I've had fairly good luck with planting water-rooted plants (mostly Pothos). I always re-use my old soil as well, so it's not like I'm "babying" them. They enjoy a nice, bright window (not direct sun), and a good soaking every two weeks or so. Don't over-water them. If the leaves turn yellow, the plant is too wet. If they turn brown and crispy, it's too dry.

Thanks, Josh. I don't think I want something that dries faster, but maybe something that dries more uniformly so I know when to water it. All but the Aeoinium are small plants, but I have many of them in two community pots (previously 3) that are quite deep (terra-cotta colored plastic in the photos above, and the large, cream-colored Aeonium pot). My feeling is that in these deep pots, the top dries very fast, while the deeper grit is still wet, so it's difficult to know when to water. I'm still trying to figure it all out, though. I am loath to de-pot any more plants to check roots, but it appears that my succulents in smaller pots are doing better. That could be because the grit dries faster, but If that were the case, I think the plants in the top of that big Aeonium pot should've looked better than the deeper Aeonium because they dried faster. Also, it wouldn't explain why an Aeonium in wet soil with a Western Sword Fern is doing so well (has been damp to wet all winter), or why some other cuttings have roots growing right through the bottom of their pot and into standing water in the reservoir below. It's really confusing. The last photo below is the bottom of the pot in the second photo. It sits in a cup which, as you can see, accumulates a bit of standing water.

Thanks for finding that pic, PopMama! I looked thru several pages and if it came up on my search I completely missed it! Liz, what you described at the swap was "more pink," so I hope what you remember is right! Please don't spend all your time looking for your pic, but if you should happen to run into it sometime over winter I would enjoy seeing it! If you don't run into it I will--hopefully--get to see it up-close-and-personal in spring! When that happens I will definitely be taking some of my own pics--however since google catastrophized WebAlbums a month ago I don't know if I'm even able to post links to my pics anymore! You mentioned that one of the Iris I got ['Superstition' and 'Abigail Provides'] was "shorter" than "others"--I think! If you did, was it 'Superstition' that was the shorter one? In the last couple days I got some big (2-3' X 18") patches of the "bad dirt" dug out along the walk by the side of my deck and, saving the more friable soil that was there, I've added a whole buncha home-grown, almost finished, compost to what was left! Have a "decent place" to plant both Iris now and am planning to get them in the ground tomorrow! I also saved some of the "better" natural soil to use when I dig out the potter's clay by the front walk where the peony is going! Will be completely removing the potter's clay, replacing it with my "saved" "better" natural soil, and then adding a WHOLE LOT of compost out there--including some that isn't quite so "almost finished!" Will be transplanting some worms too! I'm gonna make a Good Home for that peony! When I looked up the pics of it, one of the Way Cool things about it was how very different all the pics look--and, remembering you had said how much it "changed" from day to day, I'm really looking forward to seeing a few flowers on that too! Will be surprised if I get any next spring, but, with "good soil," I expect it to be taking off by the following spring! Can hardly wait! I had to water it in when I put it in the pot--my store bought soil is just "moist" when I use it, but, except for watering it in to "settle the soil" when I put it in the ground I'll leave it alone all winter--unless we get an extremely dry winter! Part of my reason for improving the soil in a pretty large area is so I'll know it has good drainage, so if we should get a snowy winter I won't have to worry about it sitting in WET CLAY! Thank you again for bringing such "cool" plants! (Yes, I realize everybody's definition of "cool plants" is different!) to swap! Since I already have so many things, and since people have started to bring things they originally got from me I don't often find many things that I want or don't already have, and this is the first swap in a long time where I was salivating and waiting to "pick!" BUT! I'll have you know that you created quite a "problem" for me!!! With my tiny yard I really did need to do some thinkin' to figure out where to put my new booty! "Problem" and all, thank you, Liz!!! >>> APS = American Phytopathological Society! Egad girl! Are you seriously into this stuff or what??? Did you REALLY go to a plant pathology convention????? Skybird

I do the same with all of my plants; tropicals, annuals and vegetables. First months I keep them in a smallish mesh pot and let the air do the pruning. I plant them in bigger pots first when I notice the growth slow down. The only thing I do, is I choose the depth of the mesh pot that is best suitable for the growing habit of the plant. For example with mango I used 30cm deep but only 10cm wide pot due to its habit to grow long main roots. I often end up making these myself. The final pots I use are mostly with a underwatering resevoir, and I cut the roots if they grow from the holes beneath. My goal with every plant is to keep the pot same size as the foliage(not including the first mesh-pots..). Thats probably the key why I rarely have rootbound ones..