The whole "spring bulb" and "fall bulb" labels can be confusing. Tulips/Daffodils/Crocus/Hyacinth and the like, for example - planted in the fall, but people generally call them spring bulbs because that's when they bloom. However, the bulbs you see for sale in the fall are the hardy plants that generally want a cold period and will survive the winter and come back year after year, like those I mentioned above. What you see for sale in the spring are the non-hardy bulbs and bulb-like plants that will not survive in the ground over winter, such as Dahlias, Caladiums, Elephant Ears, Glads, Cannas. Some people treat these as annuals, and others lift the roots and store them from year to year, replanting each spring. Of course, as you move further south, eventually you reach a zone for each of these things where it will be hardy outside through the winter, i.e., they will be perennials - for Glads and Cannas, we're probably talking US zone 7, a little further south for the other things mentioned. Still, they are traditionally sold in the spring because the merchants want to cover the whole range of both cold and warm zones with one sales period. The confusion comes because there are a lot of things you see packaged bare-root like bulbs which are for sale in both fall and spring - such as the Astilbe and Bleeding Heart you mention above and lots of other perennials. As you say, the packages look identical with the same contents and one shows fall planting and the other shows spring planting. These are the things that are successfully divided and transplanted any time they are dormant, which is from fall until they start to grow in the spring, so they are sold at both times. Lilies are a true bulb that is also in this category - the bulb never goes completely dormant, so they can put out new roots any time you transplant and will do well either spring or fall planted. As Cranebill mentions above, the best results for any given growing season will come if you get them in during the fall before, but I have always had success with them in the spring. Also, as Cranebill mentions above, if in doubt when spring comes, plant it anyway. The worst that can happen is that it won't grow, which is ASSURED if you don't plant it. - Steve

Sorry Evelyn! My mind isn't quite in the game lately. I've been working 16-20 hour days. We've got around 80 registered so far but if each one brings somebody.... We're still three weeks away and I'd bet there will be another 20-30 register. I'm not including those that don't/won't register either; that's usually half the group! HALF of those who have registered are first-timers so you know more than 40 of the old crew is going to be there!!! At the risk of alienating some folks...we're trying to get an idea of a fairly solid number on those that are going to attend. It sure helps with the logistics if you're trying to run one of these and prepare. Remember the Ms. Cheap debacle??? I never want to be blind-sided and unprepared like that again. And I'm sure that you guys would appreciate better organization. We are also trying to build our MTPS database. These are the reasons that you are asked to register on the website. Please do me this LAST favor and register if you are coming. Since this is my going away swap I'd really love for it to be very special! Your next MTPS Director is going to really need your help. I've had two decades (maybe not quite that long) to get use to this but imagine coming in cold and hitting the ground running! We're going to need better cooperation to insure better organization; it's a two-way street. A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE REGISTERED!!!

Fresh herb spring rolls with rice paper? I usually make them for large gatherings as it is quite the production. I have to make a few sauces i label mild to strong. -ingredients Toasted sesame seeds, toasted sesame oil, soy, rice vinegar/ac vinegar,lime/lemon, fresh ginger, scallions, hoison or honey, thai basil or cilantro Seems everyones palate is different so i make a mild version with less vinegar then up the flavors for a med one with lots more ginger...a bit of srirachi sauce for a spicy one. I find that different brands of vinegars and oils have varying flavor strengths so recipe amounts do not work well so i just wing it. I prefer less sweet but some seem to want more sweet. I use a mini prep cuisinart, line up five bowls, start with a strong ingredient amount, pour off 3/4, then thin with a mild vinegar, pour off aprox half, keep going with another, leaving a bit in the prep bowl, and finish with a peanut one...scallions, toasted peanuts, coconut milk...no washing the mini prep, just using a bit of the sauce to make the next. (i do the same with salsas making mild to spicy and ending with a spicy smoked chipotle) -some cannot tolerate cilantro so i keep that for the final sauces.

Fenworth, I don't have a recipe persay..I just dump. I like to precook all my ingredients, but I know all my Filipina friends do it with raw ingredients. I brown a pound of ground beef or turkey. Then I use my food chopper to mince it. Set that aside and saute minced onion, celery, carrot (& sometimes cabbage) and garlic in EVOO until soft. Then toss the meat in and season with a bit of soy sauce and some more s&p to taste. (I s&p both the meat and the veggies when I cook them.) I let it come to room temp or chill, then roll according to the package directions. For dipping we use Sweet Chili Sauce, found in the oriental section. It's a sweet hot sauce. Another sauce worth trying is banana sauce, again oriental section in a tall necked bottle. My friends use raw meat and minced veggies. So their's are more like a meat ball (log) when you bite into it. Again each Filipina has a different recipe and choice of veggies or ground meat. Some use beef, alot use pork and some even use poultry. Veggies can be carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, celery, onion (yellow or green) garlic.