Oh Laura: I'm on $4.00 purchase of gasoline @ a time... which makes me on "NO Purchase" ALSO !!! but............................................... No body can stop us from the Curb Shopping... and no body can S T O P us from the Freebees !!! Welllllll........... maybe DH can try.... but............... Remember the stash.... the trash rule ! ! ! * * * * * * I Loved all of your items.... You are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Creative... I just can't wait to see the wonderful TREASURES that you will create with these.... ) > ; so sorry 'bout the lost treasure of the taco holder.... flower idea.... Does it make you feel any better... that another... junkie SOMEWHERE >>>> Is jumping for JOY that they go the little raschal ? ? well.......... remember.... we do have to share with others... DANG>>>> That is a tough one tho... I have to admit.. I HAVE ACTUALLY lost ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Sleep over such things.... SO I send my deepest Sincere thought to try to comfort you (((((((((((YOU ))))))))))))))))) God Bless ! SusieSunshine

Hi Nev, I suspect you are right about the seedlings being cooked on that really hot day in January (Saturday 10th from memory). Every plant in my "full sun to midday" area was affected if it had the tip of a new leaf sitting just at the level of the water in the cup. No damage to any other leaves, just the very tip of each leaf sitting at water level was very obviously cooked, in every case where there was a leaf tip sitting at water level. These included some Neos (C. Tiger, Hannibal Lector, Red Macaw), a Vriesea Milky Way and a couple of Ae. blanchetianas. All fair sized plants and pretty tough, hard-leafed plants at that. If leaf tips on these plants cooked in the water, I can easily imaging that the whole centre of a seedling would cook, even if it wasn't exposed to the sun to quite the same extreme. Lets look on the bright side - my plants will grow past it and by the sound of it, you've got a whole lot of seedling pups! Cheers, Paul

Sammy, you are very close to my garden and while the early attendance of butterflies was rather poor this year, later on it turned out to be pretty good. My expertise is not in the same class as some of the responders, but from your list, it appears to me that almost all your plants were of the "host" variety rather than those that are primarily furnished as "nectar" plants. The host plants are completely necessary for the caterpillars but the adults must first be attracted with nectaring sources and their fragrance. In our general area butterfly bushes and lantanas are excellent for drawing them to your yard. Lantanas purchased as plants, rather than as seed will be quite productive in their first year. Milkweed is an excellent nectar plant but I've had trouble getting them to bloom productively during their first year. Don't give up too quickly, I really think that your results will get better each year. Bob

you're not doing anything wrong. granted, around this time of year they start to decline and go dormant for the winter, but... it's the freaking drought! My caladiums are usually vigorous, bright and full-force all summer, in partial shade, sitting under the eaves, usually getting plenty of water. Since this has been the driest summer in Tampa Bay that I can remember, they have been dead or dying since July, when the rain stopped. Rain still ain't come back, and the caladiums are mostly gone. Hopefully they'll still be here next year...