Did you prune it last year? I pruned mine in May 2008, and it didn't bloom until January-February 2009. It could not possibly have anything to do with that second thing you mentioned. Josh

Hi. I'm not sure of your climate in Benson. I live on the east side of Tucson. Low of 17F last winter. High of 117F during the summer. So everything I grow has to be tolerant of extremes. Blooming in my garden now are creeping lantanas -- the lavendar variety. Some of them got nipped by the frost a few nights ago and the leaves have turned maroon. They are gorgeous with the lavendar flowers. Autumn sage -- salvia greggi, I think. I have fuschia and purple. They have been flowering for months. Meiwa kumquat -- in a large pot. It currently has white blossoms, as well as both green and ripe fruit. Aloe -- will probably bloom sometime late winter. It wouldn't be in bloom to greet you when you arrive in October, but it is a welcome flower when everything else looks sad. I thought it was a saponaria, but now I'm not sure. I think aloe vera blooms late winter, as well. Hummingbirds love them. There are few flowers left on the Mexican Honeysuckle -- justicia spicigera, I think. Small, orange flowers that also attract the hummers. I have several echeveria species in pots that are blooming now. I haven't planted any of them in the ground, so I don't know how they would do. Hope this gives you some new ideas. Happy Holidays!

Hi ..... I don't know if you can force it to bloom... if I were to try to force it....I would repete what I do in the fall...(I keep my cc outside all summer and in the fall I leave it outside until its going to freeze and then I move it to my garage until it is going to freeze in there and then move it in the house to my living room and by that time it is budding) well I can't do that now as it is winter but I can put it down stairs where it is cooler...I guess I would set the plant in front of my patio door down stairs and wait until it started to bud and then move it upstairs in my living room....Hummmmmm I might just do that and see if it will bloom again.... I think its the cool temps that makes them bloom not how much light they get or what the light source is..... thats just my thinking.......good luck.....linda

Mindy et al, I got that tall blue pot I had my eye on. It might have been $200 marked down to 40 marked down to TEN DOLLARS. I also got a big metal/copper bucket marked down from at least 150 to $37.50 (I don't think she did the math right. I'll have to check in the morning. I had wanted something like a watering trough near the bees, and this might fill the bill. Or we can use it for logs. That magnificient green pot. I met the nice guy who works the floor. I told him what I wanted to pay for it and without my knowing it he called the ?manager? anyway a woman, and she no way was she going below $160. I think the problem is there was no pink marked down price, so it was 75 % off 699. I really don't want to pay that much because I know I won't move it in freezing weather, and it may break. I'm only willing to risk 100 or less. If anyone can talk them down to $100 or less, I'll take you to LaPatisserie for lunch or Quebrada in Arlington for a cake. Could also do Lakota for a dozen cookies. There's a challenge for the bargainers out there! I'll pay you back in cash and could even meet you at Mahoneys to load and transport pot. Mindy, I saw two "maroonish" pots (one upside down, the other on top) on the pallet, next to the sky blue tall. Are those the ones you are talking about? If there was a salmon pot in the "transition room" I missed it entirely. I'm not looking at your post right this second, but I thought you said it had some branches dispayed it it. I'll look again, maybe when I check to see if the christmas tree is marked down. I wasn't too offended by the look of its branches. But then I had pots on my mind. Marie