A WORD, All the above opinions are each valid in their own special way. I like what Lisa wrote,as I was thinking thoughts along those lines myself. The words,'much to do about nothing' come to mind. Yes,they were very impolite to use the photo,and more so now,as they seem to imply its their plant in the latest ad.[perhaps to keep out of trouble with their image hoster ?] But one thing nags me, how could they contact Stephania for permission if they had no e-mail address at the time of their original posting? (he later posted one tho). And to give credit to Stephania some how,would be awkward for them,saying to the public,'thats not our plant but,yours might look like that some day'. But most of all,I feel this puts a lot of undue pressure on Stephania,to 'continue the arguement',when he has already made his own feelings known in his posts dated July 18th and July 20th. If this were happening to me,I'd feel a little uneasy. He has all the well researched information to decide what to do. I suggest we leave it to him now. Stephania,you know your many friends all support you 100% what ever you decide. Bob

In your area, I think it is too late to start seeds now. A lot depends on the facilities you have to over-winter young seedlings. Some of our forum members have areas where they can install grow-lights and shelves and successfully grow their seedlings throughout the winter. In our climate, I've found that starting seeds here in late summer works best. The seedlings are transplanted into the garden with still enough time to grow and develop before our weather gets really cold (late Dec-February). If I lived as far north as you do, I'd start mine in early spring. Resulting seedlings would still have to be protected until all danger of frost is past. I have bought numerous seeds from the Lily Auction with mixed results. I now have between 5-10 seedlings that look very promising. I've had some packets of seeds with excellent parents not produce anything remarkable. One purchase never did germinate, and the Seller was kind enough to send a replacement. All of the seeds in that second batch germinated. The seeds that I do buy at the Lily Auction are primarily for hopefully obtaining the desired genes that I can use in hybridizing. I also really appreciate the seed sellers at the LA who send bonuses that are also related to those I've purchased. Having successfully raised (in the past) champion Shih Tzu dogs through line-breeding and inbreeding, I am a firm believer in that method of improving qualities in the progeny. As for starting seeds, I do soak mine in a mixture of 1/2 gallon of distilled water and 6 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. If I first store them in the solution in the refrigerator for two weeks, they seem to sprout faster once removed, sometimes within 2 days. It is very important to keep your soaking seeds in complete darkness and in a warm environment until they begin to sprout. I check the soaking seeds every day and immediately plant those that have sprouted. It also helps to be able to remove any that may be beginning to rot, so they don't affect the others. Some LA sellers' seeds have super germination rates, i.e. "Rich." He does all his hybridizing in his greenhouse. Due to the extreme drought here in Texas this year, the seeds from my garden did not have the high germination rate that I had experienced in the years where we had sufficient rainfall. Yes, we did water frequently out of necessity, but apparently rain water has some magical property that really brings out the best in daylilies. Once the seeds sprout, I make an oval depression with the eraser end of a pencil in the potting medium and set the seed on its side with the white root facing down, if possible. I've found by covering the seeds with fine-ground vermiculite, this enables the seeds to sprout more quickly than if I cover them with potting soil. I prefer to use 16-oz. styrofoam cups to start my seeds, for several reasons. First, it is easy to write/read all pertinent information on the cup with a black Sharpie. Second, it is easier to poke holes in the bottom and the sides near the bottom. I used to use the plastic drink cups, but I had to heat the kitchen fork over the gas burner to get it hot enough to make a decent hole. I didn't like the time it took to do that, nor the fumes from the melting plastic. The downside of using the styrofoam cups is that they can be tipped over easily. I solved that problem this year by putting some rocks in the bottom before filling them with potting soil. So far, I've only managed to turn over two cups -- which is a record for me. I keep the styrofoam cups standing in water until they are transplanted to our garden. I can fit 15 cups in each large aluminum-foil roasting pan (they come in a package from Sam's Club). I cover them loosely with sandwich baggies until they begin to sprout. Once they have developed the second set of leaves, I then start adding 1/4 teaspoon of fertilizer (Schultz Expert Plant Food) to 1 gallon of water. Other similar water-soluble fertilizers should work as well. Since I move my sprouted seedlings immediately outside to a shady area of our patio, we don't have a problem with fungus gnats. I've read here at the forum that those who grow their seedliings indoors suggest using Mosquito Dunks to solve that problem. Several years ago I started my seeds right after harvest and they had enough growth before winter so that many were blooming by late spring. They were mostly dips at that time. I've read with interest here at the forum about those who start their seeds on aquarium rocks in little condiment cups. I wonder if fine-ground vermiculite would be feasible, too, and will experiment with that next season. It does seem like double work, though, to start them on rocks and then have to move them to cups or pots later. One more observation -- the seedlings that I grew in white pots grew much faster and stronger than those in black nursery pots. I found that very interesting. I wish you best results with your recently purchased seeds. Nancy

Hi Karen, IÂm happy for you that your big plants are going to make it! If there was ever a chance for you to recover from plumeria addiction, it will disappear when your own plants bloom for you. ItÂs said there are no ugly cats, but that some are more beautiful than others. This also applies to plumeria. Your nighttime temps are ok for starting cuttings. Water them well the day you plant them and then wait at least a month before watering them again. Place your pots on concrete in order to provide bottom heat; I always used the edge of my driveway at my last house. Rooting may take as long as ninety days. Reds as a group are the most prone to rot; some rainbows are also very rot prone during rooting. Let what you see guide you after the first thirty days. If leaves are developing begin watering lightly and infrequently until leaves are six to ten inches, then start giving lots of water. When they are well rooted you are in the clear; a few varieties have a reputation for being rot prone even in their second year, but once rooted, plumeria are tough plants that can tolerate anything except freezing, standing water, and cold wet feet during dormancy. IÂm using BillÂs bottle method for making a planting cavity in the pot because it makes a lot of sense. I can tell you it provides excellent support for the cuttings until they have roots to hold them in place. Also no soaking wet soil is held in direct contact with the bottom of the cutting while it is rooting, decreasing the odds of rotting. As water vapor evaporates through the perlite and pumice on itÂs way out of the pot, the cutting senses there is water nearby and sends out roots to find it. Philip

Like everything else on Ebay, you have to do your homework. But if you seek something not commonly found in a local nursery, it can be a great source to rare items. I have bought African violet leaves off Ebay and had exceptional results. There are violets out there that are very rare, especially the Russian varieties. ONE leaf just sold on Ebay for $63.00. I've had a couple of leaves sent from Great Britain, and one potted violet sent from Poland. No problems at all. Most serious growers who do business on Ebay have 100% feedback and will replace or refund if the plant arrives dead. But mine have always arrived fresh and perfect. As to the soil issues, socks has a point. I quarantine my leaves and pots in a separate area before I introduce them to the rest of my plants. If you are seeking a specific variety then I wouldn't hesitate to buy on Ebay. Just make sure you check the feedback. BTW Alisande, your irises are spectacular. Have you thought about joining any Iris lovers Facebook groups? I have found the African Violet groups to be hugely helpful. I've learned so much from other input. Here is a link that might be useful: Blueberry Butterfly African Violet