Marguerite, I purchased all my Coleus from one mailorder nursery (in 2004 and 2005) but pretty sure they were pestfree when received...especially as I kept them all near sofa the first few days so I could admire them...LOL They spent all summer on my patio so probably picked up mealybugs (or eggs) there. I think I've found part of the answer...attached article says Coleus very susceptible but constant inspection and washing can prevent infestation and spread if caught early. Also, I just had 3-4 little mealybugs...not all over the stems as I've seen in photos (shudder!) Another thing the article recommended was growing potplants inside house a little dry and using less fertilizer. In winter I just "maintain" my plants, not try to grow them...and I never use fertilizer (although some may be in some of potting soil I buy). My house is kept between 66-68 degrees F days and cooler still at night so they sort of go into hibernation mode. So maybe I was doing the right thing inadvertently. I'd always felt fortunate not to have had pests on my tropicals indoors...I think possibly my method of brisk thorough shower and watering well and then letting pot dry out a good bit was, in addition to catering to my laziness, a good insect preventative...LOL Of course when outside they get thorough spray/watering every other day...temps in 90's all summer here. But they flourish and grow so well they don't mind the lower light, cooler temps and reduced water in winter inside. Oh, the one Coleus that got the mealybugs was 'Klondike', orange-red leaves with yellow edge. Iside house it fades to a soft copper-pink but still nice. josh Here is a link that might be useful: Mealybug Life Cycle & Prevention

Hi, welcome to worm farming. I've been doing it for about a year now. Questions are good, and lead to learning more. Hope we can help out. 1. They like it best at 70, but thats not to say you can't keep them in a place that is hotter or colder. I have a bin outside, were it is 100+ during the summer and as low as 0 during the winter, and it is very active. 2. Thats a big bin. How many worms do you have? I would worry about how much air they get if you have the doors on. You would want it covered, but the fridge is made to hold air in, so if you keep the lid on, give it plenty of holes for fresh air flow. 3. Grass clippings are fine, but they can heat up. I would use in moderation. I will bag mine up every now and then, and use in my regular compost pile. Leaves, newspaper, veggie scraps make up most of my worms food and bedding. 4. As stated with the grass clippings, they heat up, so your worms could be escaping the heat. when things cool off they may find their way back. Don't let any mistakes now make you think twice about what you are trying to do. This is a great thing to do, you'll make mistakes and learn from them. Once you get it down, it is easy. You just have to learn what works best for you.

I can only answer from a man's point of view so Im sure there will be many differing opinions about the faucet difference but I would not want a faucet that just poured water straight down the drain. There might be a splash factor but when I think of rinsing dishes, as an example, the water pouring into the sink is rinsing the sink and other dishes as it runs. Additionally if you are filling the sink to wash a few dishes or other items, the water aimed at the sink will start the dilution of your soap more readily of it is playing off the sink bottom as opposed to the drain. Before I mention names of online suppliers that offer free shipping I feel it necessary, because of a recent accusation, to say that I am reasonably well known for a blogsite I maintain that is sponsored by National Builder Supply. I am not an employee, do not own it (I wish I did) nor am I paid (the owner is a good friend and I give him credit on the blog site because he does a great job and Im a satisfied customer). I am disabled retired accountant with parkinsons and I pass my days by writing the blog and reading and participating in over 30 discussion groups such as Garden Web and just enjoy helping folks. With that said there are many sites that give free shipping on merchandise, including NBS, but most have a requirement for a certain purchase amount usually $100 to $199. Watch the sights carefully because the prices can seem low but by the time you get done with your shopping the freight if not free at some level can make the price exorbitant. Now so that it will be obvious that I am not prejudiced to just NBS, my experience level and the retailers that I hear the most good about that have these free shipping policies are NBS, FaucetDirect, E Faucets. Im sure there are many more and you will probably be swamped with other suggestions but I believe reputation wise those 3 are the best. And no I also am not employed nor own any of the other 2 either...LOL

MUA should really be provided mechanically, not through “drafty” walls, crawl spaces or attics. The hood you are purchasing should provide you with the volume of MUA that is required to run the system efficiently, assuming it is correctly sized with your gas range. Your log stove should have its own MUA system, but if you are relying on the hood system, it needs to be sized to accommodate both the log stove AND your gas range. The International Building Code for Residential Construction should provide all of the details you need (in the mechanical code) for this system - even if your local jurisdiction or contractors are not familiar with it.