"Hello again," to anyone and maybe especially maybe to akamainegrower, if you happen still tobe around this forum... Due partly to my having as yet not been able to get much of any reply to somewhat extensive inquiry sent the past year or so to two (I think--having various inquiries and "feelers" out there to various places, it's a little hard to keep exact track) heavily involved in blueberry research , I've elected for now to try contacting that other type of place you mention: Christmas Tree Growers' Association (s). But, so far , a few weeks later, no response. Of course, the timing isn't necessarily the greatest, being around tree selling time, as well as apt to be time already of some freezing already of the ground. That University of Maine department which you mention, also may be of interest. At the same time, maybe "if" I could , before contacting them, run a test myself to , hopefully, get some sort of actual proof begun, of one or more of my specimens actually being immune-maybe that might help make my inquiry to them or to whomever, more intriguing? Sure seems like it couldn't hurt; and in these days of easy photography and easy communicating, maybe I could at least visually document my efforts doing such actual test. But , besides that the bushes involved are somewhat "well out" in the woods...under a foot of snow and ice I guess, around now...I still will have to somehow come up with a few young fir seedlings or young plants that have the disease (to use as source of disease spores to expose the blueberry bushes to...inside on my big plant-growing window sill, I guess). Maybe --by some longshot chance--someone here would happen to know of and have access for digging up ,of a few young "infected" firs trees (any kind of firs, although if it'd be wild firs rather than tree plantation ones, seems to me it'd most likely end up being "balsam" firs). Young or seedling firs "infected" with this fir-blueberry rust, that is...(the Pucciniastrum goeppertianum one...the one that causes broomlike growths on blueberry plants, and I guess as to on the firs, causes just small yellowish or whitish spore capsule happening on some of the needles . I maybe should stress, in case I haven't mentioned it before, about the "other" kind of witches broom happening with fir trees: the "other" kind does make broomlike growth happening on the firs themselves...but that's a totally separate disease, if/when "that happens". The only ones I'd be interested in are young or seedling firs happening to have gotten the first type of "witches broom " disease, the one wherein it's only the blueberry bushes that get the brooms, with the firs , again, just getting some kind of small-to-tiny tag growths on their needles. I do think that likely as not, patches or areas of firs of most any kind , happening to be very near (especially within maybe 50 to 100 feet[ of a bunch of wild highbush blueberry bushes or a patch of lowbush blueberries, IS by my guess, at least pretty likely to be involved with the blueberries with infection of this disease happening between them. Given these two types of plants growing nearby one another, the infection of this disease that I see as likely, might be easiest to spot the likelihood of, by checking whether the blueberry bushes have any if the broomlike growths showing. There would be pictures readily available (I think I'll also see if I can get hold of some images and post links here, assuming that's allowed and that I can figure out the procedure) to check further what to look for, online such as at Google Images, Yahoo Images, etc. (searching for , probably: witches broom, blueberry. or: fir blueberry rust). Which, especially as to possibly making available to me, a few of these prospective "infected" young firs--would be "going some", I realize. Therefore, here's what I think (hoping there's no proscription here "against" it) I think I can offer (if anybody's not already been too bored , here, to read this far): If anyone can find and have or get access (for digging) such an instance of little fir trees and blueberry bushes growing together, or adjacent, such that it's resulted in the occurrence of this disease, and would be willing to try to dig three or so of the infected firs for my use: than, while it'd be apt to need to be "first come, first served " and maybe only one deal available: I believe can try to make it worth your while, monetarily (make an offer?) Pictures "first," please...of the plants on the site, showing infection (typically very obvious when it happens) of some of the blueberries on the site, with the broom-like growths. Also, if possible, pics of the evidence of the disease on the little firs that would be dug. Maybe send COD, for no risk? or otherwise, putting them for me on Ebay? I'll try to follow here, of course, for replies...while I believe my profile page does have a link for privately emailing me, if anyone wants. "Thanks" to all.

Hey joe I'm growing all of mine indoors in pots (no chambers), the Ventricosa, Sanguinea and J Finn seem very tough, they are doing well in the 40% humidity in this room. You could always cut your one down to stop vining and then grow the cutting you take into new plants? I should image these plants should grab onto the shelving quite easily if you try and train them. I looked at the pics that Cooks has as well as others online of young J Finns, it does indeed look like the pics, I was wondering where the red peristome is but red this happens as the plant matures. Feel free to post pics of your Neps if ya have. Cheers Sheldon

Hey! Not sure how old this message is, but I have grown Bananas in Milwaukee Wisconsin for the past 5 years! I do not plant them in the ground at all. A friend of mine in the Houston area was getting rid of his and chopping them down, he gave me half of a root ball (Rhizome) and I brought it with me on the plane ride home. By the time I landed it had already started growing! I put it in a large pot and put it outside. It grew quickly. FOr the winter I went to Menards and bought a plug in large shop light fixture and full spectrum flourescents and mounted them in my basement. The plant continued to grown. The next year I put it outside again and grew even taller. By the end of that summer I actually had the Flag Leaf and a bananana flower. I brought it in the house again and by January I actually had the sweet smell of banana flower in my house and a few hands of small bananas. Putting them in the ground will not fly in Illinois. But if you buy them and put them in pots, you will do just fine. The only other recommendation I have is this. I am not familiar with Species names, but it seems to me the bananas with Green Leaves are much more tolerant of adverse conditions than the ones with purplish leaves. However, I found a "straggler" in the back of the greenhouse where I buy my plants that looked 3/4 dead. It didnt even have a price on it. So I picked it up and put it in the cart and its had a heck of a summer here. Friend me on Facebook to see pictures of my plants. (Most of them are bananas and tropical plants) https://www.facebook.com/mick.zupan

I water almost every day as long as we're in the 80s or hotter. I've been fertilizing with miracle gro granules when first planted, milorganite, coffee grounds, and liquid miracle gro so far twice this growing season. Jim- My Thai Giant from last year died in March, slowly declined to nothing. I was watering it frequently to keep it growing, and because I understand that EEs love water, and can be grown in bogs or standing water. I figured it couldn't hurt, but maybe I was wrong. How often did you water yours? I bought 2 new TG's from Brian's and planted them a little over a month ago. One is outperforming the other though. The smaller has 16" leaves, and the larger has 20". Both just finished pushing up a new leaf yesterday, so once those open, I can get new measurements.