They really do vary--and a lot of them look like cuttings with barely any growth. But they are HAPPY to get in the ground and start growing! For the most part, I've tried to get mine in early fall and put them in right into the ground before really cold weather hits. That way they can focus on growing roots during winter, which is our rainy season. Plus there's the advantage of blooms the first season on some of them! I've also put some out in early spring, but you have to watch out for late freezes. Be sure to harden them off for a few days before you put them outside for keeps, whether in pots or in the ground. You will be amazed at how quickly those tiny little stubs will turn into happy little bushes.

I remember when I saw my first Golden Silk spider (the large beauty pictured above)! Having moved recently from the North, I'd never had the 'pleasure' of meeting up with these lovely ladies, before! I was ready to pack my bags and leave the beautiful South, I tell you what! She is Nephila clavipes, often called the banana spider because of her coloration. She wears what I call fur bracelets on each of her 8 legs, a little adornment that I find pretty darned creepy/ By the way, all of the big spiders that we find hanging around in webs are female. This is true with all species. Males are very small, puny, and not good for much other than making more spiders (if they get a chance, lol).

There is not a spider in the world that is a herbivore...either they are NOT eating any plant material or they're not spiders. Photos would be helpful.

Ouch. As someone who has battled Pacific mite for years, I know exactly what you're going through. There are so few viable solutions, unfortunately... There are a few things you can try to keep the mite populations down: they really like hot, dry, dusty conditions and stressed plants, so the more you avoid those conditions the better. - If you have a lot of dust around, consider wetting things down periodically in the late morning or early afternoon to keep it from flying around and coating the leaves. That will also help to increase the humidity and cool down the leaves. - Mulch well to help retain moisture, which will reduce plant stress; it will also eliminate dust. - Keep the plants well-fed, well-watered, and vigorous. I've found that mites are much less of a problem when the plants are growing well with lots of new foliage. Lots of water and food is probably my primary defense against mites now. - My second line of defense is picking the right varieties. Certain plants tend to attract mites like magnets (marigolds come to mind). Certain varieties of tomato are more susceptible than others as well; I've given up on growing anything with wispy foliage because those get totally hammered as soon as the hot weather comes in. I miss out on some good pastes and hearts, but there it is. Potato leaf and rugose varieties have almost no trouble with mites unless the plants are really struggling. - Predatory mites are sold for greenhouses; with that sort of pest population, you might benefit from them even out in the open. Check some organic supply catalogs. - Be vigilant. All it takes is one plant getting overwhelmed by mites, then they have a foothold to take over the rest from. Yanking or severely pruning one plant is better than losing all of them, if you notice that one is faring badly. If there's a variety or species that seems to do much worse, look for a different one for next year. The mites are tough to kill, so we have to adapt and learn. I wish you the best of luck. --Alison