Thanks will read articles & figure something out.

NOW THERE ARE BIG AND SMALL BOX STORES?????do they sell everything in boxes???

Jo, Sorry to confuse you. I just used those terms to not leave out any kind of store that prided themselves in selling everything you would need for the home and garden like Home Depot and Lowe's but there's also here locally, Ace Hardware and Friedmans which are smaller one-stop-shopping stores. I always check out the bigger places first cause they can afford to charge a little less due to volume they have...I'm sure you have comparable where you are, the big ones and the small ones, right?

Bev, you brought up a very good point about especially protecting the plants during their first year in the garden. They do get tougher as they get used to their new homes.

Bev,I was picking actually it is from a comment i had just made a joke about someone else saying the big box stores.Then i came here and you said it and i couldn't help it.It may have been on my thread about companion plants for semp's, sorry not sure exactly which thread i made the comment on.I should remember people can't read it as fast as it is typed.

I have to ask ace hardware is a small store here,very hard to find,mostly in small towns.The only Friedmans is the jewelry store.
Lowes & home depot we have but Home depot never has much as far as succulents.There's always wal-mart!!

I am glad that they get tougher the longer they have been in a particular climate.