Just a quick note! I have to put a hold on all cuttings offered I had a call from the nursing home in NH where my Dad is--he asked last week to be taken off all medications and has been in bed since with oxygen and he is not responding. My brother is close by (Maine)and also called me and said he is going there-have had contact with staff at nursing home, my neice and friends and they all say he will not make it very long -please keep him in your prayers for a safe passage to the destination he has been seeking for months! This is something that I had accepted but it is tearing me up to lose him. Please pray for me to handle this! I may be off the forum for awhile but will think of all of you and catch up when I return Thank you Linda

Moonie- you are so sweet! I was just watering the 3 beautiful bananas that you sent me- they are doing great! I have my first bloom of the season on my orange noid- it's the only brug that I have that has a bloom- all of my other brugs are just forming their Y's... Did you notice that the orange noid doesn't need a Y to produce blooms? Strange... Anyway- your GH is awesome! I've talked Hubby into cutting down my 2 story Camelia to erect a Solarium (in the future)- it's a great trade! Can't wait to have a wonderful place to display my tropicals! Thanks for sharing! Kasha77

Kathi- Your Gloriosa Lily is showing a lot of reds. Do you have it in a lower light situation? Mine gets full sun this year in the afternoon rather than the morning so that is why I think it is more close to the purple and yellow side. Rock Oak Deer: Thanks for looking at my pics. Asiatics are great here in VA. The temps typically stay cool enough for some great long lasting blooms here. I was very surprised at how well Asiatics and Orientals grow in a shade garden. I have no direct light but it is still bright. I know they say on the box Full Sun but maybe in TX try indirect light only(you may already do that but I figured that I would suggest it). I think you would get the longest lasting blooms in that type of lighting condition. Why I like Crinums... :-) They have a fragrance... some smell good but some smell great They are super durable. I have yet to kill one and I think if you do kill one you are supposed to be embarassed and never mention it. lol Most are rebloomers. Most bloom a couple times a season and some bloom several times(after heavy rains). They are heirloom plants and more often than not they will live longer than the person who planted them. I also find it interesting that these plants hybridize in the wild creating new interesting varieties, and new "old" varieties are being rediscovered. I also like to push zone hardiness to the brink with the use of microclimates and other techniques, so these being Z8-11... I am right at home with these here in Z7. I am currently testing hardiness of different plants including crinums, palms, brugs, and others in Fredericksburg, VA. -------------------------------------------------------- This is what I was planning on posting today... I have new leaf growth on 2 of my 3 F4 Whites and 1 of the Jean Pasko. The 2 P&C seem to be the ones that I am most worried about since I noticed a lot of people mention that this one is difficult and I have not noticed any progress yet. Some of the others do not seem to be forming leaves but are forming what looks like branching a super tiny leave(which the leaflets were there when I received the cuttings) I am curious... Do any of the varieties that I received require to be Air Layered when rooting cuttings or the usual way should be fine. Also to those of you that root your Brugs in water only... How often do you change the water? Thanks again, David

Hello everyone! I normally post on the fragrant and plumeria forums but have been lurking here lately. :) Here is my Hoya obscura 'Major' that I purchased from Kartuz Greenhouses back in October 2011. It's growing in a gritty mix with Dynamite slow release fertilizer. I occasionally give it some Dyna-Gro Grow. Recently after reading on this forum about Eleanor's VF-11 I ordered some and sprayed the plant with it yesterday. Being a fragrance nut I'm hoping to get it to bloom. It's in a south facing window but will go outside in filtered sun when it's warm enough. Would love to get any tips on how to get it to bloom...though I fear I just have to wait until the plant gets large enough. The good news is that it's been putting out lots of new growth lately so fingers crossed! :) Anyone ever sniff this variety? How does it compare to the regular H. obscura? -Robert