It's exciting to raise and learn about different lepidoptera. Even though you raised these at an earlier date, it's like you are seeing them for the very first time. Thanks for sharing. Sandy

Cynthia, that is exactly how my monther rooted rose cuttings. She could grow trees from tooth picks. I put the cuttings about 2 to 3 of each in a 1 gallon pot, soaked them, and covered with a 1 gallon HEB zip lock bag. The wind cannot removed the bag from the pot. I did some using Ziplock bags and the wind blew them off the pots, and of course those cuttings died. Only the ones with the HEB brand stayed on the pots. I potted cutting of iochroma last Saturday, and peaked today and there are new leaves already coming out. I cannot believe how easy this is. I think I could start a nursery using my own plants. Today I took a cutting from a desert rose, since its so diffrent I am not sure it will work. So far I have been using the same type of plants, gardenia, bottlebrush, firespike, and hibiscus. Barbra

We learned two things. 1) We're just not a turkey family. I did a spiral-sliced ham. I just love ham, and DH loves the split-pea soup that will be on the table tomorrow. One son also loves ham. I especially like that it's just more of a reheat deal - no worrying that it will be ready earlier or later than planned. 2) I made roasted potatoes with roasted garlic from a Pioneer Woman recipe. Quartered new red potatoes on a baking sheet interspersed with 6 (yes, 6) heads of garlic with tops lopped off, all drizzled with olive oil along with some salt and pepper. After everything is done, we squeezed the ooey gooey garlicyness around the pan, mixed it up with the potatoes, and wowza! That will be a repeat and not just for holidays. PW's recipe additionally calls for half a cup of white wine to be poured over, but we don't drink white wine and could not justify opening a bottle for half a cup. While I'm sure it's wonderful, I didn't feel that I was missing anything. While there are some traditional things that do reappear each year, I love that our holiday meals evolve, just as we do. Mandie

Not only are there multiple cuttings per pot (sometimes up to five), but multiple varieties are substituted for each name. What you find in April as "Red Kordana" (or whatever other name the specific producer calls the rose) isn't necessarily what you will find as "Red Kordana" a month later. The names are trademarked and the outlet simply orders them by quantity and color, or as a quantity of mixed colors. Whatever the company which owns the patents substitutes for that color at that order time has ready is what the retailer receives. From a marketing standpoint, it's great. From yours, perhaps not so much. If the one you found is ideal for whatever use you have for it, you may, or may not, be able to find it again. That was one of Ralph Moore's huge complaints about how the mini market was changing before his death. He believed in creating a specific good rose and offering that rose under its name. Not in making a name and offering a dozen different "disposable" roses under that name. Your rose may remain healthier due to not being as crowded, or it may return to the black spot issues. Only time will tell. Many of these grocery store minis will perform outdoors, but not all. They weren't bred nor selected for garden use, so finding one which doesn't either become a "Jack and the Beanstalk" plant with small flowers; a diseased mess; or one which won't grow or flower in less than greenhouse conditions, is likely to be a hit and miss proposition. My youngest sister filled her front yard with those nearly twenty years ago. They receive virtually no care, pruning, fertilizing, etc., and they have lived and produce flowers. Hers aren't "pretty plants" but they fill volume, occupy space and require nothing of her other than the sprinkler irrigation they receive.