HoosierDoc thats an interesting idea! I cage my p-stems here and I never thought to check the differences between inside and outside temps. Perhaps the original link expired but I can't see your pictures now. I have to share my method for covering my stems. Let the frosts kill the leaves, remove them, build an 8' wire cage around entire clump(which is sometimes 5 stems), fill to top with pine straw, done! I have covered basjoo stems this way every winter since 2000 and not once have I lost any stem to rot or disease. I don't cover the sides or top either, just open air all the way. Of course the winters here are never overly cold, so it does not take a whole lot of work to protect them. The lowest temp I've had since my plants went in, was 9F back in 2003. During that winter, even with protection I lost about 4' of stem to the cold. Except for the following the spring that year, every spring since, I have started the season with 8' p-stems! I have two mats of basjoo in different locations and both had 3 inflorescences this year! It is exciting after you take the straw down to see leaves sprouting atop those tall stems! I have a picture of one of my "towers of straw" from last year..... Here is a link that might be useful:

I was so surprised to see this thread today as I was creating an introductory post in my mind on my way home from work today. I realized that I jumped in a while back with a lot of hummingbird information without ever offering any introduction and figured it might be appropriate. I'm Steve and live in Valrico (about 20 miles east of Tampa - east of Brandon) with my wife and 9 year old son. We're down to 3 cats, all indoors. Rowdy was my cat for 21 years before she passed away a couple of years ago, blind and with high blood pressure. I'm more of a grower than a gardener. Most of what I grow is to supplement mother nature. I plant what the critters need, mainly birds and butterflies. We've planned the initial layout of the flowerbeds but in the end, things grow where they want to. My growing started out on an apartment balcony because I wanted to attract hummingbirds. We bought our home in 2000 and gradually began creating a home for hummingbirds. In 2005, I created a webpage showing before and after photos of my yard. It's at: http://rowdy13.tripod.com/hummeryard.html The photos aren't the best but you get the idea of what went into my yard. I was recently asked about flowerbeds and my response was that I see the whole yard as my flowerbed. This photo was taken earlier this year. Early on, I killed many a fuchsia and columbine trying to force my favorite northern plants to grow here but finally decided to reduce my stress and just let grow what wants to grow with as little effort as possible. Steve Backes Valrico, FL

Thanks so much to Kathy and Tiffany; this was a fantastic swap. I picked up some wonderful things: great blue lobelia, rose campion, a Jacob's ladder, meadowsweet, dwarf iris, willow shrub and fuschia cuttings, and 3 (count 'em!) 3 bags of Stella D'Oro! Oh, and two bags of Jack-in-the-pulpit seed stalks; I'm busy researching those now, to figure out the best place and way to plant them. I got a chance to spread the gospel of scented gernaiums and found good homes for tansy, mugwort, heuchera, sedum, a bunch of bearded iris, and most importantly my little leaf lilac. Poor guy's been doing his best for two years back behind the tomatoes and peppers every summer -- it's nice to know he'll get a chance to be a star in someone else's yard! But most importantly, I got a chance to hang out with some really nice folks who are just as geeked about plants as I am -- which is a great time in and of itself! Maybe next time I'll actually get there on time..... Nah, probably not. But I'm looking forward to it! (BTW, did anybody happen to find an unclaimed crockpot during clean-up? I didn't realize I'd left it until I was doing the dishes late last night -- seemed a bit too late to drive back by that time. If somebody found it let me know and I'll come pick up my orphan.)\ Thanks again, everybody!

What a wonderful afternoon! We had a very nice turnout -- 14 people and over 200 plants, everything from orchids and peonies to coneflowers and ajuga -- and some plants I'd never seen before! I picked up some lovely things; Attar of Roses peony, brunnera, purple daylilies and a boatload of lambs ear that I really needed! Plus a lovely thistle feeder that will be perfect for luring the finches to my bedroom window. We had some great door prizes -- and plenty of peonies for all! The food was great -- as always. The sausage/rotini casserole, the broccoli salad and the orange cake were special standouts. But it was all good! And as always, the people were wonderful. Some folks I know well, like Jeanne and Mary, and some I've met before, like Jenny and Sarah. Some folks were new to the fall swap, like Elizabeth and Deb. And some people I haven't met before, like Sessa, Denise, Linda and Judy! I know I'm forgetting people, but I won't forget what a great time we had. A lbunch of us lingered around the firepit long after the official 'swapping' was over, swapping stories. As always, a huge thanks to Terri D -- one of the most gracious hostesses I know!