Spathiphyllum can tolerate a wide range of mixes, but they do best in a well-draining mix that is watered frequently. The reason I would still use smaller particles is root-room. The plant will run out of root-room in short order in a container of super chunky mix. In fact, my Peace Lily already needs to be divided and transplanted the way I did last year. I used a very course mix of bark, perlite, and pumice. I did add the recommended Lime at the time of mixing, and I've been fertilizing at least once a month. The Peace Lily is blooming, too. Josh

@Cassie (8b Southern AZ, high desert) Hi Al, do you normally use the ring or the tourniquet method when you air layer your ficus plants? Or do you do a combination of both (you mentioned using a tourniquet and blanching part of the stem/branch?)? It would depend on the Ficus species. For most Ficus, I propagate by cuttings, because I've found that under mist or in a humidity chamber, you can start some really thick cuttings of many ficus species (3"+). This image of F salicifolia was a cutting started from the top of a much larger tree. Same tree as above - first pruning after rooting ^^^. Ficus microcarpa cutting ^^^ in process of rooting - note new buds opening. Removing the tops of trees in training is sort of a way to create an almost instant bonsai. Once the tree is fully rooted. a little wiring to reposition branches will turn it into a 'believable' tree, resembling something one might see in nature. If we take the misting and high humidity out of the equation, I prefer ringing the plant; however, even when I use the ring method, I often use a tourniquet immediately below the top of the ring. While I'm thinking of it, the rule of thumb for the ht of the ring is, it should be at least 1/5x the diameter of the branch/ trunk being layered. Also, when you peal the bark back on many species of trees, a very thin layer of vascular cambium usually remains attached to the sapwood beneath it. It is crucial to remove that white/tan layer of tissue as part of the layering process. I'm guessing my reason for layering is probably going to differ from yours. Most plants I layer is because they are seedlings, and as such have a very ugly root system. Strong roots that radiate horizontally away from the trunk and a trunk flare at the base of the tree eventually become a critical consideration for almost every bonsai enthusiast who has practiced bonsai for more than a decade. Eventually, we develop the idea that everything we do should focus on bringing out the tree's best potential, even if we are not the owner who sees it realized. Often, that will result in trees in training for 20 years before they even see a bonsai pot. I couldn't even guess at the number of times I've been a part of brain-storming over a tree, my own or someone else's, and making radical changes that turn a tree which is an acceptable specimen in its own right, back into a bonsai in training for the sole reason a better way to bring out the tree's potential was discovered. The image below is a Trident maple which was air-layered off of it's original set of roots which were way to ugly for my purposes. I used only the ring method for this tree (wire still attached if you look closely). Notice how the roots are almost perfectly spaced (some incongruity adds to the appeal of living plants) and radiating away from the trunk. That is what I was after. The tree below is a Korean hornbeam, and 3-image sequence below shows first what a tree's seedling roots usually look like. Many growers work hard at trying to get these roots straightened around, but I have learned better results cam be had in far less time and with less effort, bu layering the plant off of its old roots. This is one way of using the tourniquet method (below), which takes much longer than ringing/ girdling or a combination of a tourniquet and ringing/ girdling. With a tourniquet, as the diameter of the trunk increases the vascular cambium is compressed as the tourniquet tightens. This 'chokes off' downward movement of photosynthate (the plant's food) and auxin, the hormone that stimulates root development and branching. With food and a surplus of the tree's natural rooting hormone accumulating immediately above the tourniquet, you can be quite certain of a plethora of roots emerging within a short vertical space. With an understanding of the tree's wounding response, I deduced that drilling holes with a 3/16 brad-point drill turned with my fingers and filled with a insoluble rooting gel should help coax the tree into producing an exceptional root base. The roots in the first image (of the trident maple) are the result of this method. Ring + tourniquet method ^^^ BTW - I no longer use zip ties as a tourniquet as they sometimes fail/ break - especially on thick layers on branches/ trunks larger than 1". I use 2-3 wraps of aluminum bonsai wire in size 2-3mm with the ends twisted tight with pliers. The wraps should touch each other, which forces all rooting to occur above the layer. What type of soil do you use when you air layer, since you don't use sphagnum moss? I'm assuming this is one of the few times you want something moisture retentive - do you use a regular potting soil? Peat moss? Seed starting mix? I usually use gritty mix for just about everything I use a pot to layer. Below, there are 2 things going on. I had just finished establishing an air layer on the hornbeam in the background and I was working on pruning 2 China dolls and 2 asparagus ferns. I was layering the hornbeam because the trunk was much too long/ tall given the thickness of the trunk, so the best way to shorten the trunk was to layer it off of it's old roots and start a new root system higher up. The top of the ring cut is at approximately the ht of the duct tape holding the pot together. Below, is a hackberry tree being layered. You can see the gritty mix in the pot This is the same hackberry, same summer, after being separated from the mother plant. In case you noticed, it's planted deep on purpose. I will let it grow wild (almost completely unpruned) and begin work on it in spring of '24. And last question (for now!), what time of year do you typically start your air layering? Spring. I like to have them separated by the end of July. Do you try to time it to plant the new plant in June, or is some other time preferable? If we're still talking about Ficus, spring will always be the best time. If I was layering, I would start the layer on Ficus just before or when I move them outdoors. They really start to want to grow then, so we might as well take advantage of the tree's natural inclinations. I'm wondering if it's better to start the process in June, since you're effectively pruning the parent plant, which would put separating the new plant sometime in August? Geography plays an important role in deciding what the best timing is. I bet you would be fine starting your layers in early May, especially if your plants are outdoors. Then, you should have no problem separating in July-August. Thanks in advance! (And I suppose apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but made more sense in my mind than starting a fresh one and linking back here). No worries. Things are slow on the forum and my wife is recovering from some recent surgery, so I have to be home and indoors for a few more days, it looks like. I'm glad for the opportunity to kill some of the time it always seems so important to save. ;-) Al

Obviously none of the people who have responded have even a remote clue about how to properly size a line. When designing a potable water distribution system you begin by selecting all the end use fixtures to determine what the end use load will be. In the case of the original post they want a shower head, body sprays, a hand shower and possibly a rain shower head. Quote:"How many fixtures will you have on at any one time? Remember that 3/4" pipe has double the capacity of 1/2" pipe." Code requires that we design a potable water system for a worst case scenario. The system must be capable of maintaining the code listed minimum fixture "Dynamic head pressure" even when every fixture in the house is turned on at the same time. The statement that a 3/4" pipe has twice the capacity of a 1/2" pipe is not true. The capacity, or properly the volume of flow is determined by the size of the metering orifice in the end use fixture. It is true that a 3/4" line has double the cross sectional area of a 1/2" line however both will supply the same volume, the difference being that the velocity of flow will be twice as fast in the 1/2" pipe. The problem here is that as the velocity of flow increases the "fiction head pressure loss" increases dramatically. In addition to the loss of pressure due to friction head if the velocity of flow exceeds 8fps we start seeing sever pipe wall erosion, which leads to premature pipe failure. In fact, while acidic water is the leading cause of pin hole failure in copper pipe, excessive velocity in undersized pipe is the second leading cause of pinholes. Preferably we should have the end use fixture data available when designing the system but in situations where that information is not yet available we use the gal/min flow rates that are published in the code. Now getting back to the original question. All the end use fixtures in question are types of shower heads and per code shower heads are restricted to 2.5gpm so let us begin putting it all in perspective. Using the code standard of 2.5gpm we get shower head (2.5gpm), hand shower (2.5gpm) and body sprays (2.5gpm)equals and a hand shower(2.5gpm) for a total load of 10gpm. Consulting the "Type L Copper Friction Loss Table" we find that if we supply this shower with a 1/2" line the velocity of flow would be 13.80ft/sec and the pressure loss would be 67.72psi/100ft of pipe. If we increase the pipe size to 3/4" the velocity of flow is 6.62ft/sec and a pressure loss of 11.17psi/100ft.

I seem to be falling farther behind instead of catching up! But by the looks of some of the other posts, I'm not alone in the room!:) I'd like to get a few queen-sized quilts done that were started back when I had the shop - I have all the fabric except for one top - didn't know for the longest time how to assemble/complete it w/the limited amount of fabrics I had. (the fabric line was discontinued before I was half into it, d___!) And now the group I quilt w/once a week (if I'm lucky to have a day w/out kids! lol) want to do a block of the month type that was featured in a magazine recently. It's pretty neat, & I'd love to do it, but don't have a clue who it would go to when it's done! I prefer to know the 'who' before I start -- it helps w/fabric choices! But first I have to get past strep throat - my 1st bout ever! This is the first I've been off the couch since my trip to the Dr's for a shot of penicillin. Poor DH had to fix his own dinner - & even made me an egg & toast - what a dear! (Guess I'll keep him LOL) Not the best way to begin a new year, but hopefully tomorrow I'll feel well enough to sew - right now I'm about ready to crawl back to the couch - vertical isn't that fun:) Hope everyone is healthy!! & all geared up for a year of great quilting!!