I've taken the Den keiki out of the baggie, placed it into a small clay pot with some bark, and left a couple of strands of moss loosely bunched at the root area... I've got the clay pot set in a clay saucer, and under that is a plastic saucer with a little water in it. The whole thing is sitting on a heating pad under grow lights. I hope this covers the light, warmth, and a bit of humidity. I'll watch it closely, and add water as needed. I really wish our greenhouse was up and operational right now... it will be a while before growth appears on the Coelogyne without that advantage! Everyone is seeing new growth on theirs already... everyone except me! The pbulb is quite wrinkled, but it's still green and the leaves are both still hanging in there! No sign of new growth yet, but I don't have the advantage that a greenhouse gives. I must say... this is all so exciting and suspenseful! Regardless of the outcome, I look at this as a wonderful opportunity to learn, and to hone my skill at growing! Now I'm wondering if I should do anything different with the Coelogyne? Should I move it into more light? Dare I put it into a clay pot with bark? Or am I just freaking out?!

Dan - OK. From what I remember from lit class (which was one of my fav. Classes because we chose to explore fokelore and mythology) I believe Tom Bombadil was a free spirit that liked to explore nature at his own pace and was created by a father (don't remember his name) from a doll his son had . He used the character to create poems that are kindda "middle-earth". He was also mentioned in the new movie Lord of the rings, it was somewhere at the end when they were talking to gandorf(sp?) Gardenmom - I posted the other one before I looked at my list I may not have a passionflower left. I will have to see how much it grows from now to then. I will def. send one if I can get another cutting from it. I will leave you down for it just in case. But wanted to give you a heads up in case. Almost forgot..... **I am out of everything else previously listed *** NEW LIST: - Primrose - Pink (3 offers - maybe more I will let u know) - Vvarigated philodendron - Campion Rose Also will be posting some bulbs in a couple days :-) Keep fingers crossed on my dahlias. I may be able to share.

Just stopped in to say Hi to everyone. Dan so glad you got your surprise! I am looking forward to the fall swap and with God's help, John will have had his transplant and be healthy again. If I miss the posting for the swap later in the year, I am counting on you all to let me know. I had a picture of all my rooted plants all potted up but I was cleaning pictures out of my FULL camera and must have accidently erased it. They all went into the new hoop house my husband built me (except the house plants and banana). All the cuttings went into the propagator. I put the 3 cut potatoes into large pots and will either leave them there or very carefully transplant them out into a larger home when the frost has past...but it will probably be too late by then. I still have 10 more potatoes to plant, YIPEE, when the time is right. I put all the iris into a huge pot and am sure it will be beautiful. Later in the year, they should have multiplied (as iris do) and then I can divide and replant out in permanent beds. I was hoping to get some flower beds together this year but it probably won't happen until the fall now. Of course the more stressed I get, the more work I seem to get done LOL. I get a nervous energy that I wish I could package..well that and insomina due to worry (that I could do without). I still have to figure out what to do with the garlic since technically it should be planted in the fall. I think I can plant into pots or garden and let grow in the summer and then transplant in the fall. I have some growing in the hoop house now that I planted last fall (if you look at my blog you will see where) behind the lettuce. My next job is to make a list of 1) everything already planted 2) everything in the propagator and 3) what I have left to plant (potatoes and garlic). I want to put this on my blog. I especially want to be able to update the blog later to let everyone know how my plants are doing. Oh yeah, Jordan was over for a couple hours last night and just kept saying OH COOL! when we looked at all the plants...and of course she helped me pot up a few things. Well gotta TRY to sleep as I work the next 2 days, 12 hour shifts. If it is not too crazy at work, I may have a few minutes to check in. Kim Here is a link that might be useful: Kim's blog

Remove the plant from the potting material, and remove all the growing medium from the roots. Next comes what is commonly referred to as the sphag and bag method. Put styrofoam packing peanuts (make sure they are the real styro by putting water on them first) or LECA, or stones, or charcoal, or mixtures of the three in the bottom of the pot. This is to improve the drainage in the pot. I then soak high quality long fiber sphagnum moss (hereafter referred to as sphag.) in rooting hormone. The long fiber moss doesnt break down as quickly and plants root well in it. Apparently, there are natural fungicides in it...or something that inhibits fungus and encourages stressed plants to root. I trim the dead roots off the plant with a clean (sterilized) single-edged razor blade or an Exacto knife, pour Physan20 on the roots, then put cinnamon on the cut areas, and rooting hormone everywhere else on whatever roots are left. I then squeeze out the sphag until it is as damp as a well-squeezed sponge. I wrap the roots in the sphag, and place it in the pot, putting more sphag loosely around the roots. Make sure you dont smash it in, as it can be really hard to re-water, or may take forever to dry causing even more rot in your plant. You may need to put a bamboo stake in the pot to keep the plant upright in the sphagnum. I then put the plant and pot in a plastic bag, but I leave the top open. This increases the humidity around the leaves and the roots, if there are any sticking out of the sphag...only usually I don't leave any aerial roots upin the air, but put them in the medium as I want the plant to maximize it's hydration. I don't close the top as I want some air circulation. This is up to what you choose to do. Some people close the bag, and use ziplock (or seal-able) bags. Someone here, and I am sorry, I forgot who, uses the veggie baggies which have little holes in it for air exchange. I have found that sometimes closing the bag is a recipe for disaster. Do not, however, let the leaves touch the plastic as that can encourage rot, not always, but I have had it happen. Blowing up the bag before sealing helps keep the bag sides away from the leaves. I don't spray the plant, as I have had bad experiences doing so. I will, however, spray the top of the medium on occassion. Usually, the plant does just as well without it. I make sure that the plant is in bright, but not direct light (i.e. normal light as the roots and leaves if they are there do undergo photosynthesis), and that the temps are a tad warmer than usual--much like you would care for a seedling. The most important thing to my mind is keeping the humidity up, as the plant has very little to replace moisture since the roots are impaired. I would never cut a leaf off a plant if it isn't yellowing. Phals do not have pseudo-bulbs so all food/moisture is stored in the roots/leaves. If you keep the ambient humidity up, the plant will pull from the air and less so from the leaves--leaves don't give up as much if the humidity is good. Thus, if you are cutting off healthy leaves, you are taking away some of the plants resources. The leaves generally do not ever come back from their leathery state, but you will get new leaves and roots. It will take quite some time for this plant to bloom again, and some folks dont think it is worth it. I am so soft that I can't give the poor little plant every shot at life. New roots will take a while...several weeks, or it can be several months. Some will recover, and some wont.