Can you list the general types of crops you planted? The problems that you are having started this year? You said that you had problems with germination but could damping off be part of the problem? - I know that everything has worked fine before but there is a reason that so many precautions are taken to prevent it. - Everything can go swell for quite a while planting in whatever, but eventually it will happen. About the peat pots. - there is an understandable aversion toward using plastic in gardening but IMO that does not compensate for a lack of utility in alternate products. Peat pots dry far too quickly under normal watering, which is probably why the label on commercially available transplants in peat pots are plastic and cover about two thirds of the pot. I would clean everything and use a packaged seed starting mix in new or sterilized plastic cell packs and see how that works. Hope this helps, best of luck!

It may well be too late to think of it, but if you want something lower-growing, some of the Polyanthas might be your answer for generosity of bloom and low stature. In our area, China Doll has been used and used and used because it matches those requirements. For a red, there's Mutterdag (Mother's Day) and Lady Reading. Salmon Pink Margo Koster, and all the rest of the Koster sports (do "Contains" KOSTER in a HMF search, or check Vintage's catalog). I'd use any of those guys before I'd try a Knockout -- Not because I'm a snob, but because Knockouts would be such horses, and because I don't want anything that mildews. In a more modern vein, if you want something truly low-growing, I'd use Kim Rupert's lovely 'Lauren' or 'International Herald Tribune' if I wanted poiple. For White, I might use Pope John Paul (or try the white China, 'Ducher.') For Yellow, gosh, how about Julia Child? For red, I'd really go back to Mother's Day. Jeri

Tenor_peggy , I spray my potted roses with milk and garlic and all the leaves look healthy even the HPs. I accept spraying because just about every plant I have (zinnias, vegetables, etc) have to be sprayed to reduce the pests and diseases. This Fall I might experiment with putting organic banana peels and cleaned eggshells (with a little cinnamon to deter ants) in the pots to see if the thin leaves will become thicker.

The first thing you need to do is find out if plant material can be shipped into Hawaii without inspection and/or quarantining. I'm pretty sure there are restrictions.