Rhizo.....I did cut some holes in the foil hat but will remove it as I am sure it will be better for the plant in the long run. Purpleinopp....Thanks for the welcome! I just set the plant on the heater only for taking the pic. :-) I am planning on repotting the palm to give it more room to grow--if it survives. I usually let the plants get almost dry before watering again. Which is hard for me because I am a confessed 'overwaterer'. I did find spider mites on the undersides of both plants using a magnifying glass so Toni was right on the money! Not to say that there are not other issues as well...LOL Thanks again for the great help....you guys are good...and quick too!

I use to always kill spider plants at first, and it would depress me because they're suppose to be one of the easiest house plants to keep alive....I finally got more and this time I've just ignored them...I wait til they're looking kinda sad before I water them, and now they're growing like crazy and looking wonderful!! Now I'm trying orchids, but my moth orchid I got less then a week ago has two yellowing leaves I noticed today...now I'm sad again...but it seems like I'm not the only one with problems in the beginning...so I'll keep on trying...I know I have to eventually get it right. I've also managed to kill string of pearls MANY times, and I got another one 2 months ago, and it's actually thriving, where as before they would be gone in a week or two... Sometimes it so confusing..they die if I don't water, and they die if I do...it's so frustrating sometimes...but I guess it's a learning game with plants... -FlowerPotTipper

Hi Jerry, Are you near Aurora? Is that how you found Schaefers? Did you ever shop at Jamacan Gardens..there's one in Morton Grove and another in Libertyville. They both sell citrus and a million other tropicals.. 12.99 is a good price, especially compared to many other citrus nurseries around. My brother bought me a small citrus 2 yrs ago, (don't know name of nursery) up north for about the same price, but it's only 1-1 1 1/2' tall..It has baby lemons growing though..I imagine it's a dwarf. I should check if it's the same nursery cause Schafer sounds familiar, even though I've never been to one..As far as Lowe's, there aren't any nearby, not here, sw of Chicago. I think most are up north and west. Thats too bad about your Kumquat..I feel they're one of the easist citrus to grow..and fruit often. You're doggie was a bad girl, huh? LOL..nibbling on fruit..shame on her. I've never had luck w/4winds citrus. I admit, I ordered from them some time ago, but what they sent were 2 bare-root citrus that were super small. They didn't last more than a few months..they didn't look well upon arrival, but perhaps 4Winds are now sending better looking trees. Meyer's seem to be ever-flowering and fruiting..I grow all my citrus about the same way..as much light as possible, well-draining soil, citrus fertilizer, a summer outside. In winter they're kept on the cool side..in other words, a room that is semi-heated..No heating vents. South windows, w/some west. Artificial light at night. Before bringing plants indoors I spray foliage w/Fish Emulsion..it prevents scale and since it's sold as an organic fertilizer, used as a last foliar feeding. While plants are indoors in winter, mine are misted daily. Better yet, if managable size, taken to sink and hosed or showered..No fertilizer in winter.. Since you're in Il, you know humiidty decreases once the heat is turned on..Buy a humidifer..they work fantastic, Jerry. And like I stated above, humidity is also the reason I mist foliage..If your tree is small, you can also place a humidity tray under pot..Place stones/rocks on a larger saucer and keep filled w/water..don't let water touch roots though... To check if soil is moist or dry use the finger method..stick finger in soil as deep as it goes..if it comes out dry, then it's time for a drink..if your finger comes out wet then wait a few days and recheck. Or you can test by lifting pot..dry soil ='s a light weight pot..if heavy it's still moist/wet. I wait until soil looks crumbly before watering. One problem in winter is bugs. Do you use insecticides? I don't believe in using (most) chemicals so make up my own concoction for mites..But that's jumping the gun.. I believe you said your citrus are outside now, right? Keep out till temps are about 40F. Before bringing indoors, hose off thoroughly. You can either bring in gradually, to adapt to lower light conditions or all at once, as long as you have a bright window, and heat isn't yet turned on. Because of the change, a few yellow leaves are inevitable, just pluck them off. Anyway, Jerry, like I said, I grow all citrus the same way. The only citrus I've yet to get to fruit is my Orange Navel..I believe it needs longer summers, something we don't have here in IL. I can't keep a Buddha Hand either.. I planned on ordering another this spring, but w/the ban in Fl, the two places I order citrus from cannot ship..Briteleaf and Harriscitrus Their trees are fairly tall, bug-free, and inexpensive..15-20.00 per tree..Well, there's always next yr..hopefully by then the ban will be over. That darn canker has caused so much damage..u know? What is number 5? LOL You don't use Citrus fertilizer? I don't see any problem with it, and most here who grow citrus use some form of time-release citrus food. What type of Osmocote do you use? Does it contain nutrients like iron, mag, etc? Also, isn't Osmocote a form of time-release? I think I'd look into citrus food if I were you..though, Jerry, don't think I'm telling you what to do..okay? This is what I'd do w/my own citrus. I don't knowi if Hoffman has a website, but that's the brand I use..check it out when u have time. I also picked up a box of citrus food at Jamacan Gardens..Price wasn't bad. I'm sure Ebay sells citrus food, too. Are u going to buy the Eureka? Good luck Jerry..Toni

In the deep south, Chrysothemis are used as bedding plants. They are quite tropical but in the summer they thrive in all the heat and humidity. They grow from a tuber, which can be lifted and overwintered inside, when they are generally dormant. Living on the west coast in the sub-topic zone my experiences wouldn't be too useful for you, but outside I grow nematanthus, lysionotis, streps (rosulate types), some columneas and others of the Chinese gesneriads. I would geuss that lysionotis would make good outdoor plants. They generally flower in the summer, though ikidae seems to flower late in the fall. The pauciflorus/montanus group flower in summer though. Many people on the east coast grow some of the larger sinningias outside. 'Apricot Glow' is a popular outdoor subject. It does well in planters or pots. I would guess that many of the species sinningias, which can be easily grown from seed would be good for outdoor growing. Then, in the winter they can be stored as tubers--aggregata, reitzii, cardinalis, eumorpha, carangolensis.douglassii are a few I would try. But, many other species would do well too. There are also many hybrids that combine these larger ones. Oh yes, and S. tubiflora with its large fragrant flowers seems to do well outdoors on the east coast, growing in full sun. If the tubers of this species are buried they can survive a few light freezes, but you would probably want to bring them inside when the foliage starts to ripen in the first half of the fall. Seeds of many of these can be found in the AGGS seed fund. Jon