Romain, That's a very generous offer - I think you chose the correct place because you're not asking for anything in return, and besides that, free trees - simply put, who doesn't like them?!!! However, I don't see myself getting out that way soon, and I don't see you bringing it if/when you come to Vancouver (4 hours away), but I can easily see it transportable with two fit people - what are the rules for this on the train/subway, I wonder (one wouldn't want to do it in the rush hour). But a van would be the most excellent mode of transport and could get to all the boroughs, if not beyond. I'm sure MA Tom needs one in his new greenhouse.

Tom..I should have bought 3. lol. It's too cold to plant in the garden now. Although the Yucca isn't tiny, I'd rather wait until it's taller, then plant outside. It'd probably die in our temps. Since you're in z5, I gather Y 'color guard' should be okay, outdoors here. I might order two more, then plant outside next spring. Has yours ever bloomed? If so, do flowers differ than common, z5 Yuccas? White flowers on large stalks. I realize it's hard to answer since there's so many varieties. One Yucca I'd love to grow in the garden is striata..it looks like a palm tree when mature.. Kathi, do you have a close-up pic? Your plant looks like Y. Color Guard, but can also pass for D. marginata tri-color. Whichever, it's quite pretty and very healthy. Marquest...You have three? Are they planted in the garden or still in pots? How big are they? Too small and the cold could kill them if planted now. Mine are still too young. If we got hit with a lot of snow, they'd be covered..and tiny roots might get too cold and die. Jeff. I have a variegated Yucca, purchased 1994/5. It cannot tolerate heat. It's kept in a much cooler area in the house, but only gets east light during winter months. I wonder if Color Guard is similar to the variegated Yucca?? Hoov..What's your Yuccas ages? We have two out front, bought in the early-90's. (wish I'd known there were prettier species.) Don't know if they need cold to bloom, but it took several years before they did. Aw, it's not bad pruning dead stalks. lol. Great exorcise. lol. I've left seed stalks on when it got too cold to work outside..The following year, Yucca seedlings grew everywhere. lol. Thanks for your help. For now, 'because it's so cold,' my Y. color guard is in a very cool spot. I'd really like to grow indoors, in the future. I'll see how it does this winter..thanks, Toni

Hi Piksi, About giving the Pelargonium a bath--rinse with a water that is at least room temp or slightly warmer. After you've rinsed off all the dirt, then just prepare a bath using a little lysol or bleach--1/2 teaspon or so to a quart of (at least) room temp. water. The idea is to cleanse the plant of anything that might be alive (fungi included); gently rub the stems and roots clean. Lay out on a paper towel and check the roots (like Diane suggested). Trim the plant real good. You can trim the roots--especially if you are trimming the top of the plant. This would be a good time to take your cuttings--(after a bath). If there aren't many roots--trim just a tiny bit. If the roots look real bad--you might as well take as many cuttings as you can and through the plant out--maybe trying to save the plant may give you some experience--that's mostly how I learn. To plant a cutting--trim to a node, a 2" cutting. Be sure to keep track of which end is the 'down' end, as the down end is what gets stuck into the soil mix. Not everyone will allow the cutting to callus--but you can let the piece of cutting to sit for up to 24 hours to form a callus where it has been cut. If you allow your cutting to callus, you won't need to use a rooting compound (although it won't hurt if you do). If you don't let your cutting to callus, then you will be on the safe side if you dip your 'down' end of cutting in some rooting compound. Fungi is the killer you want your cutting not to get. Set your cutting into your soil or soiless mix. Only about a half inch or so needs to be above the soil/mix. What is important is that whatever you use, it needs to be sterile. Some people like to use sand because it doesn't seem to get fungi as easily. I don't like sand--that's just me. I like to use coarse Vermiculite and coarse Perlite--about equal parts. You may not be able to find the coarse varieties--that's ok. I use it because there isn't so much of the stuff that drifts in the air while I'm working with it and because it provides an airier mix. I like to dampen the mix before I plant the cutting--that way it's just right. If you are keeping your soil/mix just damp, you won't need a drain hole in your container--but I like to poke tiny, needle size holes in the sides of my styrofoam cups. It's not altogether necessary--I do that because that way I feel safer that the soil isn't staying too damp. A small container is good, like a 3 oz styrofoam cup. It is very important that the cutting get very good air circulation and be kept just a little damp--not wet. The cutting needs a warm environment and sunlight--but not direct sunlight. A bright window that has a sheer curtain is good. This time of year would be too cold to put a cutting in the garage or outside--that's because the cutting needs a soil that is warm enough. Because a damp, warm soil is just the place a fungi can grow well, you want to be sure to not be touching your soil or cutting. I use a clean toothpick to poke in the dirt if I want to check the dampness of the soil/mix. There don't need to be any leaves on a cutting, but it's best that if there are leaves--they should be few (or one) that are young leaves. Several cuttings can be taken from the same stem. If your Pelargonium has a fighting chance, taking a cutting can't hurt--in fact, it may help the plant if it gets trimmed. I'll be thinking of you as I take my cuttings. Pat

A sky light in Florida will let in a very different light than a skylight in the Netherlands.. But that is encouraging. There are some tropical Yuccas that I am unfamiliar with that could deal with shade some of the time, even maybe a deep forest type. I don't know anything about them. Another issue is that during the summer is their growth period and it would be good if you can find away of PUTTING IT OUTSIDE if at all possible , then it could survive the dark time in the winter better. It would have a better chance of not being etiolated. I think that we see plants out in the commercial world that are gorgeous and health that are in untenable environments. They are RENT a PLANTS. it is a service supplied by people. They keep plants circulating in and out of them in a weekly or monthly basis.. Unfortunately this makes people think that gee, it could grow like that at home if it can grow like that here.