Hey TomCath, I love the irrigation system. I thought that Drip Depot had been recommended by someone on here, but may be wrong. It saves me hours and hours. It is true, that I had some problems with Y faucet splitters, the main feed popping off, and little feeds popping off. I only turn it on when I'm home. But I've now found that we have a faucet in the pool cage that is attached to a well. Who knew? I don't mind setting up the irrigation system to run once a week when I'm not here if it's attached to a well. If there is a failure, town water would get a bit expensive, and people do come in twice a week to check on the house. (I am unwilling to leave the house water on when I go north, even for a weekend. Our house is from the 50's and has fussy plumbing.) Anna, I am so not worthy. I dream of the amazing plants you have chosen, all the texture and foliage colors. Your gardens are spectacular. Garf, I guess we newbies are nuts for bananas and tropicals. And some of the bananas that got chopped down last year after the freeze, have indeed come back. The big one in the Bromeliad area was here when we moved to the house. The leaves are so darn beautiful. The others we'll have to see. Dirty, I'm going to cut back the Cape Honeysuckle as soon as my back recovers. I'll take 1/3 down low so there are still blooms for the bees and the butterflies. It is really in the wrong place for healthy citrus. Randy, my family are crazy for epiphytes. So finding the orchid cactus was a true gift. Can you believe a landscaper said we should kill it? Next landscaper, please! Other Carol B and Zacky, the Porterweed is purple. I put in two plants, and have not seen any offspring in two years. Sylvia, we harvested the kale for Thanksgiving. I tossed it in hot pepper and garlic flavored oil in a very hot wok until it wilted and softened somewhat. Then I put Parmesan cheese, toasted pignoli nuts, and lemon juice on top. I almost felt like Sylvia! Carol B. in Sarasota with an ice pack. No gardening for a week.

I have a similar situation: I have a sucker below the graft on a 1-year pear that I planted last fall. (The pear is Clapp's favorite, the rootstock is dwarfing but I do not know what it is.) I am wondering if I can remove the sucker, root it with hormone, etc., to make a new rootstock, and then graft a cutting from the scion on to it sometime in the future to get a cloned tree with a similar growth habit?

I lived in the Boulder area for a dozen years & worked downtown. I learned my first day on the job that it's way better to live east of where you work! The setting western sun in Denver is vicious! Also, traffic around the I-70/I-25 interchange (Mousetrap) is equally vicious. My BIL & SSIL have lived in the Englewood/Cherry Creek area for many years. It's a nice area. DBIL works in the Tech Center so his commute isn't horrible. The Cherry Creek School District is very good. Also, remember that the farther west you go towards the foothills the more likely you are to experience heavy snows. As a general statement, Golden gets heavier snow than Aurora. Obviously, those are generalities & Mother Nature will always do her own thing so YMMV. Wind is another factor that played a role in where we lived in the Denver area. There's a couple places where the wind is sure to howl & will cause ground blizzards...one is that foothill corridor say from Boulder to Golden & the other is north, up I-25, towards Longmont. The farther north you go towards Wyoming...the more wind. Heck, I've seen snow cover a school bus because of winds even Broomfield. I might have just been lucky but never experienced fierce winds in Arvada. Millions of people love living in Denver. I was not one of them. I'm a gardener. I wanted to cry. I DID cry. My precious plants would freeze-dry over the winter. In summer, they were subjected to being in a solar oven. I got Stage 3 melanoma living in Denver (I'm a strawberry blond) so be careful with the kids (lots of sunscreen!). I hate snow & hate the thought of skiing. If you're going to live in Denver...get started right now on the most important thing in town. The BRONCOS!! John Elway is my personal hero. I have his rookie card & even a Xmas tree ornament. I live in SE coastal CT now & have switched allegiance to Tom Brady & the Pats but still keep my eyes on the Broncos. I think it's against Denver statute NOT to watch the Bronco games. Enjoy your move. Most people love Denver & it's a good place to raise kids. /tricia

I think that tomatoes from The Dwarf Project are perfect for your garden if they will produce well in our heat. I have tried several before (Rosella Purple, Dwarf Mr. Snow and some other one whose name I forget) but it was in horrible dry, hot years where they did not produce well at all, and they started producing really late. I am growing seven varieties from The Dwarf Project this year and all of them have done very well so far. With more normal weather conditions this spring than in the other years I grew them, I am hoping for better results. The ones I started from seed on Super Bowl Sunday are growing in the ground (I was going to plant them in containers but decided I wanted one of each in the ground too) and about to bloom any day now....if not today, then tomorrow. You do practically need a machete to make your may down my garden paths in summer. It is nice and neat and orderly in April, and by May is nicely filled in and looking good. Then, in June it becomes a jungle. I kinda like the jungle look, but it does make working in there challenging at times.