My Musa basjoo growing in Northern Kentucky JUST threw up new pups the 3rd week of June. I also had thought the plant had died, as the central crown / stem had turned to mush. Since your in MA, I would have given it at least until July to see if it has died. We didnt experience any real prolonged warm temperatures into the 80's-90's until the middle of June in Kentucky which is what the plants need to coax them into rapid growth up north.

My growing season is short and my winters long and harsh. Although this doesn't seem to conform with the concensus here on the GW clematis forum, I have best results planting right into the ground, regardless of pot size. I have planted 2 1/2 inch pots (the roots need to be teased apart since they were so crowded) up to Silver Star Vinery's robust 1 gallon plants and several sizes in between. In general I find that if planted in ideal conditions (good sun, evenly moist, well-draining soil) that the large plants will be full and will bloom well their first year. The plants in the small pots will just grow the first year (both the roots below ground and the foliage above), bloom sparsely the second year, and by the third year will start looking full and robust. From what others write here, if conditions aren't ideal, the smaller ones are at more risk for failure. Different clematis do grow to different sizes and at different rates in my experience, although the term hardiness is usually used to refer to cold (and at times heat) resistance and requirements. Most (though not all ie C. montana) clematis sold in the US will be cold hardy enough for you to grow without problems. Also, different clematis are easier or more difficult. The large-flowered clems are more prone to wilt, while the smaller-flowered ones are more wilt resistant in my experience. I do have a couple of large-lowered clematis, but in my area I have had best luck with the viticellas, the atragene group and other smaller-flowered varieties. A good source for additional information of clematis in general is below (if you haven't yet run across it.) Here is a link that might be useful: Clematis on the Web

I'd consider 18cm as an average sized asiatic or oriental lily bulb....not especially large. This size is pretty common for better mail order bulbs. Aurelian hybrid or trumpet lilies typically generate larger bulbs. A local lily grower (and one of the better mail order lily sources) offers what they call 'field harvest' bulbs to their customers locally and these are massive things, sometimes the size of a small cantelope and weighing several pounds, but these are never shipped and are only available at their local outlets. The attached link is how they explain the correlation between bulb size and plant performance. Here is a link that might be useful: is bigger better?

thanks for response, poolguynj. Is the motor an ok quality replacement? Seems to be pushing water fine, and I've also tested w/ it pushing water up to solar, fine too. But it sounds different (quieter) and seems like a little more turbulance in basket area when I look through window...does that mean it's higher rpm? Thanks again...Ralph