Phoenix Ryan, I love your set up! I even have sets of those shelves, but the chances of being allowed to use one for plants, no way its going to happen, LOL. What do you have on those shelves? Cannas? Gingers? And you have plants in hydroton. Are you growing your hippes hydroponically? Anna, my recommendation is start simple. If you have fluorescent tube fixtures from your basement or garage, use them. (I just pulled a working one out of a garbage can a week or so ago. Along with a couple of nice planters.) You want to use the cool bulbs and have them close to the seedling tray. If you go into a hydroponics store, you can get a pair of yo-yo looking things and adjust the lights: pull them down over the plants, then adjust them up so you can see the bulb babies. The spiral CFLs are available cheaper down here. You can put them in a round aluminum reflector from home depot. The reflector and bulb are on a clamp -- a cheap work light that you can move around. But if you're going to set up a permanent area, then just set up tube fluorescent shop lights. You can leave the lights running 16 or even 24 hours a day for seedlings. G

Priceless is right! What a wonder nature is... all it takes is one tiny spark of life to light that fire! You're very lucky to be in a climate where hippeastrums can be planted directly in the garden... that looks like a xJohnsonii bloom... a bed of those in full flower would look wonderful! I do hope they bloom for you in the future!

Hi Kristi, I was in southern California visiting my mom until the end of last week. When I returned home, the combination of work, a backlog of correspondence, watering and fertilizing all outdoor and indoor growing areas, quieting the urgent voices of bulbs who could not wait to have their flowers pollinated and carefully labeled along with those that arrived shortly after my return who would not cease pleading and cajoling until they were potted, and the bounty of imported seeds that needed planting has kept me busy. Tonight I enjoyed a night out at a jazz club in San Francisco (just got home). So girlfriend I hope you can understand my absence from the forum. Regarding the M & Z catalog, it seems that I received it more than a month ago. I may order a few bulbs from them. Aside from my quest to obtain more Hippeastrum species, here is my Priority Wish List: Japanese Hybrids (Komoriya) Jaguar (out of production) Jungle Star (out of production) Residence (out of production) Yellow Pioneer (out of production) Tosca More Hadeco Sonatinis LudwigÂs new Trumpets LudwigÂs new Cybisters Okay, I am dashing off to bed. Cheers, Blanca

Hi Angela, I do not remember what stage this guy was at when I sent it.....some had leaves and others were dormant.....if it was trying to flower and did not have leaves and the flower aborted then perhaps it simply wants to be dormant. Honestly, the way I treat these is by leaving them alone...dry as a bone, until I see a leaf emerging and then I start to water. Please back off on the water until it shows signs it wants to grow and then have at it.....they are easy, but just let them tell you what they want...As I said, I never water to get them to break dormancy....they do it on their own. I hope that others are doing well. Best of luck :o) Dan