The proof is in the pictures! I totally agree with Al's statements. I often say that I wish I had been exposed to a few basics in plant science and physics long ago, when I first became interested in growing plants, but the basics are not what circulates through the general gardening community, nor are they anything promoted by the gardening industry. The first thing I wish I had learned is that growing in the ground or garden, and growing within the confines of a container, are two very different environments that each require a different approach. I've come to think of the garden as organic, and growing in pots as more inorganic and something I have more control over. I think if I'd had that separated in the beginning, I'd have had much better success, and a lot sooner. I'm also fond of saying that a green thumb is nothing more than applied knowledge. And that's very true. There's no luck or magic to growing plants. It's all skill from applying the basics of science and physics. And the more I learn, the more I realize that the industry exists to help itself, and not necessarily the gardeners. Once we learn what containerized plants really need, we are more or less forced to search down various ingredients and mix our own mediums better suited to how plants respond when placed in a confined space. As Al says, we can't make a case when it comes to personal choices or convenience, but we certainly can show how various practices benefit or limit our plants. And to be honest, I don't find it inconvenient to grow healthier plants with healthier roots, anyway. To me, it's worth it to mix my own mediums custom to my unique environment, more in keeping with what is beneficial to my plants from a scientific angle. So, I save organic methods for the gardens... and I go with a more controllable, inorganic approach to growing in pots.

Please give us a closer picture of plant #1, particularly the leaves. Plant #2 appears to be vining, so Campsis radicans, aka Trumpet Vine is a possibility. Plant #3 is a Tulip Popular tree, Liriodendron tulipifera. Plant #4 could be a young Persea or perhaps a Magnolia. Plant #5 is an Eastern Red Cedar, Juniperus virginian a. Plant #6 is a tree, but needs a leaf for positive id. Plant #7 IS HIGHLY INVASIVE--kill it while you can, It's an silver thorn aka Eleaegnus http://www.invasive.org/browse/subinfo.cfm?sub=3021. Look carefully at the undersides of the leaves--they are silver. I also notice from your picture that it's blooming now--if you notice its flowers are quite different from honeysuckle. Plant #8 not sure of

I can't remember ever having seen this type of caterpillar, Melissa. I get plenty of salt marsh cats, which are similar, with a similar looking adult, though. Salt marsh cats and Virginia tiger moth/yellow bears are both generalists, feeding on most anything, as you've seen. :) Sherry

2) I will try to get a clearer picture of the leaf arrangement. 3) I'm still at work, so I didn't get a chance to get out there yet and check for spines on #3. It came from a pinch that James the curator let me take from the UT Trial Gardens... I'm sure that whatever it was, it was lovely at the time I got it, or it wouldn't have caught my eye. I hope it's not this invasive weed! 6) I will try to get a clearer picture of the leaf arrangement tonight. 8) I have Daisy Fleabane in other spots and it doesn't look like this so I guess I'll just grow it out and see what it is. 9) I have several of this one that I collected from the vacant lot. I will bring one to the swap so you can see it live and in person. I will feel the leaves of this one when I get home! It came from the vacant lot, too. This one sprung up on its own in one of my unamended beds... it might just be a weed but I wanted to find out. Can you tell the difference between Myosotis and Cynoglossum? I don't think either of my two specimens has seeds at this time. There's no basal leaves and I think it had a root. The stem is tough. I can get a better pic of this one now that it has recovered from being transplanted. I'm going to look at my Coreopsis tinctoria tonight to see if the basal leaves look like this. I think they do. I have several of these hairy things with the red petioles, so I will bring one with to the swap.