I tip my hat and bow to you for going above and beyond, Mike. It's one thing to offer information and advice in the spirit of helping others, but quite another when we take the time to make the physical effort to be of service. Well done!

{{gwi:2595}}

Al

The day I "met" Mike I knew he was a special person, with a heart like none other. His generosity knows no bounds. We could all take a lesson from his above-and-beyond selflessness. This is truly what it means to care about our fellow human beings.

Marie, I'm so glad you live close enough to have found an ally, a true champion of the "gritty" cause! Happy planting to you! :-)

And, Mike... you be sure to thank your Mom for instilling such wonderful values in you. I'm sure she already knows her son is one in a million, though. :-)

I didn't mention it before... but Mike sent me a surprise care package a while ago, knowing that I couldn't get my hands on any turface. I can't thank him enough for being so generous, so helpful and kind.

The idea that we should do unto others as we'd want them to do unto us is certainly not lost on Mike. He knows what it is to be of service to those in need... and I most heartily salute his selfless, positive contributions to the human race.

I believe in karma... that what we do comes back to us in spades. And if this is so, Mike has an awful lot of good coming his way. :-)

Great job, Mike!

Mike has been incredibly generous to me, as well, and I can't thank him enough.
He's a solid member of this plant community, always willing to help.


Josh

Aw..{{gwi:2884}}

I don't even know what to say except thank you!
Well,I will say that kindness begets kindness and therefore I too have the most kind friends here. In fact, It was Al that sent me many supplies, even the mix at his expense and that starting the ball rolling. Then, you have all shown me so much support and have been generous in return, and from that I take away how to do the same. I admire all of you and have learned so much from you.

Thank you for what you all do too.

I am just thrilled you made your mix Marie and had such fun. Now we need to get you FP:-)

I couldn't ask for better friends here!

Mom is smiling at you Jodi.

Mike

Very nice of you, Mike.
The sharing (both tangible and intangible) makes it so much more wonderful for all of us in this crazy world. Thank goodness for plants and generous plant lovers.
Gail

Hi Mike!!!

I always told you "good things happen to good people"

Way to Go My Friend...

Great way to pay it forward...

SALUTE!!!

Laura in VB

p.s. I found Foliage Pro on line...it should be here within the week!! : )

Exemplary Mike! Al "tapla" sent me some stuff to get me going, a few years back. I asked him what I owed him. He told me just help someone else. Thats The kind of people we have here. filix.

I, too, must make mention of the first batch of gritty mix sent to me by Al... just to get me started! He knows how much I appreciate his generosity...

The moment I opened that package and saw what it contained, I knew I was about to embark (no pun intended) upon a wonderful, exciting journey into better growing and gardening... and so it has been!

I've learned so much from Al, and from everyone who has asked questions and discussed their growing here, within the Container Gardening Forum... I've also learned a lot through emails with the various people I keep in contact with!

So many people inspire me... Calistoga Al, Mike, Josh, JoJo, Nancy, and all the folks who have made the leap into better growing through knowledge! I want to thank everyone who's had an impact on my learning, and therefore, my growing abilities! You guys and gals are all special! :-)

It all goes to prove that you most certainly CAN teach an old dog new tricks! We're never too old or too smart to learn something new. When we close ourselves off to new or different ideas, we do ourselves a great disservice.

I've been alive for 50 years, and I thought I knew plants and growing pretty well... but age doesn't necessarily or automatically bring wisdom... remaining open to learning does. And it's through all of you that I shall keep learning... through your questions and my own, through the answers we receive, and through the experiences we relate... it's really a journey without end, though most enjoyable!

I've also learned a lot here from all of you guys!

One thing I can say is that if you're thinking the same way you were 10-20 years ago, there's a LOT you're thinking wrong. I am very often in the company of horticulturists, some of them doctored, and I spend a lot of time with the owners of a very large nursery operation, which has the distinction of having the current and a past president of The MI Nurseryman's Assn. I can't tell you how many times our conversations have centered on how rapidly things have changed in the hort world in recent years. Old beliefs and methods have been discarded in favor of things new and better, with much being unlearned and relearned.

In a recent conversation with a horticulturalist at Dow Gardens here in MI (I was making sure some information I wanted to share about dormancy issues was technically correct), I noted that 3 times in a 15 minute conversation he said "We used to believe/think, but we now know .....", which shows that there are a lot of beliefs in play that shouldn't be, insofar as sound horticulture is concerned - which is one of the reasons Linda-Chalker Scott's myth-busting articles are so popular.

I wrote something about changing with the times that had a little nostalgia mixed in. You might be interested in looking it over.

Al

Here is a link that might be useful: More about changes in the hort world

Mike, you are such a sweet and great guy!! Very generous too...I can just go on and on...We are all so proud and lucky to know you :o)

Hello Everyone..

Just wanted to say "hi" to all of you wonderful, kind, generous people here on this forum...

You all have a great way to make everyone feel warm...

Your enthusiam and generous spirit are very much appreciated...

Thank you...

(still stuck here in the northeast snow storm...Uggg)

Laura

And that storm is heading this way! Mind you, not a drop of the 47 inches we have recieved thus far has even budged. I am going to need climbng gear or snow shoes to get anything out of my yard..:-(

Hi Laura and everyone.

You know why we are all friends?

Because you all love kindness and there is no shortage of that between you all!
I must say as always, that if it was not for Al, I would not have met any of youand have so much in common.

What can we do for him? How can I pay him back? Just as many here have said, and to follow his kind spirit of generousity.

In all my hum, almost 40 years of growing, I wished I had met anyone as good as you all here. Everyone one of you!

Jodik, your not 50:-))). I always assumed you were a hell of a lot younger with all the work you do!

Al, Nancy, Jojo, Jodik, Josh,the other Al,Laura, Rhizo, Jean, Toni, Felix, and recently added Marie along with many others that I might of forgot. But my biggest blessing was meeting Al, since everyone else followed right behind. Thank you!

What is concerning is that idebean has not been here for a while. I shall have to check up on her..

Mike

Wait, in all my 20 years of growing..lol. Sheesh!

Mike

Hey, everyone!

Just wanted to share a little more of Mike's incredible generosity.
Click (below) on over to the Cactus & Succulent Forum for a better look ;-)

New Jades - Hobbit and Crosby's (pics)


Josh

Hi Everyone,
I've been reading but not answering.You folks are very talkative and I've found myself short of time the last two weeks.And I'll be busy shoveling snow tomorrow!

Got the turface and granite into metal garbage cans in an accessible place (a snowbank not too far from the back door)

Not much else to report.Like I said,I do keep an eye on what's happening but won't chime in unless I have something new to say or a question to ask.That's my style!

Marie