Mark: The last name is Trachtenberg. Live just over the George Washington Bridge on the New Jersey side. I planted the eremurus in garden soil that was augmented with 50% grit and the root stock was place on a small cone of grit and barely covered. I went to the place in the Bronx that the Manhattan Chapter of the NARGS listed in one of their newsletters. They sell it in 50 pound bags for $11.00 or so. Arnold