I did this in college, we grew them in petri dishes. We threw them out when they were still tiny tiny because the semester ended though. I collect ferns from the wild, its much easier that way! As for things to grow over the winter, try Hosta seeds! you can sew them once they are ripe and dry. good project for the winter months.

YES - I've been using Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Sunblock for well over a year & I love it. Well, I don't love using any sunblock, but this one is by far the best I've used. I use SPF 45 every day, and I top it off with a dusting of Bare Minerals SPF 15 powder. (I don't know how much sun protection could actually be in a powder, but it makes for a nice, luminous finish.) So, I highly recommend this product. And my 10 yr old daughter used it for a month at sleep-away camp & came home with the same beautiful, porcelain complextion that she left with!

I've come to love thin, absorbent, 100% cotton towels. I bought some inexpensive ones from JCPenney that got good reviews, but seem to have been discontinued. I bought some more expensive fouta type towels from one of the flash sales sites. I like both. Not only do they dry quickly on the towel rack, they take far less drying time in the dryer cutting my utility costs. I've moved all the thick towels to the guest bath.

I can't imagine a summer without my towering bananas. Bananas are ADDICTING! I really like the dwarfs as they sucker so readily..., constantly. I also grow Orinoco, and dwarf Brazilians, and Ensete. They grow super fast, and with your long summer days they should do fine, but they do like very warm nights too (70's +). You can overwinter the corms of the plants in the basement after the season. (I try to maintain mine in foliage but putting them into a frost free but chilly/cold garage for the Winter.) You do mean for growing outside? If indoors, growth will not compare to life outdoors. Musa basjoo is cold hardier and will even overwinter in the ground to Zone 7, but for your needs, the foliage is also more tolerant of cool during the growing season and will grow while more tropical species will sulk without summer HEAT and HUMIDITY.