Toni, Yes, what is more fun than plant shopping? Yes we had a very good time. I assume the Hoop House in NH may be heated? Not sure. They had both colors but we went for the Green Oxalis with the white flowers. The Hibiscus is for me...lol My friend can do the basics so I am trying to make it as easy as possible. I will be able to check on them, especially until he gets the hang of it. As for the help at Home Depot not knowing the info on the plants that are offered, it is so surprising. It’s not like they have to be horticulturists or have such a large variety of plant material. Plus there seem to me to be so many amateur gardeners that are actually shoppers there, you’d think they would try to hire someone like that to have some basic knowledge. It would make it more profitable for them, I would think. Well, we have four HD locally that I have visited, and one of three is better than the others. One is like the one you described. Marquest, yes, I was reminded in the HD that my friend had expressed a liking for Burro’s Tail at one point and they were small inexpensive plants. The Aloe was too cute to pass up and small. I think succulents are just the easiest, to take care of, so I really encouraged him to try a couple of small ones. Thanks for the warning on the Oxalis. It could go home for a few weeks break if need be. Mike, someone on GW recommended Lake Street to me about 3 years ago and I like their perennials, shrubs and selection of annuals. It’s about a 40 minute drive for me and closer than Logee’s in CT. I bought a very pretty variegated Jade Plant there last summer, while shopping for perennials for the garden. I was not sure houseplants were in ready supply, but they had some healthy selections and that is my #1 priority. I would go back. I have noticed they offer classes, although I haven’t found the time to do that. I haven’t been to the Chelmsford Mahoney’s. I see Weston Nurseries has a new location in Chelmsford, too. I got out that way once last summer. Here is the 'Lime Bearss Seedless'..... I'm sure you are right, Toni, that a grafted tree is the best way to go, but this is just an experiment really, to determine if my friend can provide the care. If it goes well, we would probably really enjoy getting a larger grafted plant. And you have me curious about the grafted plants that might be available. Very mysterious...(g)

I have to disagree with much of the above advice..... I feel very qualified for comment, I own a Welding Supply Company and have been selling these products since the late 70's. I have through the years been a distributor for Air Products, Liquid Carbonics, Air Gas, BOC, and Puritan Bennett. I sell to small individual customers, and commercial accounts from one man operations through large corporate accounts. I sell in Pa, Md, Va, Washington D.C., Delaware. We sell most gasses, and all cylinder sizes. Purchasing your cylinders is your best overall deal, many companies try to not sell you cylinders but try and talk you into renting, either monthly, yearly or a longer term lease.......First in doing this, they lock you into them, it is their cylinders, you are their captive customer. 2nd They are making lots of money from you on these charges, the prices of the long term lease for example more than covers their cost to purchase the cylinders If you renew your lease, it is 100% profit, if you turn your cylinders back in and end your lease, they have the cylinders to lease again to someone else As far as testing on the cylinders, their are two general categories of test for high pressure cylinders, 5 year and 10 year test cycles, and if the cylinder qualifies for a 10% overfill. The format for a retest marking is: Month Facility  Year  Plus Rating  Star Stamp. The + symbol indicates that the cylinder qualifies for 10% overfill.  A Star Stamp indicates that the cylinder meets the requirements for 10-year retest, instead of a 5-year retest. Acetylene cylinders generally do not require periodic retesting, unless a problem develops with the cylinder. Testing charges vary I have seen retail pricing from 20.00 to 50.00 for the retest, or more........So if you had to pay a test charge once in a blue moon, it would still be much cheaper than cylinder rental , or lease charges (and as it is your own cylinder you have the freedom to go to any supplier you wish for your product***) For our customers that purchase cylinders from us, we generally exchange empty for full (Unless the customer wants to keep the exact cylinder they purchased) If the cylinder is sized correctly for the customer and their needs, We usually see the customer at least once a year (Some much more often , others a little less often) Volume users turning once a month or more, seldom if ever get charged any rental, or have to take leases, they are just paying for product used. If they are a regular customer, we maintain cylinders and do not charge for the retests, how ever if the customer wishes to keep the exact cylinder they purchased, or If they are an extreme slow turner seeing them once in five or more years, then we do charge for a retest. Our current test charge is about 30.00 *** A side note on suppliers. Some companies will only deal in certain sized cylinders for non commercial customers. Some places will only rent or lease and will not deal in sold type cylinders. If you find this is a stores policy, remember they are wanting to lock you into them as a customer, through the money you tie up in rent or lease charges.....My personal store, we sell cylinders and hope our customer service and care as well as reasonable pricing helps assure the customer will return, we feel no need to contractually bind them to us. Yes Please talk with your local gas supplier, how ever, if they try to talk you into lease or rental of cylinders, I would suggest looking for a different supplier To the above poster, you say, "I trade mine about every 2 years empty or full to stay in the good graces of my gas supplier." No disrespect, this is silly practice on your part. You are trying to preach about the money saving doing it your way and yet you are willing to turn in partially full cylinders, to stay in good graces with your supplier. Of course they will love this it is money ahead for them, getting money from you before it is time! There is no reason to do this, none what so ever! If it is something you actually do, You are only throwing dollars away with this practice. I was young when I started my business, I actually had a competitor come and visit me, and put his arm on my shoulder as if he was trying to give me fatherly advice, he stated the virtues of not selling cylinders, instead offering leases......I politely let him speak, when he was done I said, I do not feel a need to lock my customers in with this kind of practice, I like to give them free choice, I think you can do it your way, I will continue to do it mine! (The guy never paid me another "friendly visit") I wish you were in my area, I would help you out. Talk to local welding supplies You can get cylinders off Craig's List, BUT Make sure you have a supplier that will work with you and fill them/exchange them before you pull the trigger and spend your money! Some will be very willing to work with foreign to their system cylinders, others will not.

Hey mountaineergirl! Glad to know I'm not the only one from "Almost Heaven West Virginia!" I'm from the big city of Charleston -- fourth generation (at least); went off to college in central Kentucky, seminary on Boston's North Shore, honeymooned across America with everything I owned in a UHaul truck to settle in Los Angeles for 4 years, then came back east, inside the Capital Beltway in Maryland for 6 years, then finally home again, home again to Charlie West. Like Dorothy said, "There's no place like home!"

Joann, I have longer list and keep on adding more info as it resurfaces in the posts. Still some info is missing. Here is my latest Amazing Aunt Aubrey - Oklahoma - female Adellabedella - ? ? ? Alisande (Susan) - PA Scranton ? orig.from NYC - female Angela_Nor_Calif - Northern California - female Angelaid - Idaho ? - female Arkansas girl - ? ? ? Barb-45 - south-west Washington. - female. bengardening - Middle of South Dakota - female Bigack. (Susan) - Fairmont WV - female Big baby - Southeast Minnesota - female breenthumb - Upstate New York - female Bulldinkie - Kim in PA - female Cardamom - North Texas - female Carla35 - ? ? ? Carol in California - the beautiful central coast of California - female Caroline - Larimore, ND You can Google me at 806 Booth Ave. W. Casey (Karen) - St.John , Newfoundland, Canada - female CathyId - SW Idaho, - female. czech_chick Carol - Long Island, NY - female Cherryfizz - Windsor Ontario Canada - female Chemocurl - Indiana Cheryl ok - southeastern Oklahoma - female ChiSue - 30 miles north of Chicago - female Chi83 - Irvine, S.California - female ChloeCat - St. Louis - Home of the WS Champion Cardinals - female ColeenOz - Australia - female Chubby Rat - El Paso, Texas - female Cynic - Minnesota - male dances_in_garden - Ontario , Canada - female DeaMN - Southwestern Minnesota - female deborah ps - Palm Springs, California - female des_arc_ya_ya - N. central Arkansas - female dirtundermyfingers - Stacie in Nebraska - female dianamo 1 - MO - female Dollydolots - British Columbia, Canada - female Donna37 - South central MO - female Dotmom - N.Central Minnesota - female drewsmaga - Oviedo (by Orlando) Fl nowb. The Woodlands (by Houston) TX - female Ellie45 - Alexandria, VA - female FlamingO in ar (Susan) - near Eureka Springs, AR - female Fran1523 - SE Massachusetts - female Fun2BHere - Southern California - female Gazania - SW Pennsylvania just north of Pittsburgh - female georgysmom - Williamsburg, VA. - female gemini40 - ? ? ? glenda-al - Birmingham, al - female gibby3000 - ? ? ? gmom74 - Roswell, Georgia - female Granlan TX - Texas panhandle ? - female grinch_gut - Stacy in OK - female Haffie - North Shore - MA Heather ON - Ontario, Canada - female Hellion - North central Florida - female hoovergal - Hoover, Alabama - female. hostapasta - Western New York State - near Buffalo - female houstonmom - Houston, Texas - female Jannie, Janice, age 58 - Kings Park Long Island NY - female Jasdip - Southwestern Ontario (Canada) - female Jaybird - Texas - female jbelle108 - Boston, MA - female jeaninwa - Colorado Springs, CO - female jel48, - Michigan U.P. - on the Keweenaw peninsula - female jemdandy ? ? ? -male jennmonkey - Virginia ? Seattle? - female joann_fla - North Florida, orig. NJ - female Joan mn - E.Minnesota (Pine City?) / Ocala, FL in winter - female jodi_in_so_calif - Orange CO, CA - female joyfulguy - southern Ontario, Canada - reputedly male Kathsgrdn - Central Kentucky - Kathleen - female Kathi_mdgd - S.Calif,Oceanside to be exct. - female Kathy G in MI - northeast Michigan - female kat__wa - Washington - female Kayjones - Panama City, Florida - female Kfca37 - Bay area CA Kittywhiskers - 4B - female lazypup - Chicopee, Massachusetts - male Lidia1959 - Mid-Missouri , an hour from St. Louis - female Liira - Edmonton Alberta Canada - female lily316 - south central PA lindalou - Tonawanda, new yor k - female lindie_mi - west Michigan - female Linda_in_Iowa - Ames, Iowa - female linda_6 PA - Sewickley, PA - Female Lisa_fla - Orlando, Florda - female Littlebit - West TN - female Lindaohionowga - Linda Ohio now GA--Fayetteville, GA - female lindyluwho - Remlap, AL - female littlebug5, - north Missouri - female Liz_ga. - fayetteville - female lovemymimi - Mesa, Arizona - female LuAnn_in_PA - PA (southwest) - female luckygardnr - Southwestern Ontario (near Jasdip) - female Lynn D - Johnstown, PA - female Marilyn Sue - Central Indiana, Madison Co - Female mary7060_mi - Northern lower peninsula of Michigan - female Mamatoad - Tucson, Arizona - female Marita40 Mary - St. Paul MN 2011-Rome - female Marry - northeastern Indiana - female Matti5 Cheryl - Northern CA - female maybee - Iowa - female mboston - Lakeland, FL - female mcmann - southern NJ originally from Pittsburgh - female Michelle PhxAZ - Phoenix, AZ - female minnie_tx - NE Texas - female mom24 - Pennsylvania - female momof6 - SW Louisiana - female moonie 57 -female MonicaPa - Blue Bell,Pa - female mwheel - Falling Waters, WV - female nanaofmany08 Linda weeks - western KY - female nanatricia - central Texas - female Nanny98 - Southern Oregon - female nancylee_ ky - Western Kentucky - female Nicole - Colorado Springs - female NitaAZ - Sierra Vista, AZ - female Nodakgal - female OklaMoni - Oklahoma City - female oldgardener_2009 - western Washington - female Pam 25f - northern NY pammyfay - N.VIRGINIA ? patti43 - Ocala, FL - female pattico - female paula_pa - Pennsylvania - female pekemom - Lynne from southern Colorado - female Petaloid - Southern California - female petra - female pickyshopper - Ontario , Canada - female Poohbear 2767 - Dunlap Tn - male Phyllis mn - North Central Minnesota - female ratherbegardening - near Lansing, Michigan - female RavenCajun - Houston,TX area - female Reader77 - Johnson City in upper E.TN (almost in VA) - female Renee FL - DeLand FLorida - female redcurls - Ft Lauderdale FL - Female ronf - Southeast Minnesota - male ronm80 (Ronnie) - south Georgia - female Rosemaryt - Rosemary Thornton - female rosepetal2 - near Liverpool, England - female ruthieg__tx - Texas - female Sable - Monterey Peninsula, California - female Salgal - ? ? ? SamKaren - Milledgeville, Illinois - female Satine - Northern Maryland - female schoolhouse - Ohio scissors - ? ? ? secsteve - Delaware? - male sheilajoyce - southern California - female sherrmann - Wisconsin - female sjarz (Susan) - Canada - female sjerin - Bay Area in Ca, originally from Oregon - female sleeperblues - northwest Wisconsin - female Socks12345 - South CA - female ? soxxxx - mid East Texas - female stoneybaloney - Patty from Kansas - female sue_va - Stuarts Draft, VA - female Sunny DJ - SW. Pa, near Pgh.... Sunshines - Weeki Wachee, Florida - female susanjf - in SE Michigan - female Sushipup - Monterey Bay central coast of California - female sweet_betsy - Decatur, AL - female Tally - Los Angeles, California. - female Terilin - Texas - female Thistledew5750 - ? ? ? Tobygirl - Upstate New York - female Trishaw - Landrum, SC (upper W. part ~ 5' from NC border) - female trixietx - Texas panhandle - female two.25acres - SE Wisconsin on 2 1/4 acres - female Valla55/Bj - central Kansas widowed - female Vannie - Tyler, East Texas. Dallas and Shreveport vee1 - Pensacola Florida VetaAl - Vestavia Hills, AL - female Vicki lv - Las Vegas, Nevada - female vicki7 - North GA - female wanda_va - Front Royal, Virginia - female wildchild - CA - female zeetera