Lass, of course, I'm not recommending leaving roses in band pots for extended periods, but I must tell you about Etoile de Mai, a tiny band I bought from Ashdown last September. Due to one thing and another it stayed in the band on my patio, in the enclosed porch during the freezes and back on the patio getting water catch as catch can and getting smaller (it was minute when it arrived!) and smaller until it became one "cane" about 2" long. I thought sure I was killing this rose that I really wanted (and paid good money for). In early April when I dug my new Niles Cochet bed I planted it. Etoile de Mai is growing and has buds on it. What can I say? They're tough. But I did lose a mini this way but it didn't last anywhere near as long as EdM under similar abuse. Sherry

First, give it as much indoor light as possible. Take it outside to a shady spot on warm days and slowly acclimate it to full sun. Protect it from frost either in the garage or in the house. The pale green leaves should green up. Water it, but go easy. You will need to do this until the threat of frost is gone. Those pale green leaves are tender.

Mine started doing that a while back. Its perfectly normal, it probably means that the coconut is starting to become a bit more useless because the palm itself is growing roots. Your probably 2 or 3 years away from the day where the coconut isnt there anymore since they eventually rot and the rest of the palm takes off. -Alex

Amanda, you're not the only one. Shame on us, but as long as you aren't killing or damaging the plant, taking from someone elses yard without asking first, I don't see the harm in doing it. I've been doing it for years and don't feel bad about it either. Never damaged the plant etc. never taken from someone's home. Sure have "helped out home depot, walmart, kmart, lowes in pruning their plants, dead heading all kinds of plants. In july actually had someone in walmart thank me for cleaning up the "ugly plants" by dead heading them, right into about 10 different baggies. Looked the woman in the face, smiled and said, "my pleasure, anytime I can help, glad to do so." She kind of looked at me like a sprouted another head. Got caught collecting dianthis firewitch seeds from a local garden center and was told "you realize those seeds will take a couple of years to grow and bloom, don't you?" I smiled and said "that's ok I'm young and can wait." Got in the car and couldn't stop laughing long enough to drive. couple of years, ya right, mister. My WS dianthis firewitch where blooming in my yard when he said that, the WS ones I transplanted in June 2005. Oh yes, he thanked me for doing some of his work, deadheading the plants for him. sometimes you wonder about these places don't you. and in August I went to a nursery, wanted this beautiful huge coleus, new breed called black night. This one was in a huge 15 inch pot. Marked down to half price they wanted $20 for it. Spent lots of time talking to the guys there about it and they said it is for outside and will not survive the winter indoors. A coleus that won't grow in the house all winter. They kept saying it and I kept thinking "you guys are nuts." almost bought it, put it in the cart, figured I could get cuttings and all. then spotted the seed heads on tons of coreopsis sunray. You know the rest, while I was busy, my friend got very rough, nicely rough with that huge coleus. cleaned up the six small pieces that had the "poor accident", put the injured parties in her purse to "nurse back to health" and yes she's a nurse and returned the monster to it's rightfull place. We have 10 small plants well rooted, planted in pots and growing well. (Yes, she's a great nurse, isn't she?). They look nothing like the original plant, but in the spring out in full light, they should be right back to what they are supposed to look like. don't feel guilty, I don't see where we did or do anything wrong. Just don't post on the aroid forum about it. Fran