I've never been to this event, but those of you near Greenstreet Gardens might want to check it out: Famous among gardeners in this area for its products and its people, Greenstreet Gardens has long been an industry leader and now they�ll take their clients and friends to new heights with TOMATOMANIA! Discuss how-to details with TOMATOMANIA staff and start your season off on the right foot. Check the Greenstreet Gardens website for classes, which will happen all through the weekend. Mostly, HAVE FUN! Check out tomatomania-dot-com-forward slash-greenstreet for more info.

~~~ So let the plant do what comes naturally to it. It is working hard to stay alive and healthy. Trying to force it to fruit too only causes more stress for the plant. That only reduces production in the long run and leads to disease and pest problems. ~~~ Good point but lets not forget that we are not talking about the true wild plants anymore either. In general when not_over loved to death_our plants get put out earlier and kept later by being protected to varying degrees from weather, pests, disease, drought and given what we hope is optimal nutrition. Its natural to want and even expect more from these plants since they are being given a better shot than their wild cousins. I kinda like the toothbrush idea. If the pollen is dead from temps it won't help but it sure looks like it should be helpful in humid situations.

Be Careful. Whomever you choose, make sure that they are a window manufacturer who makes their own windows. (I recommend Champion if you are in the Eastern half of the US.) Most window companies are buying someone else's window, so you get a 3rd party warranty. No good. If you have an issue? The window maker will say it was installed improperly, and won't fix it. The installer will say the window was flawed and won't fix it; you get screwed (happened to someone I know.) If they make it & install it, they are responsible for it. A few of the best companies warranty not just the window, but also lifetime on labor and installation. That's huge. Also know that there are basically 4 types of glass anyone is selling right now: Crap, poor, better, and best. The cheap Home Depot windows have crap or poor, with weak vinyl (has chalk and clay fillers; not strong pure vinyl), and they aren't as cheap as you think. The $172 price? Add $60 or more for a "custom size" (they are all custom, there is no standard.) Installation is not included, so that costs extra with a subcontractor of dubious workmanship and warranty. It becomes a $450 window for crap that is poorly installed and no reliable service afterward. Also beware of buying just a name like Renewal by Anderson. they make many grades of window from poor to excellent, and sell them to many window installers who may be of dubious ethics. they could show you a great window, charge you for a great window, and install just a good window. Do buy Vinyl windows, not aluminum. Metal gets hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. Wood swells in the summer, becoming hard to open. In winter it shrinks, can have drafts or leaks, rots in the rain, and needs regular painting and maintenance too (great fun for 2nd floor, right?) Vinyl has nearly identical energy efficiency to wood, without all that maintenance, ease of use, and comfort issues. If you are going to sell soon, you can spend less because no buyer will happily pay more for premium windows. They just don't know or care. But if you are going to stay for years more, get the best value (with "triple low-e" glass) and your energy bill will be reduced by a lot (for the whole house - a few windows won't change the bill much.) It will pay for itself over time. Energy prices are expected to more than double in the next ten years. Vinyl, being patroleum based products, only get more expensive when gas and oil go up, so get them sooner rather than later. Also, like buying a car, the price is negotiable. Ask for a discount. Then ask again. Ask "Is that the best you can do?" But don't get confused that the lowest price is best, because the cheap windows are so bad, they really are the most expensive to buy and have to be replaced sooner. If the cpmany you choose makes their own windows, you'll get a factory direct price, so make sure they do. The big name brands (like Pella, Anderson, etc) may just be a local franchise owner. If he quits, dies, retires, or moves out of state, what do you think happens to your warranty? Same with the local guy working out of his truck. Get an established company, factory owned, who make their own windows.

I wouldn't judge the price of Andersen windows based on a quote from Renewal! Go to the Andersen web site and find a dealer in your area (other than Home Depot) and pay them a visit. They will also be able to recommend a few contractors and will probably carry other manufacturers, have a display area, and be able to show you the differences in features and quality.