Hi Karen, Your absolutly right but I do have some natural light and the light I got was almost $300.00 and still the most affordable. I really can't complain though karen. I have seen great vegatative growth so far and I was also told that I could supplement it with an LED light but I was encouraged to give it one season before I decide on buying another light set up. My tropical fruit trees was the main reason why I bought it and both of my Oro Blanco grapefruit trees are actually growing more now, than they did all summer! I don't get that Karyn! I always thought that the sun's natural light would be a 100% better than any artificial lighting. My mango tree not only has not dropped any leaves but is also getting ready to go thru another growth flush. One of my proudest achievments has been my having my new Penang Peach plumeria continue to bloom and hold the flowers for over a week and the best one, the Bird of Paradise! Karen, I have tried for many MANY years to get a bird of paradise to bloom for me and I have never been able to do it. My first experience with a bird was a plant that I bought in Scottsdale AZ. I had it for ten years and I was doing everything right but no flowers. I got rid of that one and I bought this one blooming 2 years ago and it did rebloom last winter but i didn't have sufficient lighting and the buds turned brown and died. With this HPS light, I have had new leaves grow about every 2 weeks. Since I have had it under that light, I have had about 5 new leaves grow which was way more than I got during the summer. It is really weird to me to hear that this light isn't used for vegatative growth. Karen, is it possible that they have done something to the bulbs on the HPS to get better vegatative growth? IF the HID light produced better growth than this does, I really think I would be in serious trouble. During the winter, I really try to just keep my plants happy and healthy. Now, some of my tropical fruit trees will bloom during the winter months. Ny citrus with the exception of the 'Dancy' tangerine, and my rare 'Maha Chinook' mango tree will also bloom during the winter. I also have seen that this light is good for ripening fruit. I am going to go with the same lights that Kathy uses for her brugs once they have all rooted. She uses the flouescents and she told me that she can keep her cuttings growing and her large brugs blooming. The only reason why my brugs cuttings are under the HPS is because not only do they seem to be loving it right now, but because the light itself runs so hot, it has raised the soil temperature which in turn will help the cuttings root faster. I really appreciate your input Kathy. Do you use HID lights yourself? I also grow plumeria and I have been trying to let all the newbies on the GW's plumeria forum and the Aloha Plumeria Group know that these kinds of lights are really an investment that they should make because in just the short month and a half I have been using mine, I have seen a HUGE effect on the over all health of all my tropicals! Oh, and I was wondering if you had any cuttings left? Thanks Karyn, Andrew

Thanks everyone. Cold here, single digit temps last night, and for tonight. But will be getting warmer, just not fast enough! Next winter, I am sure I will welcome the down time, lol. The best thing is that I have pics of all my daylilys, with names, but there are so many that look quite alike.....but when I hear a name, I will remember it. I was crossing quite a bit, and it will be fun to see which ones make it through the winter. Being in SW Missouri, do I need to trade/give away my evergreen DL's? I guess if I have any that make it, they have passed the cold test. But they might not do as well here, so they might need new homes..... Thanks again! Cheri

Hi Judith -- I take an empty plastic one-gallon jug, fill it with 1/2 gallon of distilled water, and mark the level with a black permanent marker, writing on the bottle that it is not to be used for drinking water. Next, I pour in the 6 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide by way of a funnel, put the lid back on and shake well. I keep two of these jugs ready. Since they are marked, it is easy to refill them without having to measure out the 1/2 gallon of water. I have gotten lazy since I first posted this, due to many seeds this year. Now, I just change the water about every three days. I'm now in the process of transplanting the results -- 1,000 seedlings into our new field bed. I'm only about half-way through. They are responding almost immediately to their new environment. BTW, when planting the sprouted seeds, I've had better luck by making a depression in the planting medium and placing the seeds on their sides with the emerging root facing downward without covering them. Once they start growing, I just add a pinch or two of loose potting soil to fill the depressions and cover any roots showing. It's working out much better than covering the seeds. I think planting them directly into the ground is the way to go -- you eliminate all the back-breaking work of transplanting them. But I just can't bring myself to do that yet -- especially with seeds from valuable crosses. We have very hungry fire ants here, and they do like to carry seed back home to their nests. Besides, I like watching them sprout and grow -- great therapy for the empty-nest syndrome! Nancy

Hi Swappers! Sorry if I haven't responded, but I have been reading your comments, and keeping track of whose packages have arrived. If you haven't posted yet, you should be receiving and email from me. Just want to be sure the seeds get there safely. So glad that everyone seems pleased with their selections! I really enjoyed hosting the swap again, but have to admit it has been nice getting back to planting seeds, potting up sprouts, cleaning up the garden beds, etc. Too nice to be inside sorting seeds now : ) Hope to see everyone again next year!!! Your hostess, Bonnie P.S. Dirtdaddy, since the peppers have been isolated in the guest room, Melvin's been eating my thyme plant instead. There's more in the herb bed though, so I'm not too upset with him.