Aloha Chris, First welcome. Please clarify what you mean by semi-automatic irrigation. Usually a system is set up so that you don't have too worry about remembering to water your plants. You do have to adjust the automatic settings for the growth stages of your plants and time of year every so often. Your system has a controller(Timer) to set areas or zones that you want to water. A controller can take care of a various number of zones depending on the controller you buy. It also lets you select the time of day and the duration of the watering you want to do. The amount of water is determined by the size of the emitter you use and how long you run your system(duration)per cycle. You then figure out how many cycles you run per week, by how much water your plants need per week. You shut your system down when it rains manually or pay more for an automatic rain sensor wired to your controller. You can run your system manually to give more water than the system provides. You can buy a controller that fits on your hose faucet and is battery operated. That is the basics. I hope I answered your question without much confusion. Just ask more questions to clarify what is confusing. Aloha

In southern MS, pretty much all brugs should be hardy in the ground for you. The topgrowth dies back after more than 4-6 hours at 27 degrees or less, but the rootball can survive longer, colder temps---as long as they're not wet. Wet + cold = rot. Potted brugs generally grow more slowly than ones planted in-ground, but they can eventaully get quite big. But remember, the soil in pots gets colder/freezes quicker than the soil in the ground, so unless you plant on bringing that big pot indoors, you have a higher risk of losing the brug to the winter cold. The soil in pots also gets hotter during the summer, and requires more frequent watering. Then there's the 'bucket method', which I use for my more temper brugs, chiefly those with Versicolor genes. I take a 3-gallon bucket and drill several 1" holes around the sides, but NOT in the bottom. I plant the brug in the b ucket, then plant bucket and all into the ground. Come fall, I cut around the outside of the bucket and lift the whole plant for overwintering in my greenhouse. I cut back the top just what's needed in order to get it inside, but I do strip off all the leaves. They generally drop them all anyway, and removing them while still outside eliminates the risk of bringing in pest eggs on them. I think it also helps the plant deal with the shock of root-pruning, by giving it a little chance to recover before it has to support the water needs of full-sized leaves. My in-ground brugs have gotten bigger each year. The oldest one, a nameless, seed-grown white, puts tp about a dozen trunks each year now, and they usually make it to 10-12' before first frost. Brugs aren't all that deeply rooted, I've learned from digging them up. They spread out pretty wide, but not deep, and they have a tendancy to break or blow over in high winds. One way to avoid damage when you're expecting strong winds (like when there's a tropical storm coming) is to remove most of the big leaves. Brugs drop and replace leaves constantly, so this doesn't seem to hurt them. Of the ones you mention, I've had CG and Frosty Pink in the ground here sor several years now. Both are quite hardy and heavy, work-horse bloomers. I find they're happiest here with direct sun from dawn to mid-day, then bright, indirect light until late afternoon.

Welcome Nate! I wish I could say I have a few plumies growers living here in Mass. with me..:-( Mine are doing great, except, I can't wait for more inflo's on all my plumies.. I do have one though finally! Seems like FOREVER for them to go from bud to open flower...God. I have been looking at mine trying to open quite a while..Almost a couple of flowers though..Everyday the hot sun shines on it, I smile with greatfulness! I leave mine outside until nigts average in the 40's and they do well till then, all the way up in New England. I just make sure that they are getting loads of full sun. I have been directed to stop fertilizing from an expert here, so the plants can harden off for the winter. So I have stopped. I think the brown spot is common for late in the season. I always get brown spots and some leaves even yellow, which I think is just common. As for transplanting, I too would wait until spring when the roots start to actively grow again. Wished I lived in Virginia. You people have at least a month or two of much warmer weather tahn I do left to go... Take care. You will love this forum. Alot of great people and very informative material here...:-) Ps. Just a thought for any who would ahte to bring their plumies in so early. Why not buy one of those portable greenhouses? I did for a little over 100$ last spring and it is the best thing I could of ever invested in for any plant I want to keep outdoors longer than I would like. My plumies rejoiced in it this spring, and I am sure they will when I put them in there in this fall...It extends their growing season and starts them early...The sun can make that house very toasty even in November...

As usual I agree with Weissman, who tends to be more practical than some kitchenphiles here. Based on my interpretation of your cooking style, I wouldn't worry too much about width being wider than the cooktop. I'd venture a guess that more than 90% of the free world has same width. 600CFM would be more than adequate. Esp being an internal kitchen where the popular "open a window" solution for make-up air would draft other rooms, I would not mess with more. But not venting external when this is new construction and you have no excuse not to? Thud indeed. In my opinion recircs are an absolute last resort.