I do think the coffee grounds work, not to kill them, but as a deterrent. The coffee grounds HAVE to be fresh though and I reapply the grounds every couple of days. I think it's the smell that deters them and as soon as the smell is gone, they're back. I notice the grounds also will chase away the ants. I don't think I could grow some begonias without the help from the coffee grounds. I will say though, I live very close to a Starbucks and it's easy for me to pick up coffee grounds daily. I'd probably look for alternatives as well, if I didn't have such easy access to the coffee.

I'm a dismal failure - if a teacher was to grade me, I would get a Z! What I have found out is there is a lot more to it than knowing how big a rez needs to be or how long to run a water pump, or what combo of nuits is appropriate, especially if one's background is dirt farming. I've had lights go out on an LED panel that I didn't find out about until I moved the light. Pumps that went bad on one side, airstones that got clogged. Even a pH meter that "worked" but gave false readings. Hopefully, I've learned to watch for these problems - check the container is getting aerated, look at the lights (tricky with a strong LED!), calibrate my pH meter on a regular basis. Mike

Kudos for your efforts, OhioJay. I too, am an experimenter. I tried the fruit with no luck, due to irradiation. Research, is the key to success for me. My primary sources of info are from the places that grow mangosteens commercially. My 'personal profile' for mangosteens, is based on my determination that steens, prefer the same environment that people prefer (i.e. temps above 40 degrees F, and below 100). I also concluded that steens prefer to be grown in a controlled environment (i.e. primarily inside, with and around people). Preferred locations: greenhouse, bathroom & kitchen spaces for their increased humidity. My specialty, is hydroponics. So, my preference is to propagate the steens using hydroponic technologies, to achieve absolute control of the output product. I design my own hydroponic growing vehicles. The vehicles should be portable enough to allow the plants to be moved into, and out of the sun, for brief exposures (shading is essential for mangosteens in the direct sun). Notwithstanding air temperature, plant surface temperature, is the controlling factor for steens. While air temps may be only in the upper 80's, plant surface temperatures can climb to over 100 degrees F, very quickly. A laser-guided temperature gun is most-preferred, and will save your plants from death due to sun stroke. My rule of thumb is, if its too uncomfortable for me, its too uncomfortable for mangosteens. The sun is very beneficial, but only when properly shaded. I had my mangosteen seedlings in a shaded area and turned my back for about 10 or 12 minutes, and the sun moved to a position where my plants were no longer in the shade. One the seedlings showed heavy stress. I moved them back inside and misted all of them with pH balanced water. Due to the short duration, recovery was very fast. After my irradiation nightmare, I discovered a place where they sell seeds from non-irradiated fruit. The germination rate for me was 65 percent and they advise that it has been as high as 100 percent. They recommend using PayPal, which I rejected. I sent U.S. currency via Registered Mail. No problems what so ever. The place, is: Montoso Gardens, in Puerto Rico: Att: David Brunner Montoso Gardens Hwy 120, Km 18.9 Box 692 Maricao, Puerto Rico 00606 USA The seeds are $1.50 each, w/ free shipping when you buy at least 10. Bryan and David Brunner are very good people, and I do plan to visit them personally. Keep in mind, that the seeds lose their viability after 5 days. So, regardless when your money arrives, schedule your seed mailing from PR on a Monday, in a week with no holidays. I got my seeds in 3 days. I soaked them over-night in filtered, pH balanced water and planted them the very next day. I got 20 seeds and treated half with a growth hormone, and half without. TROY S. McNEILL at: cygnusx1547@yahoo.com Hydroponic Configuration Systems

maybe this will give you some additional inspiration ;-) left is a cutting that was pretty beat up looking.. the right is after only 25-something days with 1-2 inch fruit size forming and the plant topping the 54" cage. nutrients were kept around 750-900ppm using a 5-15-14 fertilizer.. maxi bloom by general hydroponic works pretty good at around 1 tsp a gallon (half that for younger plants!) i highly suggest a PPM/EC meter and a PH meter. glued to the bottom of the bucket there is a 4 inch air stone with an inexpensive aquarium pump. if you can somehow manage to give them more than 13-14 hours of sunlight, beware, RUN.. they might create an even bigger explosion leaving you disorientated. ^.^ i do suggest using a bigger container (10 gal) because they can drink a couple gallons of water per day..