Hi Ewohryn. Thanks for responding to my request. How do you join this group? I live in zone 7a/7b varying on how our winter climate here up in the Appalachian mountains. Is it alright for me to join you? I really would love to be part of it. I used to be an active member of the Philippine Horticulture Society and Philippine Orchid Society during my gardening days there before I migrated here in US. We had monthly meetings with lectures and garden shows. We have garden shows with plant exhibits both commercial and non-commercial. PHS does this in late Jan to early Feb. where it's spring like weather there. POS does their garden shows twice a year, one in Feb. and one in Aug when the Vanda Sanderianas are in bloom. It was a very educational experience for me.

Hello Warren So finally it is 5-7 days in semi shade and not 3-5, rest is the same. I want to try it again. I want to have blooms in first week of March. So I should pull out the mature bulbs which are in the ground for 2 years on 20th of December, replant on 25th.[ The planting has to be in pot or can I put them back in a bed]? According to you, [If the temperature falls below 47 F degrees at night the blooming will slow or fail depending on how low it gets and how long it lasts. If the daytime temperature gets above 87 F degrees, the blooming will speed, slow or fail depending on how high it gets and for how long each day. TO CORRECT FOR HIGH OR LOW TEMPERATURES Replant in a pot and bring the pot inside to a sunny window]. Now that is where I foresee the failure. I have no temp controlled green house. And no place in side to keep the pots At that time of the year the night temperature will be 30-40 F, the bulbs will go dormant and bloom at their usual time. But if I want them to bloom in middle of November, I should pull them out on 1st of October, replant on 6th for blooms around 15th of November. Amaryllis finishes blooming by the end of May. This looks feasible and worth a try half will go back in bed and half in pots. To my mind 8 inch pot is too small, why not 12 inch pot? And what is the reason for a flat tile under the basal plate? Arif

I take my photos with a Polaroid digital camera, upload them to my computer, fix and resize them in Adobe Photoshop, and use PhotoBucket to upload them to the forum. I usually make the pixel size around 300 or 400 a side, somewhere in there... then I fix the contrast or whatever needs fixing, sharpen them up, and save for the web. Pretty simple, but somewhat time consuming... going through all the little steps involved so the pictures come out good for internet viewing and easy loading. I'd love to see your collection of pictures, too, soultan, but there's no rush... someday when you're bored and have nothing to do... (ya right! like that's gonna happen!) Getting the pictures taken is half the battle... getting them uploaded and ready for the web is the other half... if we can help in any way, let us know... we'll certainly try!

Hi there, this might not be exactly what you're looking for, but thought I'd spread the word anyway in case you're interested. Inkwood Books in South Tampa (at Armenia and Platt) is having an Earth Day "event" on 22 April at 6pm. Brief description: "Join like-minded neighbors on EARTH DAY for a conversation about the whys and hows of urban gardening, from backyard beds to community gardens to edible schoolyards. Hear about what is happening in Tampa from City Councilwoman Mary Mulhern, learn about the St. Pete's Bartlett Park Community Garden and Tampa plans of Green Florida from Executive Director Andrea Hildebran, see Freedom Playground Foundation founder Stefani Busansky's plans for another inclusive playground with a school-tended garden, and imagine the possibilities with Anita Jimenez, Women Chefs and Restauranteurs 2008 intern with Berkeley's Berkeley's school lunch program sponsored by the Chez Panisse Foundation. Plus take 20% off all gardening books and enter to win a book or other prize." And Inkwood is a really cool community bookstore to boot. :) Welcome to Tampa! -Lo