My very unscientific observation is that if the newest leaf isn't mature when the spike starts, it slows or stops growing in favor of the spike, and never gets to max size. Perhaps that doesn't happen in warm climates, but it does here. Perhaps the cooling that starts the spikes growing has the reverse effect on the leaves. I'm about to move them from the greenhouse, where it gets down to the high 50's at night, to a light table in the laundry room. Too bad--they definitely prefer the GH, but I don't want to pay for more heat in there.

Yep thats what I do too Mike and every few weeks I give them a foliar spray of compost tea early in the morning. Daniella, I buy my compost tea at an organic nursery already made up but I got the stuff to do it myself now and saw on the garden show how to do it using an old panty hose leg or cheesecloth to hold the compost then you don't have to strain it. I mix the fish emulsion with this when I spray. I don't always have time to go do all that individually to all the plants so I just do it when I have the time.

Never on transplant. And I myself don't use epsoms(for magnesium) unless my plants are exhibiting signs of needing it. Usually this would be with a soil-less medium where i didn't add lime(or the potting mix didn't have any added) Or my ferts don't deliver it. So, for me, in grounds don't get any. And my containers plants do since i use a 5-1-1 mix with no lime, but gypsum for my Calcium. And since I use Miracle Gro AP(no Mg or Ca), i use epsoms added to my weekly ferts at a rate of 1/2 tsp/gal to deliver my Mg. Kevin

* Houseplants: 2 tablespoons per gallon of water; feed plants monthly. * Tomatoes: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks. * Roses: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks. Also scratch 1/2 cup into soil at base to encourage flowering canes and healthy new basal cane growth. Soak unplanted bushes in 1/2 cup of Epsom Salt per gallon of water to help roots recover. Add a tablespoon of Epsom Salt to each hole at planting time. Spray with Epsom Salt solution weekly to discourage pests. * Shrubs (evergreens, azaleas, rhododendron): 1 tablespoon per 9 square feet. Apply over root zone every 2-4 weeks. * Lawns: Apply 3 pounds for every 1,250 square feet with a spreader, or dilute in water and apply with a sprayer. * Trees: Apply 2 tablespoons per 9 square feet. Apply over the root zone 3 times annually. * Garden Startup: Sprinkle 1 cup per 100 square feet. Mix into soil before planting. * Sage: Do not apply! This herb is one of the few plants that doesn't like Epsom Salt.