Hi Mike, Exactly a week ago today, we hada frost warning. I was a little concerned because we hada heavy rain storm the day before. Norma had told me that keeping the jades outdoors during cold weather was fine. Like you said, she had said that they had to be kept really dry. The temps here got to 34 degrees. I went out and checked the next day to see if there was any damage. I didn't see any signs of any damage at all. Now, a week later, I am still seeing great growth on them and nothing appears to have suffered. I really do believe that these plants are more tolerant of harsh condtions. One thing you could try if your really skeptical is choosing maybe 2 jades. I would choose 2 that you would not be really upset about losing. I know that is a tall order in itself. Water them and leave them out over night and see how they perform. I think you will be surprised. I have only brought mine under cover a few times and the month of Spetember and early Ocotber were very rainy. I was slightly concerned of root rot and other problems. I do have a lot of my jades in a very porous soil. Some are in striaght turface which I have found to be better than the other mixes. I just have to feed them since there is no nutrients in the turface whatsoever. Let me know how things work Mike. I will be keeping some of my jades under that 600 watt HPS light. I do have some window spaces for other jades but the ones that are getting nice colors I want to keep like that. Andrew

In general,I think bell peppers are too much hassle to be worth growing. You kiss their pods for X amount of time for a small amount of pods. Try some better tasing,more prolific sweet peppers or frying type peppers. Lots less hassle to grow and tons more pod production. I never figured out Bell peppers enough to grow them and be worth the effort. Even the Hybrids don't put out enough pods to be worth the hassle. A sweet chile will put out 15 or so pods while a bell pepper puts out 5 pods in the same size pot and same soil etc.. Might be because I have a container garden or the Temps. in S. California. Bells are just too much work and not that good tasiting compared to sweet chiles in general. Next year try some Tangerine Bell peppers(not a bell pepper-gold ball shaped and sized peppers). Very Prolific and Tastey. Very Sweet. Mini Bells (red,yellow or Orange-different strains) are also more prolific and as good or better tasting than bells. Sweet Banana,Aji Dulce,Trinidad Perfume,Suave Orange or red-all better producers with little to no heat but different tastes. Lots of Italian or New Mex. type Roasters out there too. I only grow non bell peppers in containers. Send me an E mail,maybe we can work something out. Trade?

Well, the weather Lady solved it yesterday morning. She predicted 30's for last night, so I moved them inside. It got down to 35. I put them in my Dads old house, in the sunniest room for now. It stays above 50 and gets morning to midday sun. I am remodeling it and sweet thing liked that idea better than putting them in our kitchen.:) I won't have much sun in my sunniest room, the kitchen, until the leaves fall off of my oak trees.

Martin thanks for the tip on A. somalense. Mine are still too small to be outdoors, but this time next year they will be outside. Ladylotus, I am sorry to hear you are already packing it in and here we are in August. I thought we were short-changed on our summer here in the midwest, but you really got a bad deal. Normally August is our hottest month of the year. This year temperatures have been mild, highs in the 80F/27C range and lows in the 55F/13C range. My outdoor plants have stopped growing completely. It did go fast. Jedoba enjoy your warm weather while it lasts, I hear we have an el Nino winter ahead of us. Mark the words of Ned Stark, "Winter is coming..." Tracy