potato blight out of Canada,
and it's present in WA state. (That's the spud blight that caused a
million Irish to
starve to death, and another 1.6 million to move to America in the
1880's. Two pairs of my great-grandparents left Ireland because of the
pratie famine. Our family who stayed behind all died of starvation.)

Take the plant inspection stuff seriously, because it *is* serious.
Don't import anything with bugs or disease. Call your state ag dept.
and ask for an inspection
or ask them what procedure they recommend. You may be able to ask the
border guys in Calif. for an inspection.

Jan


Yes, that's why I'm posting to various gardening groups asking advice.
Sorry if I appear neurotic, I really don't want to have my plants tossed
in the garbage when I reach California! I'm leaning towards giving them
ALL away at this point!

You're not appearing at all neurotic! You come across as a decent
person who (a) doesn't want to bring pests into a State which, as
others have pointed out, is the fruit/veg basket for the whole
country, as well as abroad. And (b) doesn't want to get in trouble
with the Ag border e xaminers.

Seems to me that your bottom line should be to ascertain if the plants
HAVE pests or not. If they're pest-free, obtain an attestation to
that effect from a responsible Texas authority. As you mention that
some of them are valuable, it might be worth the trouble.

BTW - What part of Calif are you moving to? You realize that the
macro- and micro-climates vary WIDELY! Calif. is like a country unto
itself, both in terms of GNP, and in terms of great climatic and
geographic variation.


--

Persephone

wrote in
:

potato blight out of Canada,
and it's present in WA state. (That's the spud blight that caused a
million Irish to
starve to death, and another 1.6 million to move to America in the
1880's. Two pairs of my great-grandparents left Ireland because of
the pratie famine. Our family who stayed behind all died of
starvation.)

Take the plant inspection stuff seriously, because it *is* serious.
Don't import anything with bugs or disease. Call your state ag dept.
and ask for an inspection
or ask them what procedure they recommend. You may be able to ask
the border guys in Calif. for an inspection.

Jan


Yes, that's why I'm posting to various gardening groups asking advice.
Sorry if I appear neurotic, I really don't want to have my plants
tossed in the garbage when I reach California! I'm leaning towards
giving them ALL away at this point!

You're not appearing at all neurotic! You come across as a decent
person who (a) doesn't want to bring pests into a State which, as
others have pointed out, is the fruit/veg basket for the whole
country, as well as abroad. And (b) doesn't want to get in trouble
with the Ag border e xaminers.

Also, I don't want my plants to be tossed in a garbage bin!


Seems to me that your bottom line should be to ascertain if the plants
HAVE pests or not. If they're pest-free, obtain an attestation to
that effect from a responsible Texas authority. As you mention that
some of them are valuable, it might be worth the trouble.

BTW - What part of Calif are you moving to? You realize that the
macro- and micro-climates vary WIDELY! Calif. is like a country unto
itself, both in terms of GNP, and in terms of great climatic and
geographic variation.


We are moving to Fresno, and the climate there is fairly similar to that
in Austin, maybe a little bit hotter. These plants are going to be
inside for the most part.

I was going to write and say something like "lucky you, trading
Anywhere, Texas for California." Then I saw you're moving to Fresno...
Shrug.

On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 22:26:48 +0000 (UTC), Hope Munro Smith
wrote:

wrote in
:

potato blight out of Canada,
and it's present in WA state. (That's the spud blight that caused a
million Irish to
starve to death, and another 1.6 million to move to America in the
1880's. Two pairs of my great-grandparents left Ireland because of
the pratie famine. Our family who stayed behind all died of
starvation.)

Take the plant inspection stuff seriously, because it *is* serious.
Don't import anything with bugs or disease. Call your state ag dept.
and ask for an inspection
or ask them what procedure they recommend. You may be able to ask
the border guys in Calif. for an inspection.

Jan


Yes, that's why I'm posting to various gardening groups asking advice.
Sorry if I appear neurotic, I really don't want to have my plants
tossed in the garbage when I reach California! I'm leaning towards
giving them ALL away at this point!

You're not appearing at all neurotic! You come across as a decent
person who (a) doesn't want to bring pests into a State which, as
others have pointed out, is the fruit/veg basket for the whole
country, as well as abroad. And (b) doesn't want to get in trouble
with the Ag border e xaminers.

Also, I don't want my plants to be tossed in a garbage bin!


Seems to me that your bottom line should be to ascertain if the plants
HAVE pests or not. If they're pest-free, obtain an attestation to
that effect from a responsible Texas authority. As you mention that
some of them are valuable, it might be worth the trouble.

BTW - What part of Calif are you moving to? You realize that the
macro- and micro-climates vary WIDELY! Calif. is like a country unto
itself, both in terms of GNP, and in terms of great climatic and
geographic variation.


We are moving to Fresno, and the climate there is fairly similar to that
in Austin, maybe a little bit hotter. These plants are going to be
inside for the most part.

LMAO
"dsc" darlin' sweet cheeks @ who's got an email address.com wrote in
message ...
I was going to write and say something like "lucky you, trading
Anywhere, Texas for California." Then I saw you're moving to Fresno...
Shrug.

Yes, Austin would beat Fresno for sure - except that Fresno is within 50
miles of the Sierra Nevadas - a type of mountain playground unavailable in
Texas - which almost makes up for the deficiencies of the town itself.

wrote in
:

potato blight out of Canada,
and it's present in WA state. (That's the spud blight that caused a
million Irish to
starve to death, and another 1.6 million to move to America in the
1880's. Two pairs of my great-grandparents left Ireland because of
the pratie famine. Our family who stayed behind all died of
starvation.)

Take the plant inspection stuff seriously, because it *is* serious.
Don't import anything with bugs or disease. Call your state ag dept.
and ask for an inspection
or ask them what procedure they recommend. You may be able to ask
the border guys in Calif. for an inspection.

Jan


Yes, that's why I'm posting to various gardening groups asking advice.
Sorry if I appear neurotic, I really don't want to have my plants
tossed in the garbage when I reach California! I'm leaning towards
giving them ALL away at this point!

You're not appearing at all neurotic! You come across as a decent
person who (a) doesn't want to bring pests into a State which, as
others have pointed out, is the fruit/veg basket for the whole
country, as well as abroad. And (b) doesn't want to get in trouble
with the Ag border e xaminers.

Seems to me that your bottom line should be to ascertain if the plants
HAVE pests or not. If they're pest-free, obtain an attestation to
that effect from a responsible Texas authority. As you mention that
some of them are valuable, it might be worth the trouble.

BTW - What part of Calif are you moving to? You realize that the
macro- and micro-climates vary WIDELY! Calif. is like a country unto
itself, both in terms of GNP, and in terms of great climatic and
geographic variation.


We are moving to Fresno, which has about the same climate as Austin.
Maybe a little dryer. I decided to give away just about everything,
and start over with new plants in California.

Yes, they tell me the San Joaquin Valley is the Texas of California!

dsc darlin' sweet cheeks @ who's got an email address.com wrote in
:

I was going to write and say something like "lucky you, trading
Anywhere, Texas for California." Then I saw you're moving to Fresno...
Shrug.

On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 22:26:48 +0000 (UTC), Hope Munro Smith
wrote:

wrote in
m:

potato blight out of Canada,
and it's present in WA state. (That's the spud blight that caused a
million Irish to
starve to death, and another 1.6 million to move to America in the
1880's. Two pairs of my great-grandparents left Ireland because of
the pratie famine. Our family who stayed behind all died of
starvation.)

Take the plant inspection stuff seriously, because it *is* serious.
Don't import anything with bugs or disease. Call your state ag
dept.
and ask for an inspection
or ask them what procedure they recommend. You may be able to ask
the border guys in Calif. for an inspection.

Jan


Yes, that's why I'm posting to various gardening groups asking
advice.
Sorry if I appear neurotic, I really don't want to have my plants
tossed in the garbage when I reach California! I'm leaning towards
giving them ALL away at this point!

You're not appearing at all neurotic! You come across as a decent
person who (a) doesn't want to bring pests into a State which, as
others have pointed out, is the fruit/veg basket for the whole
country, as well as abroad. And (b) doesn't want to get in trouble
with the Ag border e xaminers.

Also, I don't want my plants to be tossed in a garbage bin!


Seems to me that your bottom line should be to ascertain if the
plants
HAVE pests or not. If they're pest-free, obtain an attestation to
that effect from a responsible Texas authority. As you mention that
some of them are valuable, it might be worth the trouble.

BTW - What part of Calif are you moving to? You realize that the
macro- and micro-climates vary WIDELY! Calif. is like a country unto
itself, both in terms of GNP, and in terms of great climatic and
geographic variation.


We are moving to Fresno, and the climate there is fairly similar to
that
in Austin, maybe a little bit hotter. These plants are going to be
inside for the most part.

"gregpresley" wrote in
:

LMAO
"dsc" darlin' sweet cheeks @ who's got an email address.com wrote in
message ...
I was going to write and say something like "lucky you, trading
Anywhere, Texas for California." Then I saw you're moving to
Fresno... Shrug.

Yes, Austin would beat Fresno for sure - except that Fresno is within
50 miles of the Sierra Nevadas - a type of mountain playground
unavailable in Texas - which almost makes up for the deficiencies of
the town itself.


Well, there is the hill country near by in Austin, and the lakes and all
that. Not to mention the night life and good music scene.

I lived in Austin for four years, and it was good, if you had to live in
Texas. The thing about Fresno is that you're an easy drive to Sacramento,
to San Francisco, to Tahoe and just about anywhere in the middle to northern
California area. You're only a 5-6 hour drive to Disneyland, too. Heck,
it's easier to get to than Houston is from Austin.

Have fun!

Philip

"Hope Munro Smith" wrote in message
. 83...
"gregpresley" wrote in
:

LMAO
"dsc" darlin' sweet cheeks @ who's got an email address.com wrote in
message ...
I was going to write and say something like "lucky you, trading
Anywhere, Texas for California." Then I saw you're moving to
Fresno... Shrug.

Yes, Austin would beat Fresno for sure - except that Fresno is within
50 miles of the Sierra Nevadas - a type of mountain playground
unavailable in Texas - which almost makes up for the deficiencies of
the town itself.


Well, there is the hill country near by in Austin, and the lakes and all
that. Not to mention the night life and good music scene.

Yes, we feel the same way about Austin, if you have to live in Texas,
that is the best place to be!

"Philip" wrote in
news:0EgUa.146978$H17.51191@sccrnsc02:

I lived in Austin for four years, and it was good, if you had to live
in Texas. The thing about Fresno is that you're an easy drive to
Sacramento, to San Francisco, to Tahoe and just about anywhere in the
middle to northern California area. You're only a 5-6 hour drive to
Disneyland, too. Heck, it's easier to get to than Houston is from
Austin.

Have fun!

Philip

"Hope Munro Smith" wrote in message
. 83...
"gregpresley" wrote in
:

LMAO
"dsc" darlin' sweet cheeks @ who's got an email address.com wrote
in message ...
I was going to write and say something like "lucky you, trading
Anywhere, Texas for California." Then I saw you're moving to
Fresno... Shrug.

Yes, Austin would beat Fresno for sure - except that Fresno is
within 50 miles of the Sierra Nevadas - a type of mountain
playground unavailable in Texas - which almost makes up for the
deficiencies of the town itself.


Well, there is the hill country near by in Austin, and the lakes and
all that. Not to mention the night life and good music scene.

I would take Fresno over Austin any day... but then I'm from San Berdo, CA
where it gets a bit hotter than Fresno.... Remember - its a "dry" heat
DK

"gregpresley" wrote in message
...
LMAO
"dsc" darlin' sweet cheeks @ who's got an email address.com wrote in
message ...
I was going to write and say something like "lucky you, trading
Anywhere, Texas for California." Then I saw you're moving to Fresno...
Shrug.

Yes, Austin would beat Fresno for sure - except that Fresno is within 50
miles of the Sierra Nevadas - a type of mountain playground unavailable in
Texas - which almost makes up for the deficiencies of the town itself.

Do you mean because it is Red Neck country (I have family in that area of
CA) or because it is farming land?

I forgot to add that the border people are really serious about you not
bringing plants into CA. Unless you have a serious attachment to your house
plants I would really consider not taking them. Houseplants are easy and
inexpensive to get in CA (or anywhere now with places like Home Depot).
They also thrive and grow quickly if you have them outside most of the year
so you can start with small plants and have something large in short order.
Your pots are probably more of an investment then the plants (and this is
coming from someone who moved plants from CA to NJ to CT to NY).... DK

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/pe/faq_hse_plnts.htm


"Hope Munro Smith" wrote in message
. 83...
Yes, they tell me the San Joaquin Valley is the Texas of California!

dsc darlin' sweet cheeks @ who's got an email address.com wrote in
:

I was going to write and say something like "lucky you, trading
Anywhere, Texas for California." Then I saw you're moving to Fresno...
Shrug.

On Thu, 24 Jul 2003 22:26:48 +0000 (UTC), Hope Munro Smith
wrote:

wrote in
m:

potato blight out of Canada,
and it's present in WA state. (That's the spud blight that caused a
million Irish to
starve to death, and another 1.6 million to move to America in the
1880's. Two pairs of my great-grandparents left Ireland because of
the pratie famine. Our family who stayed behind all died of
starvation.)

Take the plant inspection stuff seriously, because it *is* serious.
Don't import anything with bugs or disease. Call your state ag
dept.
and ask for an inspection
or ask them what procedure they recommend. You may be able to ask
the border guys in Calif. for an inspection.

Jan


Yes, that's why I'm posting to various gardening groups asking
advice.
Sorry if I appear neurotic, I really don't want to have my plants
tossed in the garbage when I reach California! I'm leaning towards
giving them ALL away at this point!

You're not appearing at all neurotic! You come across as a decent
person who (a) doesn't want to bring pests into a State which, as
others have pointed out, is the fruit/veg basket for the whole
country, as well as abroad. And (b) doesn't want to get in trouble
with the Ag border e xaminers.

Also, I don't want my plants to be tossed in a garbage bin!


Seems to me that your bottom line should be to ascertain if the
plants
HAVE pests or not. If they're pest-free, obtain an attestation to
that effect from a responsible Texas authority. As you mention that
some of them are valuable, it might be worth the trouble.

BTW - What part of Calif are you moving to? You realize that the
macro- and micro-climates vary WIDELY! Calif. is like a country unto
itself, both in terms of GNP, and in terms of great climatic and
geographic variation.


We are moving to Fresno, and the climate there is fairly similar to
that
in Austin, maybe a little bit hotter. These plants are going to be
inside for the most part.

In article ,
"dkat" wrote:

Do you mean because it is Red Neck country (I have family in that area of
CA) or because it is farming land?

I forgot to add that the border people are really serious about you not
bringing plants into CA. Unless you have a serious attachment to your house
plants I would really consider not taking them. Houseplants are easy and
inexpensive to get in CA (or anywhere now with places like Home Depot).
They also thrive and grow quickly if you have them outside most of the year
so you can start with small plants and have something large in short order.
Your pots are probably more of an investment then the plants (and this is
coming from someone who moved plants from CA to NJ to CT to NY).... DK

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/pe/faq_hse_plnts.htm

This site and the agents I've been emailing have said that you CAN bring
in houseplants. They have to be declared at the border, and an agent
may or may not actually inspect them.

Yep, that is why I sent it. On re-reading what I posted I see that I said
"serious about you not bringing in plants" when what I meant was serious
about checking for what you bring in (they may or may not let you bring in
your plant)... sorry about that. DK

"Hope Munro Smith" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"dkat" wrote:

Do you mean because it is Red Neck country (I have family in that
area of
CA) or because it is farming land?

I forgot to add that the border people are really serious about you not
bringing plants into CA. Unless you have a serious attachment to your
house
plants I would really consider not taking them. Houseplants are easy
and
inexpensive to get in CA (or anywhere now with places like Home Depot).
They also thrive and grow quickly if you have them outside most of the
year
so you can start with small plants and have something large in short
order.
Your pots are probably more of an investment then the plants (and this
is
coming from someone who moved plants from CA to NJ to CT to NY).... DK

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/pe/faq_hse_plnts.htm

This site and the agents I've been emailing have said that you CAN bring
in houseplants. They have to be declared at the border, and an agent
may or may not actually inspect them.

Yes, I realize what you meant to say earlier! I'm still trying to decide
if I am going to bareroot them and have them go that way or leave them in
their pots (perhaps putting them in fresh Miracle Gro potting soil).

"DKat" wrote in
:

Yep, that is why I sent it. On re-reading what I posted I see that I
said "serious about you not bringing in plants" when what I meant was
serious about checking for what you bring in (they may or may not let
you bring in your plant)... sorry about that. DK

"Hope Munro Smith" wrote in message
news
In article ,
"dkat" wrote:

Do you mean because it is Red Neck country (I have family in
that
area of
CA) or because it is farming land?

I forgot to add that the border people are really serious about you
not bringing plants into CA. Unless you have a serious attachment
to your
house
plants I would really consider not taking them. Houseplants are
easy
and
inexpensive to get in CA (or anywhere now with places like Home
Depot). They also thrive and grow quickly if you have them outside
most of the
year
so you can start with small plants and have something large in
short
order.
Your pots are probably more of an investment then the plants (and
this
is
coming from someone who moved plants from CA to NJ to CT to NY)....
DK

http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/pe/faq_hse_plnts.htm

This site and the agents I've been emailing have said that you CAN
bring in houseplants. They have to be declared at the border, and an
agent may or may not actually inspect them.

In article , Hope Munro Smith
writes:

Yes, I realize what you meant to say earlier! I'm still trying to decide
if I am going to bareroot them and have them go that way or leave them in
their pots (perhaps putting them in fresh Miracle Gro potting soil).


You know, Hope, I wouldn't bare root at the time you leave, wait until you
are almost to Calif and do it then. Or even wait until you see what the
inspector
has to say and do it at the station, if there is a problem. It seems to me that
orchids, at least, would not have any disease of concern. (Just like the
inspector isn't concerned when you have bananas) Bring a bag of sterile
potting soil and repot them down the road. I don't think the inspector is going
to rip the plants from your trembling hands!!LOL They have always been quite
reasonable people if you are honest with them. "quick and painless" ha ha
OTOH it may be that you will be lucky and the station will not even be open on
the day you get here.........
Let us all know how it goes. When will you be moving?

Emilie
NorCal