Botanical name: Malus 'Robinson'
Zone: 4 to 8
Plant type: Tree
Height: 15 to 25 feet
Spread: 15 to 25 feet
Bloom time: April
Bloom color: Pink
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium moisture
Maintenance: Low
Disease resistant: Excellent

Cacti and succulents can be repotted at any time of the year, though spring or the end of the growing season are convenient times. Many succulents present no special handling problems, but prickly cacti have to be treated with respect.

If possible, choose a soil mix formulated for cacti, as this will be well drained and have the right sort of structure and nutrient level. A soil-based potting mixture is a practical alternative. Some commercial growers use peat-based potting mixtures, but these are best avoided. Apart from the difficulty in keeping the water balance right, peat-based potting mixtures do not have the weight and structure to support large cacti and succulents.

Large specimens do not need regular repotting. Simply remove about 3 cm (about 1 inch) of soil from the top and replace with fresh cactus soil.

To handle a prickly cactus, fold a strip of newspaper, thick paper or thin card to make a flexible band that you can wrap around the plant. Tap the pot on a hard surface to loosen the root-ball. You can then often lift the plant out with the improvised handle. If it refuses to move, try pushing a pencil through the drainage hole to break the bond.

If the plant has been in the same soil for a long time, crumble away a little of it from the base and around the sides of the root-ball. But be careful to minimize damage to the roots. Just shake off loose compost.

The majority of cacti and succulents are best in pots that are quite small in proportion to the size of the top growth. It is usually best to move the plant into a pot only one size larger. If using a clay pot, cover the drainage hole with pieces of broken pot or other material.

While holding the plant with the improvised handle, trickle compost around the old root-ball. With some cacti, their shape makes this difficult to do without your hand touching the spines, in which case you can use a spoon.

With a little care in handling, you will have a plant ready to go on decorating your garden for some time to come.

By S. & C. Tollison

Okay, so maybe Neil Diamond wasn't a gardener, but he probably would have preferred his love being "in a mist" over "on the rocks".

Love-in-a-mist comes in a variety of colors. These charming flowers are attractive and useful - and they stand tall. With moderate TLC, love-in-a-mist will thrive almost anywhere. If you're "in a mist," read on and all will become clear.

You have an array of choices to choose from, white, pink, purple, and light blue; light blue is the most common color. With this many colors, incorporating your favorite hue should not be too difficult.

Fresh cut or dried, love-in-a-mist will accent any room, its flowers and seedpods are a great arrangement all by themselves. They stand 12 to 30 inches tall and wide. A love like this never falls short in your garden.

Plant love-in-a-mist in full sun, use soil with excellent drainage and water moderately. These annuals do tend to die out quickly if the weather is too hot, so make sure to keep track of the temps outside before planting. The good news is that these flowers readily self-sow and are usually problem-free.

So don't hang your heart up just yet; love-in-a-mist will surely bring the sparkle into any garden.