wasn't going to run all the time dragging us from sport to Girl Scouts, piano lessons, etc. As a kid I was a little disappointed but I also want to point out there wasn't much around where we live besides girl scouts or softball. I only ever wanted to try softball because of my one friend. ( BTW, never again had a desire to play.) Anyhow, as an adult I don't blame my parents one bit for that decision. I see parents running their kids every night to something and they don't have time to be a breathe. In 4th grade band was offered and I wanted to play the trumpet. Two weeks into it I wanted to quite and wasn't allowed. I'm glad they had me stay with it. I played all the way up until I graduated. Once I hit high school I played sports. I played on the varsity team as a freshman. I was very good at everything I was involved in and it was rare for Mom to miss a game, meet, etc. Dad was there when he could be. Schedules were very crazy. There's always room for improvement but I think a kid is generally either athletic or not. If you're not quite as good and you actually like the sport, most times you'll practice and practice even on your own time until you get better. DH thinks like your sister. (Yes, even though I'm a first hand example proving him wrong.) His parents were athletic and involved in sports as well. DH and his brothers all played sports as kids. He's passionate about having our future kids in activities when they're super little all the way up through the years. I've seen kids get burn out on sports. Kids that started when they were 2 wrestling and hated it by high school. A big difference from back then to now was we were made to go outside and play. When we did get a Nintendo and Super Nintendo our time was limited. So that being said, I think it's better for a kid to be involved with something vs. sitting on the couch in front of the tv, video games, or computer. I have no idea what we'll end up doing when the time comes. If they want to, I'm sure we'll give the ok but it's very important to me that we keep a balance. I know all this depends on a bunch of different factors but that's my story.

If bm had it her way she wouldn't see the children at all... We "make" her to take her children. The last 5 months have "been rough" for her but prior to that she was making over $10,000 a month. She quit that job to make $4000 a month so she wouldn't have to pay as much child support. We are happy its only two separate days a week. I think it would be worse on the kids if it were 2 days in a row. She tells the kids everything that happens in court that benefits her the judge said... blah blah blah. She was warned in Nov. If the children come home saying anything else about "the judge said" I will personally call child services and tell them exactly what she says and let them sort it out(verbal and emotional abuse). She said I'll call on you "go right ahead we have nothing to worry about". We took the high road for a bit but they would come home saying why does mommy have to pay you to be our daddy? You only have us 2 days a week more than mommy! He would let them beat him up with words. In a fit I rattled off... And who pays for everything? Who pays for your extras? When you get sick at school who picks you up and where do you go? when you have to go to the drs who brings you? When you don't have school whose house are you at? When mommy takes as much responsiblity for you as daddy does then she won't have to pay. They have said things like .... cawfe you must be happy you don't have to work because mommy pays you to stay home!! Well then tell mommy I want a raise!!.. I am here because daddy needs me to stay home and care for you, no one pays me!! It has taken me a lot of patience to get to a point where what she says doesn't bother me I laugh it off. If I get angry at what she says and show her she wins. its one thing for the kids to come and say no clean dishes, but for her to confirm it. I couldn't imagine calling my ex and telling him hey the kid didn't eat I didn't have any clean dishes (I wish I were making that up) I/We use our old stand by to respond to the kids about things their mom say to them about us. Its not your fault she's just mad at herself and takes it out on you. Its not right or fair but we can't change how mommy feels and until mommy can get over being angry she is going to say and do mean things. So the next time They go to moms packing another care package and dish soap :) He does speak to the therapist now. I write the stuff down and he will call the therapist and talk to her.