Thanks to the two previous writers. I apologize, I should have mentioned that I have Artemesia Silver Mound Schmidtiana. I'll wait for spring this year to cut them back. I think they splayed because first of all, they were somewhat root bound (though healthy and within the splayed areas you could see new growth, tiny leaves). They had gone into flowering mode, and I did trim all the flowers off. What a beautiful plant--I know it's common, but I love its fluffy rounded shape. Really pretty next to the Little Spire dwarf sage, also common,that I planted which has such vibrant lavendar flowers. I remember reading in a thread about gas station or mall plants. It just reminds me that you should garden for your own sake and plant what you like. I love people who have "show" gardens, or have unusual varieties of plants. But I also admire simple gardens full of marigolds and zinnias and Knockoput roses. There is beauty in many common plants, or why would they be "common?" The lady I bought the small silver mound from had a huge display of artemesia that looked exactly like the schmidtiana ones I got, except they were a variety that grew HUGE! Three plants took up this huge area, and quite tall too. A giant silver mound! I wonder what variety those were? The mound looked about 4 feet high or more, and at least 6 feet wide. Thanks again, Leann

Hi, I read a few messages already about more or less similar cases, but just to make sure I wanted to ask these things once again. The patient: 2-yo Helen's Hybrid banana. Is growing in a largish pot, now outdoors. It's too high to fit indoors for overwintering. There are two pups next to it, there was a third one but I killed it when I tried to remove it and got no roots with it. So I would like to remove the pups and hopefully get at least one of them alive to continue my life as a banana farmer. I already saw a picture here about how to cut it so that I should get some of the mother plants roots with it. So nothing special there, or is there? The pups are seemingly attached to the mother right on the soil surface level. So I dig some soil to see if the pup has it's own roots? And if not, just cut some of the mother plant with it? And then I would like to try cutting down the mother plant and see if it can be overwintered. What's the correct position for the cut? I think I could make the pseudo stem fit indoors, but if it grows new leaves, they will hit the ceiling right away. So can I cut it down to the soil level or a bit higher? Or should I just cut the leaves and try to overwinter it dormant in the yard garage (may go just below freezing point, a few degrees under zero C or 32F and totally dark)? The main garage under the house is another possibility, temperature there will be somewhat higher, around 10-15C and there are some small windows but the doors are opened daily when the car goes in or out and then some very cold outdoor air can momentarily get it. The ceiling in main garage is also a bit lower, so I don't know if the pseudo stem will fit in there in upright position and with the pot. Or, if I can cut down the main pseudo-stem, it may be possible to overwinter the whole pot with the pups and all indoors, like last winter. That would be nice, except of course the fact that my plant will then be much shorter. The place where I live is in Finland, northern Europe, and the winter temperature may be as low as -30C (-22F) so overwintering outdoors is not a possibility even though this cultivar is one of the more cold resistant ones. Any ideas are welcomed, including any propositions to obtain a smaller growing variety :) Yes, I've been considering it, but then again I like challenges. Jari Jari, Leave them on the "Mothership" and cut off all the leaves of the "Mothership" and the pups. Place in the "Yard Garage" and overwinter there with (Bagged) shredded leaves all around (it could be a very cold year and the "Yard Garage" could go sub freezing for an extended period of time) and on top of the nanners! Be sure to stuff extra leaves between the bags. Lay the plants parrallel to the floor if you have room. Should you not have enough room to lay the nanners down, place in upright position. If the nanners freeze above the bags just cut off the rotten pseudostem next growing season. I would take the mass of plants out of the pot so the roots can get some air whilst in the garage all winter. Wait as long as possible (freeze wise) to move them to the garage. Remember! The pot will freeze the roots,(but not the bulb)so bring it in to the garage when temps are suppose to be a couple of degrees below freezing. Those are my 10cents worth of tidbits of info! Good luck! Happy Gardening, Drew

that is interresting about the Dat process you use. I just plop mine in soil and they sprout real fast and nicely. Have not put brugs in darkness so I better not say anything to what to do. Lucy

Zone 7 is near the borderline of hardiness for some crApe myrtles. In the ground, probably most/any crApe myrtle cultivar would be fine, but, in a pot, they might be a little vulnerable (especially for very small plants and especially during a colder winter). If you do keep them in pots, I'd recommend putting them in a somewhat sheltered location (up against your house, in an unheated building, entire pot heeled into the ground, etc). They might survive without much protection, but it could be more dicey in colder parts of zone 7.