I purchased these for $5 for all three. Yes, there is indeed a small hole in the base. I checked before I purchased them. I had never thought about it getting blocked. For the mix I will use either the 5:1:1 or Al's gritty mix. I need to look at the size of bark needed in the gritty and see if I have it or can find it. I looked on both the Violet Barn and Meehan's website and I am thinking about a mini violet for one, and maybe X-Codonotanthus �Sunset� and a succulents that resembles stones for the other two. I will have to wait till the weather is a lot warmer to order anything online. I did see some tiny pots of Baby Tears at my local grocery store. Purple, I have been following the small plants discussion and that is why I even considered buying these pots. I love the photo there of the mini African Violet. Tapla, I have always loved your picture of the hen and chick in the tiny jar. I might have to try one indoors and see if it would make it. I have many different hens and chicks outside and I miss them during the winter. I have a bright green one that stays very small no matter the amount of room it has to grow.

I made some of my stands from pvc pipe and plywood, and put shop lights on them. One stand I made from a 2-shelf plant stand I purchased, and added shop lights to it. What I will do next time instead of the pvc, is to find the stands such as they have at Cosco, or at the office supply store, or Sams, or any of those types. About 3 shelves, from crome or black wireing, on wheels, very strudy. I would put some clear plastic across the bottom of the shelf, and place my reservoirs on that. And suspend shop light from the shelf above with some clever type of wire or hooks. Lights need to be about 12" about lights -- but I have one stand (for minis and semis and leaves and such) where the lights are about 6 inches above the plants. I have seen bakers racks and bookshelves and all kinds of things used for shelving units. I have used cup hooks for the underside of one shelf to hook lights on to. Millions of possibilities!!!! You can see some alternative plant stands at the AVSA web site, http://www.avsa.org under FAQs. Best of luck!!! Marjorie in CC TX Good luck!!!! Here is a link that might be useful: AVSA

call your COUNTY soil conservation district ... or Ag office.. and get on the mailing list for their spring tree sale ... their mission .. is soil conservation.. and they want us to install wind breaks.. and that is basically what a forest is .... and it is your tax dollars at work.. so you may as well use the service ... cheap smallish plants.. in the quantities you wish or more.. and a great price ... ken Here is a link that might be useful: link

I have the same problem with soils sometimes, they drain so fast that even a small spritz from my spray bottle leaks right thru the soil out the bottom of the pot and then I get iffy on if I should water it some more in case more of the water exited the pot then allowed for the plant to drink!! we all tend to baby our plants in some way or another I still gotta learn to take a step back myself but ive been doing better - I just gotta muster up the courage to separate and repot my baby plants that are still in the same pots with there mothers, its starting to get a lil crowded in a few of my mini 1.5in pots and im not sure they will be completely happy sharing a pot that size with anything growing bigger by the days! and oh, boy! I cant wait to get your e-mail and receive one of your babies ...(or 10 ;-) ..) lol, I forgot to ad my address so just e-mail me back and ill send you my info if and when you need it! I already cleared a nice lil spot for your plant to go and I will be sure to send you updated pictures!