Chuck, it got down to 32 the other night here in Kentucky and the tomato plants made it through fine in the makeshift greenhouse. By the time I was outside at 7:30am it was nippy, but I didn't see any frost on anything. According to my photo journal from last year we got a hard freeze on April 14th 2008, so I'm not convinced we're 'out of the woods' yet. My photos showed me trying to cover tomato plants IN THE GROUND with pieces of old carpet, C2 Christmas string lights and loose straw. That was a pain to setup, but it worked. If we should have a freeze like that anytime soon I will simply add the string of lights to the patio table's support ring above the tomato plants. Those old style C2 Christmas lights put out some fair heat.

I'm just reading this thread for the first time. I've never seen cyclamen mites but I, personally, see no reason to ever look to see them. They show themselves by their damage. On gesneriphiles, some years ago, someone posted that they searched and searched for them, and finally found them under the skin of the plant, inside rather than outside. I don't know if this is the case, but I certainly have heard lots anecdotal commentary that they are very hard to see with magnification. So, my methodology is to concentrate on damage, as that is much easier to diagnose. African Violets are notorious for cyclamen mite susceptability. A late friend of mine, who for a while was commercially growing mini violets, found he had to spray frequently to keep them under control, although thrips were probably even more difficult to control. Now, in a greenhouse mass-propagation situation bugs become much more of a chronic problem than in a small collection. They come back fast whereas in our collections we can get rid of them for a long time between infestations. But, what I have noticed, having a mixed gesneriad collection with a small part being AV's, is that cyclamen mite damage has always made itself apparent first with episcias. In fact I noticed that episcias will get quite a bit of obvious damage before I see anything on the violets. So, keep your episcias happy, so that when they get mites, you will be able to quickly ID the situation. Once you suspect or actually know you have an infestation, then treatment is simple and effective. I have had three or four infestations in the last five or more years. Each time I sprayed with one application of Avid, and had complete and lasting supression of the mites. The badly damaged episcias showed recovery by putting out new crowns from the axils of the leaves. Stolons sometimes were dead, and sometimes recovered. Violets that didn't show damage, did not later develop damage. They just regained normal vigor. I would go as far as to suggest, that if you think you have mites, you have two options. One--you can wait until you are certain that the conditions you are seeing are from mite damage, and then spray. This methodology will result in more damage, and a longer period for recovery; but it will teach you first hand what the damage looks like, and what the pattern of damage and time frame of development is like. Then, at least, the next time you will know more about what is happening with your plants--whether a problem is mites or something else. The second option is to spray if you suspect damage. Then if the problem continues you will know that it isn't mites. But, if the plants soon begin to show increased vigor, and lose the problem foliage that concerned you then you can suspect that mites might have been at fault. Either way, you will have dealt with mites and succeeded. I found Avid was very effective. It has an odor, that is apparent and not too dissimilar to some natural plant odors--Kohleria allenii comes to mind. It is something like the natural scent of Nematanthus albus too. It shouldn't be objectionable unless you are especially susceptable to changes in room odors. A small quantitiy of Avid will last a long time. One shouldn't need to use it very often (less than once a year, mol), and a quarter teaspoon will make a gallon, which is about four times + what one would typically need to treat two or three multi-level lightstands. So, that is my methodology, Jon

LOL.. I like it, its cute.. I never seen like this before. Maybe if I have a time I will drop by to a safari and take a snap shot.. Here is a link that might be useful: Choose direct hot tubs

The Mackenzie-Childs brand isn't "out of business" per se-- the bankruptcy was a dozen years ago, but their wares have never gone off the market. Their line was bought by a firm that had the wherewithal to handle the production and marketing. There are a number of stores, a lovely catalog and website, and department stores like Nieman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue carry the line. The business moved to Aurora long before the designers' farm was sold. (Article about sale: http://auburnpub.com/news/local/updated-buyers-of-mackenzie-childs-property-just-like-other-folks/article_2493296a-70a0-11e3-9080-0019bb2963f4.html) Just because it's a mug doesn't mean that it's meant for coffee. Their enamelware is similar in styling to mid-20th Century enamelware, with the capping rims and all. Graniteware mugs get hot too. It's metal! It's not insulated. It's to be expected that hot liquids will make the mug hot and then cool off fast. OTOH, for glampling and picnics, if you don't want to deal with plastic or glass, what better? Try them for cider, or lemonade cooled in a mountain spring.