ispahan wrote: I just planted a few Penstemon 'Sweet Joanne' in full sun and well draining soil. For those of you who grow it, how did it overwinter for you? Funny you mention this plant (SJ) as I bought and planted two of them *very* late this past fall...specifically October 29 2011 and I *think* I see evidence this spring that they both made it through my zone 5 winter (albeit a very moderate winter this year). So your zone 6a should be a breeze for them.

I've got 4 Penstemon 'Mystica' but the bed where they were planted last year gets increasingly less sunlight as trees around edge of property grow taller. I planted them in mounds for better drainage as suggested somewhere online. Hard to water mounds and roots became exposed so I added soil around plant mounds. There are 2 problems I'm having with them. First, the stems came up all twisted and snap off very easily when I try to straighten and corral them from flopping all over. Lack of enough sunlight? They get about 4 hours total sunlight a day before sun goes over back of house. Second, the leaves are all curled. There isn't any pest causing the curling and there's nothing sticky on them as residue from any pest. Why the leaf curling? Not enough water? Also, lack of enough sunlight? I have 2 'Husker's Red' up by the mail box and they stand erect with good leaf condition. They get about 5 hours sun in morning and 2 hours late afternoon. I'd sure appreciate any educated guesses you could give me. I'm guessing I have to move them to a place where they can get more sunlight but I have no idea where I'll put them given their larger size. Next year I'm going to leave the seedheads on...the stems look silly just standing there with flat heads of horizontal leaves...LOL. I'm obsessive about deadheading because I got the idea somewhere that a plant uses energy to produce seed instead of putting it toward needed root growth. Thanks. :)

Rouge Aha, and you even answered for me as to the full name. The dang picture is overexposed. But the plant is a carbon copy as shown in Northcreek plants. So far it looks promising. I scalped the 'Ruby Candle' in order to propagate extras, so it's busily sulking. The cuttings are doing well so next week, it's moment of truth.

Thanks grizzman, I can see it possible with plastic buckets. Although I have never really thought about trying it. I have seen jewelry made many years ago. I mentioned before I took ceramics in high school, and during advanced ceramics class (I took 4 times) the teacher also taught a second class in the same room at the same time. A jewelry class where he spent most of his time. He would just give us an assignment at the beginning of the week, then we would just make what we wanted even if it wasn't the given assignment, as long as we were doing something he didn't care. I often saw what they were doing but don't remember much other than they would make a casting out of wax, then encase it in plaster or something. Then heat it to get the wax out of it, in order to pour the metal in the mold. But from the way you explained it it sounds like pluming. I have done that many times before, getting the solder in joint between two pieces of copper tubing. In fact I'm going to need to do that exact thing again shortly to change the two outside water faucets. Although I have never herd of a type of plastic solder. Is it easy to get, and what type of heat source is used? I to have used both male and female threaded PVC fittings to make a bulkhead fitting on the bottoms of 2 gallon paint buckets. But the only ones that I have seen (that fit together anyway), the male end is tapered. So the female end only goes on so far before it gets to tight to go any ferther. I have used spacers to remedy that problem though. In the picture it looks like a fairly good seal but doesn't it need help from something other than the O-ring to make it water tight because of the curve? Unless it's a real thick O-ring (rubber gasket etc.) there must be some gap right? sdgrower Thanks, I have lots of the threaded/barbed fittings although I have never tried to tap and thread it into the side of a bucket. I just use them to connect my vinyl tubing to PVC tubing. Depending on the situation that might be useful. Although instead of a plastic wing nut, I would probably use the threaded PVC connector on the inside to clamp it down tight (like a bulkhead fitting), I could always just cut off any part of it I don't need. What I have in mind for the main tower is a minimum of 8 inch PVC tube, but most likely 12 inch. The pluming supply houses in town carry all sizes and one sells it by the foot (the other sells 20 foot sections). Depending on the plants and basket sizes, I would want 2 or 3 inch PVC tubing for the side tubes. I have a lot of 3 inch baskets, but it depends on what plants I decide to grow in it (as well as the future plants). The elbows wont work for what I have in mind without modification. Basically I need a straight piece of tubing to start with, or the baskets wont be able to go past the elbow/bend. Therefore wouldn't be able to get misted on from the mister heads. My baskets have a small lip, so there wouldn't be any modifications or stoppers to keep the baskets in place. It would get quite expensive for 2 or 3 inch elbow fittings in comparison. I don't remember for sure but even 2 inch fittings are more than $1 each if I remember correctly. But a 10 foot piece of 2 inch PVC only costs about $4. That 10 foot piece of tubing will make 30 4 inch long pieces that I would use for the side tubes that hold the baskets. I still would need to make each of them the right shape, but that wont be hard to do. I just need to make a drum sander (wheel sander). Just using a piece of tubing the same size as the main tube (12 inch tube), attaching it to a lathe or drill to spin it. Then covering it with sand paper. All I would need to do is cut out some of the bulk of the side tubing (so there's less sanding to so), and grind it down. At that point I would have the perfect shape, and angle to glue to the main tube for a flush fit every time. Considering that each main tube depending on the size of the baskets I decide to go with, and height of the tower there would be quite of a lot of side tubes to do, so replicating it is an important factor to me. PVC glue is not expensive and is easy to use. But I would still want to make the connections stronger. I don't know what made me think of it, but I also thought about using a glue gun today. I used to have one but don't know where it is. Glue guns are less than $10 and the glue sticks are cheep as well. I just need to test it on PVC to see how well it bonds, but if it does work that's the cheapest option yet. Other inexpensive options I plan to test include things like different types of "liquid nails". Although most wont cure properly if the solvents cant evaporate. Non pours materials wont allow that evaporation. But it would still be expose to the air for evaporation because the seam would be glued together with PVC glue. Only the outer edge would be glued with the liquid nails (glue gun etc.), like caulking the edge of a counter top. So I'm guessing it would cure but just take longer. I would also use a sanding sponge (a sponge with sand glued to it) to clean the edges before using the glue gun or liquid nails etc. before gluing. That will clean the surface (of excess PVC glue etc.), also it would scuff up the surface and create a better bond.