Thank you-fruitnut. Thanks-ramble: 2nd year, upiter pruning question"> Your Name: Your Email Address: Zone (optional): Subject of Posting: Message: Optional Link URL:    Name of the Link: A copy of further followups will be emailed to this poster. Information about Posting You must be logged in to post a message. Once you are logged in, a posting window will appear at the bottom of the messages. If you are not a member, please register for an account. Please review our Rules of Play before posting. Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review your post, make changes and upload photos. After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it. Before posting copyrighted material, please read about Copyright and Fair Use. We have a strict no-advertising policy! If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum. If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help. Learn more about in-text links on this page here Return to the Fruit & Orchards Forum Most Recent Posts Kohler label - seal broken â¢Â by deickhoff0 Roses "H" â¢Â by iris_gal Mons. Tillier / Archduke Joseph â¢Â by rosefolly 30" Range - 4 burner or 5 burner? â¢Â by BungalowJones Old house, small kitchen, part 2 â¢Â by lisa_a novice question on price of wood â¢Â by cindywhitall Bugs 12! â¢Â by cory001 Mighty Matos / Mighty Veggies and SFG â¢Â by tafountain Searching to buy new computer with Win7 â¢Â by kbarb Mac's Black Jack â¢Â by bloodyfrancois Explore GardenWeb Ann's Cream Cheese Babka Perfect for Holiday Baking Feeding Hummingbirds Will they survive the winter? ItsTheDetails' Kitchen Reveal 1939 Cape Cod Tranformation  Dec 15, 2014 at 10 am - Feb 15, 2015

I just can't imagine trying to keep seedlings alive, in trays, for an entire year! I'm starting some now & try to get them in after several months at the most, for the slowest growers. Summer, being easily fatal, as you mentioned, just experience missing one day of watering, during hot sunny skies, low humidity & drying wind & then it can be fatal dessication... As you noticed in your #4, you're much better off, using a good quality seed starting mixture. Or buy bulk peat moss, mixing in perlite & vermiculite, according to varying moisture level or drainage needs of the species. Not sure how you protect, over winter, to prevent roots from freezing fatatlity. Keeping in mind, that you ought to sow with two different species in one tray, at least trying to attempt to put together, those with similar water requirements & sunlight or shade needs. I'm not sure I would even use shade cloth, unless germination calls for darkness to germinate. but place trays, if it is needed, using high shade, from trees with leaves, even if it be that from Pine. I think, if you try planting out, long before an entire year has elapsed, stunted in a seed tray if it does survive, your success rate will improve greatly. For example, even those sold at the garden center may have had the benefit of a head start in a greenhouse, but are meant to be planted out, shortly after purchase. Be it autumn, or spring... & if perennial in nature in particular, they want or need more room to grow their extensive root system, than that of seed starting trays. After all, isn't that why they are usually referred to as 'seed -starting- trays'? hth

Frumchkin, the picture that satellitehead posted for me was not Hardy Chicago. It is a fig we are calling Hardy Hartford. That is until we can identify it correctly. Our Hardy Hartford is different in leaf then Hardy Chicago. The Hardy Hartford plant has leaves that are larger then Hardy Chicago. To me your tree looks like Hardy Hartford, not Hardy Chicago. At any rate, would you email me my email address is robertcharper@gmail.com

I've grown both varieties in containers. 4th of July will be a little bit earlier when grown in containers because the container will keep the roots a little warmer early in the growing season. Actually, this works for any variety. Any kind of good mix will be great for the transplant from the germination beds. I use Miracle Grow Potting Mix for most of mine. There are a lot of formulas for what people put into the holes for growing tomatoes and peppers. Earl's Hole is one of those mixtures that has become popular. I'm sure someone here can link to it on this forum. Here's my basic approach. Always think about reducing "stress" for the plants. Try to transplant by moving the entire root system and the growing medium around those roots as a unit. Eliminate any kind of "extreme" environmental conditions - too much or too little water, heat, fertilizer, physical damage, etc. Avoid changing anything too quickly. Fast or extreme changes cause stress. After that, it's up to the plant. It's really just plain logic. You have a living entity (the plant) and you need to provide all its needs that will allow it to keep itself alive. It may sound a bit corny, but try to empathize with your plants. What would you want if you were being set out in the back yard? Ted