Ooh this is great! I was just lamenting that I don't have any pepper seeds. I do have echinacea (purple and white seeds mixed), gaillardia "Punch Bowl," and a mix of various saved marigold seeds. You might be interested in the "Mammoth Gray Sunflower" and "Sweet Marigold, Licorice" seeds that I recently ordered, too. I'll have to read about the different types you're offering, but what do you think?

Sal, Since figs can ripen rather quickly I would leave the figs alone and take notes. From your post I understand you don't know much about the mother tree. If that is correct I would not remove the figs, at the very least, until the leaves fall off. As a matter of fact there are a few fig varieties that fruit ripens even after the leaves fall off. I know this isn't much help but if you don't know the characteristics of the plant than you will need to learn through trial and error. As you probably know, figs ripen differently given: the variety, environmental factors, maturity of the plant, etc.. So the ripening characteristics and quality of the fruit can change significantly in the years to come. Good Luck Vinnie

You should have or get or make a simple diode checker. A diode is really simple. If you put voltage across it with neg and pos one way you'll see electricty flowing through the diode. If you turn the connections around you won't see any electricty. Compare that with a light bulb. No matter if you put the wires one or the other way the bulb lights. So the only resort if neither try works for you is to check the diode that it's working. It's simple. You put a meter with one lead there and theothe lead over there. IF you see a signal then you swap the leads. This time you should not see a signal. It works one way. What woudl you think if you saw a signal no matter which way you put the meter leads? The diode would be broken. You would have to replace it. What would happen if no matter which way you put the meter leads and you got no reading or signal from your test? The diode would be broken. You would have to replace it. The reason you don't just replace it is this: It's poor logical thinking. It's better to prove that it's broken so that when you put in a new one and the new one does not work either.. then you know something else is ALSO wrong. So 1. Get a meter for $10 at Sears or Harbor Freight. It will be worth it for later. Learn to use it. It's acutally fun. 2. Check the diode. You can find online how to use your meter to test the diode. When you're at the shop where you buy the meter take your diode with you if you can. If you can't then try to buy one that is approximately the same physical size. AT least it will fit mechanically. For specifications they're simple. They are usually rated at the highest current. 1 amp is typical for this kind of application. IF you hve an old door bell with a ringer and buzzer then get a 2 or 3 amp if possible. If it's electronic than anything should be OK. But get 1 amp if possible. The other spec, the voltage should be 100 volts or more. They're all this or more so no worry. 3. Test the diode. Two ways to try it. One way, then the otehr. It shold be opposite readings each way. Test the good one, first, instead. It, if it's good, will show you how the diode works. The meter puts voltage into the diode. When the diode lets electricity through the meter then the meter reads a signal. If the diode blocks the signal from getting through the meter then the meter reads nothing, 0.00 . So you've got a whole 2 weeks of electronics training in 3 paragraphs and 10 minutes. Try the diode one way, if it works you're done. If not try it the other way. If it works. .. etc. If it does not work either way then A. Check the diode again to be sure it's still OK. If not then you have a different problem It's nearly 100% sure it will be OK. B. If it doesn't work and diode is OK then get sommme more advice from only or here. You might not be getting DC or AC voltage from the bell's transformer. We'll be guessing at that point. I'll check back to see how you're doing Andre

When I have a problem I use Gnatrol.