Begonia, Repeat after me_I AM NOT SCARED!!! I swear plants know when you are afraid of them and will take every advantage to die on you. Confidence!!! Now on to your questions: Your soil mix is appropriate for wicking. Some people use a thinner wick for smaller plants and vice-versa. I do not. I like my reservoir go dry for a day or so before I re-fill it to let my plants dry a bit. If the plants become too dry, watering from the top will get the wick going again. You will have to experiment but as you are a confident plant person this will not scare you. Just stick your finger in the soil-if it's soaking, it's too wet but I don't think you'll have this problem. (Spraying the stem is unnecessary but not harmful). And you will have to pat your soil in somewhat. Just don't go at it like you're punching down bread dough. You do not need fancy grow lights. Go to HD and get a warm white and a cool white. Your fixture should have a reflector. (I have been using this combination since 1972.) I think the warm is labeled daylight or sunshine. If you want the reason for this, let me know. It's rather lengthy and it's very late so...you'll just have to trust me. (I can also rhapsody for quite a while on soil mixes in case you are interested). But...I digress...) I replace when my tubes get a dark ring around the ends, (very noticeable) or when growth and blooming start to slow. Be careful with new tubes. They are very strong in the beginning. As you have learned, plants of a genera are not all the same . Each cultivar and even each individual is different and will respond differently to your growing conditions. Just follow good AV growing practices and don't be afraid to experiment. And don't be discouraged when you lose some. We all lose some. Some plants are just naturally weak, some won't like you or your conditions and some are just suicidal. Just chalk it up to experience and move on. A plant that dies gives you room for something new! I have been at this plant business my entire life and there are still violets that refuse to bloom for me. Ex: Gillian. Grows like a weed. Will not bloom. I don't obsess over these non-bloomers. I give them to my neighbor and let her obsess. Instead of individual containers-why don't you get a tray-the kind annuals come in-with no holes. Add egg-crate and place your plants on this with the wicks extending through the egg-crate. This takes care of humidity (Question 4) and you won't have to figure out what containers to use (Question 5). It also makes it much easier to care for your plants when they are all together and all you have to do is water the tray. Let me know if you have more questions! Linda

Why don't you just pick the pumpkins when they are ripe and not leave them to rot in your yard. Also if you leave them in your yard you will not get new pumpkins. What you will get is a mass of seedlings (20+) in one spot and since there are so many so close together they are stuggle to survive and produce weak plants that will eventually die. The problem is if squirrels or other critters spread out the seeds. I have a cacao tree in a huge pot in my yard and a squirrel planted a dozen or so seeds about 4 inches apart (which is still too close but you get the idea). Also if you till the area this will spead out the seeds. On a side note you absolutely should move your pumpkins to another area next year. If you keep your patch in the same spot you will find that it becomes infested with all sorts of bad bugs (bad for your pumpkins).

Amanda It really isn't that common but it seems that folks back East have an easier time having them come back than I do here on the west coast. I have seen some over winter here but they get pretty weak and die by the next winter. I think it has something to do with being cold and dry for them to come back for you.

aries61...I'm right there with you! I realize that this weekend last year is when I started searching all the options with cabinets and ended up using Brian at CJ for the same reason. With our crazy work schedules, we have been working on them since August (28 cabinets). Our contractor should start in the next week or two so we are appliance, counter, backsplash shopping as well. Best of luck...I hope we both have finished and fabulous kitchens in time for summer! What hood option did you end up going with? By that time in the decision making process, I just basically threw a dart on the webpage and went with it.