What I do, is I try and keep some potted plants for them when they are really small, then as they get bigger, where they are eating a whole plant a day, I start buying parsley from the grocery store, like 99 cents for a bunch. Wash it REALLY well, and keep it in water in the fridge until they need more (but dont keep it too long since it needs to be as fresh as possible). I stick a few sprigs (more as needed) in little bottles of water and stays pretty good for them in the short time before they gobble it up. Has worked for me when I have that many. If you leave them in "the wild" they;ll be "sacrificed" to predators anyway. Good luck!

ronalawn: You are right, wet soil holds heat longer, but it's the moisture that is the potential problem (especially in a container!), not so much the temperature: If a frost is anticipated, one way to avoid damage to things like fruit and vegetable crops is to keep the entire plant surface sprinkled with water - water is unique in that when it freezes it releases heat, so you can gain 1-2 degrees F of protection. Moist soil for tropical species in pots is different - the prevailing logic is that warmth-loving plants are inactive during periods of cold, during which time physiologic water needs are minimal, so if soil stays moist and the plant is not using the available water, there is the potential for introduction of rot (pathogenic bacteria and fungus thrive in cool, stagnant soil and plant defenses are probably reduced as well). I doubt very much that significant damage can occur in 1 or 2 days of non-ideal conditions, but a week might be a different story. Watering in the AM helps ensure the plant is utilizing the water during the warmer daytime, with the soil becoming drier by the time colder temps set in. A follow-up question is "well, what happens in the wild when it rains during cold weather?" The answers are A) it rarely gets cold enough for damage to occur, B) plants growing out in the soil benefit from much better drainage and/or C) in subtropical climates, the "cold" season often equates to the dry season. I hope my blabbering makes some sense :-) x

Beth....LOL!!! It is all about fun!!!!! Confusion makes it even more fun!!! Playing "FOTESS MOMMIES" and giving THANKS to Jeanne and Shirley this past month of May...........THANKS Jeanne and Shirley!!!! *Shirley...(brittneysgran)...SENT...Jeanne REC/Shirley REC *Nicole...(bluee19)...SENT....Shirley REC/Jeanne REC *Darrin...(cryptid)....SENT....Jeanne REC/ Shirley REC *Erica...(ericabraun)....SENT...... Jeanne REC/ Shirley REC *Peggy...(canfan)....SENT to Jeanne and Shirley...Shirley REC *Margo (smitties)...SENT....Jeanne REC/Shirley REC *Heidi (xiangirl)....SENT...Jeanne REC/Shirley REC *Katie (kchd)...SENT...Jeanne REC/Shirley REC *Faye (nottougly)....SENT....Jeanne REC/Shirley REC *Mandy (l1onnes)...SENT...Jeanne REC/Shirley REC *Beth (beth_b_kodiak)....SENT to Shirley and Shirley (LOL!) and Jeanne....Jeanne REC *Annie...(canyonwind)...SENT....Jeanne REC/Shirley REC Happy Wednesday! Annie

I erred. My Mother's Day baby turns 40 on the 13th, and my older son turned 43 the day before on the 12th, this year's Mother's Day. But it was the younger one who was born on Mother's Day. My 43 year old became a father 7 weeks ago. He has a new appreciation what I and his sister have gone through raising babies!