Michelelee, it took a while for them to germinate. I want to say I sowed them around Jan10-15 and they popped up the first week in Feb, I thought they weren't going to germinate at all. I've fertilized all my seedlings with a miracle grow at about half strength. I am noticing some growth but in small increments so I don't think they've damped off or anything. I said they were an inch and a half but after checking them out last night they are probably closer to 2.5 inches. Still with only one set of true leaves. Did I screw up somewhere? Oh I hope not, these are the plants I've been wanting for so long. In fact I sowed two packets of seeds just to make sure I got some. The second pack is just now popping up so if I've ruined the first ones I can hopefully save the second ones.

I winter sow both platycodon and digitalis each year and have great success. Never a failure. I will add that for foxies, early plantout is best and with platycodon it seems best to move the seedlings to larger containers and give them a few more weeks. Other than that, they are quite easy to grow. Check out the winter sowing forum for the technique if you are interested.

Problem you describe is not normal. Of course, I cannot inspect your floor, but from your description, my guess is that the problem you bare having with this floor is related to the grain raise. Was a sealer applied before the waterborne polyurethane? After the first coat of finishing material was dry, was the grain raise cut? Fine grained wood flooring will show more denting than figured wood.

Use something with Sevin (carbaryl) as the main ingredient. Put it on top of the pot and water it in. Don't use the dust. That won't work. Use the liquid or granules, if you can find them. Sevin is not systemic, so it will kill the ants, but not go into your plants and harm you. If you sprinkle Amdro out about a foot or two away from the pots, the ants will bring it back and feed it to the queen. Don't put it into the pot or close to the pot. Ants are scavengers. They like to hunt and gather their food. Fire ants are the one thing I will use poison for.