I will mimic the comments on blueberry spacing as mine have formed a hedge on 4 foot spacing. The plants are very spreading and I think any less spacing would only cause the plants to grow into eachother requiring more pruning. I have my kiwi's planted on either side of an 8 foot wide arbor. The planting areas on either side are 3 feet deep and about about the same wide. My plant's crowns (where the plant reaches the ground) are only about 1 1/2 feet (or less) apart (3 males on one side, 4 females on the other side). I may be sacrificing some vigor on the plants, but they seem by no means restrained in their top-growth by the planting scheme I made. i also have two other females planted along a fence (about 10 feet from the arbor). These are also planted using the same spacing. I cannot say anything about spacing affecting production, as only one of my plants has bloomed thus far (and a male at that). I'm hoping to get blooms on oen or more of the females this coming year. I have a rooted plant I did lastspring that seems to have buds on its little branches (at least what I suspect buds would look like dormant). ~Chills

What I have learned about planting a tree: There is ALWAYS a reason not to plant a tree. Most of them are poor ones. Most of them come from people with an agenda. Yet by all means, never trust anyone from a nursery. They are money grubbing ignorami who are never hired for actually knowing anything. Yet there is only one reason to plant a tree that means anything: Do you want to? For any reason? (fall color, flowers, screening, wind, shade, innate beauty, etc.). Walk down practically any street in practically any city in practically any country, and I'll place odds you can find something wrong with just about every tree you see. Just peruse the explanations cited above: It's planted too close, utility lines of one kind or another, too large, wrong kind of tree for whatever reason, most of them personal and highly subjective. Yet lost in all the clutter are some of the best reasons, and they are reasons to plant a tree. A sociologist at the U of Illinois has conducted some research that says a view of a tree, even a pitiful tree, leads one to a happier outlook on life and a greater likelihood of civility to neighbors. So, to draw the insane conclusions that people seems to love, plant a tree, save a life. Surely that's not too high to save a life? Also, it's estimated that a healthy urban forest can reduce the temperatures of cities by up to 20 degrees. Given the number of headlines regarding global warming (including how elk contribute to it), that would darn near be enough to scare me into planting far more trees than needed. OK, enough of the hyperbole. There is one practical rule to follow when planting near a house: Don't plant a tree that will grow taller than the eave under the eave. Everything else can be influenced...or pruned.

Is this illegal? I mean, how can he do this? Does he indeed have to be finished with the job before he can file a lien for nonpayment? This job was supposed to take 6 months and we started back in Jan 2006. We have never said "we are not paying you" or anything. We simply want the things that need to be fixed done right. He keeps saying this is warranty work and he deserves the full payment now. In our eyes, if we paid them all of it, then he would take forever. We have to hold this money over his head or the work won't get done. Now he put a lien on the house like we are not willing to work with him. UGH! Am I right this is not to be considered warranty work when he is still on the job finishing punch out stuff? To me, warranty is something after the job is completed and paid in full. Putting a deck on top of a septic should not be considered warranty work. My thought is he is trying to word it as warranty work because then he can say the job was complete. Sandy

Thank you so much to everyone for your input! And that is some impressive cut @Creative Tile Eastern CT! I greatly appreciate the photoshopped image @groveraxle. THAT is how I would've preferred the tile to be laid -- much more centered. I have asked my tiler about all of the issues mentioned here: - Lippage: they have checked each tile to make sure there is a smooth transition. They mentioned that it is common for 12 x 24 tiles to occasionally be bowed but they sorted through the tile and picked out flatter pieces. - 2 piece tile around vent: they were also very frustrated that this had to be done because they had gone through 6 or 7 tiles trying to make that cut but the tile kept cracking. It was very surprising because it should have been a very easy cut and that is always what they do, but they believe this tile was fired at a very high temperature so this was the next best option. - Centering: they measured everything before cutting and laying down the tiles and felt this was the best option because otherwise there would have been a sliver at the top right corner of the vanity and back wall, to the left of the toilet. I'm not sure where is better to have the slivers or if by the vanity would even have been noticeable. Overall, I'm a bit frustrated with the tile not being "centered", but I do trust my tiler and am hopeful that the slivers on the left are not as noticeable once the door is back on. The grout is going in today (I'll double check on the gap around the baseboard) and I will post an updated picture! I am also doing the same tile in my master bath and will be much more attentive this time around! I plan to measure out and sketch a few scenarios to avoid slivers, especially since I will be walking on that floor daily!