Hi everyone, am pleased to report I am now the owner of more than 1 plumie as my seeds have begun to germinate at long last.....my 'promises of things to come'..hopefully!

Not that they took long to pop up, the first two were up after only a week I guess, but having failed miserably with two previous batches, I am delighted with the results. Only problem now is I will have to wait 2,3 or even 4 years to get a flower on them!

I remembered reading some advice from Tdogdad regarding removing the papery brown seed case with toothpicks if it was stubborn. Well I did have a problem with one case that was dry and refused to budge. I soaked with a few drops of water till it was soft and then carefully prised it off as per instructions. Ok I thought, here we go, all will be fine...it wasn't, as a few days later the seed leaves were still tightly stuck together. I tried to open the seed leaves and managed to damage them both as I had failed to notice and therefore remove a very thin transparent 'inner' seed case that was welding the leaves shut. After another soak (and a quiet curse), I got this other part off and released the seed leaves which are now unfurling albeit damaged...will it survive? The growing point is intact, it's just the seed leaves that I reduced by a third or so.

Was surprised to see the seed leaves were wrapped around each other, not like when you put the palms of your hands together as in most types, they were folded in half, like two interlocking 'V's..never come across this before, or I should say..I have never NOTICED this before.

Anyway, suffice to say our new greenhouse is now operational and will NOT be blowing away in the wind, will post pic when hubby has finished the windows and door..he's on prototype window casement no 3 at present...hehehe! It's been hard work but fun building it ourselves and it's already filling up with all sorts of plant matter...but we have left a corner for some chairs and a table to sit and enjoy the views with a drink or two...when we get the time!!

Hope 2007 will be a good one for us all, in every way.

Cheers! Gill.