Hi there, I love daturas, they're one of my very favorite flowers. I've grown them here in the Phoenix area for several years and really, really enjoy them. I've carried plants and seeds to and from various gardens. Since this past winter was so mild, my daturas didn't die to the ground in dormancy like they do some years, so they have a head start this year and are already making their first flower buds of the season. I'm excited. I love the scent, and the crazy large size, and the fact that they open in the evening when I can really enjoy them. They're easy to grow and keep happy. My best plants get half a day sun (though they will tolerate full sun, but will be a bit stunted). Planted against an east-facing wall is a terrific spot so they get gentle morning sun, mid day sun, and then they are shielded from the hottest afternoon sun. I toss a little water on them once or twice a week in summer and that's it. They will self-sow and you'll have plenty of babies to share or relocate. During chilly winters (for here) they will die to the ground, but they pop right up when the temps warm up. The only "trouble" I've ever had with them is that their seeds usually need stratification, where they get alternating cool, warm, wet, dry conditions to sprout. So if I get seeds and plant them in a nice pot indoors they often don't sprout, but if I take those same pots and put them outside in autumn the seeds sprout in spring after they "know" they've had a winter and it's over. I hope that makes sense. If I want extras, I plant the seed outside in the ground or in pots in autum and have seedlings in spring (like now). Some commercial seed is pre-treated to sprout, so that's not an issue, and sometimes seed is old enough that it's ready to sprout without treatment, so give them a try indoors if you'd like. Just remember if they don't sprout they may do so later. I've have some where I planted five seeds and one sprouts right away, and I plant the whole pot of soil into the ground, and then not until the following spring do the other four seeds sprout, lol. Anyway, once you get your first plant up and growing you're set. I remove fading blossoms for most of the summer so that the plant keeps blooming, then in late summer I let a few flowers stay on the plant to become seed pods and I just scatter the seeds in the ground or in pots when the seed pods break open. I do love daturas! Just remember they're pretty toxic (which is different from poisonous) to most mammals. Tomato hornworms love to eat their foliage too, but I don't mind when I have large plants since the hornworms become the beautiful hovering hawkmoths that will come back to pollinate the blooms during summer nights. If you don't like them, or don't like the damage, you can sprinkle BT bacteria on the foliage and it will kill the caterpillars, but again I just let them go as long as the bulk of the plant is okay. I've had the best luck with Datura meteloides, but have several other species growing too. Good luck! I haven't tried moonflowers here, so maybe someone else can share. Again, keep us posted. :) Take care and have fun, Grant

Well, I don't have much to say about beds but laughed a lot about the stories. My wheatie (18 mos) is happy to tear up his bed, it's lasted longer than his cutesie chew toys. He grabs it and hops onto the bed. Throws it down on the ground. leaps on it. grabs it. dashes to the living room. hops onto the sofa, bed in mouth, plops self on my down filled pillows in my lovely pillow covers and mouths the bed. He can get the plastic cap off of a 2 liter bottle in about 45 seconds (fear not, we watch and he doesn't swallow them although he gives them the chewing of their life!). The kong does endure but he doesn't enjoy it as much. He has chewed the nyla bone nub down to a straightaway. He's chewed up 3 pairs of reading glasses (DH finally puts them out of the way), a couple remote controls, a couple tervis cup lids, every outside corner baseboard, 2 pairs of sunglasses (my son now puts them away), furniture feet, legs, arms, a set of ear phones, 2 sets of ear phone silicon buds (okay, I finally put them up high), rug corners, 2 bath mats, six ornaments this year that won't be adorning any more christmas trees, any plastic storage container that is within reach, his leash, his harness (while it was on.... too loose I suppose), sandles, shoes (of course only ONE of each pair), work tote, a bag of black kow, (at least he dragged it around the yard and spread the wealth), bags of mulch, bag of potting soil, garden knee pad, trowel handles, gloves, buckets, moisturizer containers, mouth wash bottle (fortunately it developed a noticeable leak and we caught him), the lap desk on which this computer sits.... you get the idea. He's a puppy so I hope he'll settle down as he reaches 2 years +. We're very fond of him but this chewing is getting to us.

For me, the grocery budget is one area where it is possible to economize when necessary. Most other budget categories for me are pretty fixed (utilities, mortgage, etc). So, we do use mainly store brands and I shop at a variety of stores. It's interesting that while I often find Kroger owned stores more expensive, they sometimes beat Wal-Mart by a significant margin on non sale items. The most recent example was the Simple Truth brand of tart cherry juice was one dollar cheaper for a bottle than the equivalent great value one at Wal-Mart. The one place I am probably pickiest on brand is Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage. The seasoning is absolute perfection to me and I have not found a comparable lower priced brand. Now I stock up and freeze that one when on sale.

I was thinking of getting this sectional. It felt comfortable in the store but I cant find any reviews. Has anyone bought this? Any experience to share with it?