Thanks for the ideas, Alice. The main motivation for this is that I have gallons of vermicompost I don't really have much use for ;) I also want to document the performance of seedlings in vermicompost because I frequently see claims being made that vermicompost is 'magic' and therefore works well in container situations even though it's particle size after being wet for any length of time approaches that of clay. I am using Marigolds primarily because they are reputed to do well in both damp and dry soils and I have a zillion seeds. Not trying to do anything particularly large scale or even all that scientific, just 2 flats with different starting ingredients :)

Mine look like that when I get home from work-they are in tiny pots and don't get enough water-I water them and twenty minutes later they are fine. Currently I am watering three times a day. Seriously though, if it isn't just that they don't have enough water and there are no SVBs then it is probably a bacterial wilt and you will want to pull the plant right away so it won't infect others. I am a complete newby though so solicite other opinions.

I have choke cherries and I know they sucker extensively, would guess that pin cherries would have a similar growth habit. As for the yellowing leaves, how much rain have you had? It's been extremely dry where I am and I have noticed that one of my chokecherries is already showing color (probably due to drought stress) even though I have watered it a couple of times.

I think there has to be some sort of equalibrium point below which the price of sheet rock or a 2x4 won't drop. A point where everyone along the chain is making enough money that it makes more sense to keep going than to close shop. Prices can go below that for limited periods when shifts in supply and demand make it more important to move inventory than make money, but it can't stay below it for long. Flgargoyle is certainly right that energy is a big part of the equation. The oak veneer ply I bought yesterday was made of trees grown here, shipped as logs to China, milled and shipped back. And people worry about locally grown produce...