CD - 'bare-rooting' is removing all the old decomposing and compacted soil from your plant's root structure. Depending on the plant, root pruning often accompanies bare-rooting, and has an additional rejuvenating effect on plants for physiological reasons that I won't go into unless you're curious. I'll link you to a thread that covers the advantages of full repots (as opposed to potting up) and root-pruning at the end of this post. What you need most now is a good measure of patience and vigilance over your watering habits. The odds are, if you used a commercially prepared soil, that you'll need to be ultra-careful to avoid over-watering. You want your soil to remain barely damp, about as damp as a well wrung out sponge. I would suggest you start checking just how damp your soil is by inserting a chopstick or skewer deep into the pot. If it comes out cool, damp, or dirty, don't water until it comes out clean. Keep the plant warm and in good light, and just wait for the plant to do what Mother Nature has already programmed it to do - grow well & look good. Hopefully, I'll be able to offer some insight into how you can help that process along. In most cases, the obstacles you have to overcome are directly related to the combination of your soil choice and watering habits. Even things like insect infestations and fungal afflictions can usually be blamed on the weakened condition that results from the stress of a root system that is compromised by the effects of a poor soil that doesn't allow you to water properly. Most of the new members that come to the forum for help have soil-related obstacles to overcome they never knew they had. Most of the seasoned forum contributors that don't have the same obstacles either make their own soils or significantly alter the physical properties (drainage and aeration) of commercially prepared soils to make them better suited for houseplants. When you mention obstacles, it's a perfect lead-in for me to say that what defines us in our abilities as growers is our degree of proficiency at recognizing and eliminating limiting factors, 'obstacles' if you will. The plant is genetically programmed to grow well and look good; all we need to do is to reduce the effects of whatever limits the plant. It sounds easier than it is, yet it's not beyond the grasp of even a beginner. I think if you, and all the less experienced growers, keep an open mind and embrace the idea that your soil choice is likely the one decision that most significantly reduces the primary obstacles you face, you'll be poised to make the largest leap forward you can take at one time. I'd be interested in knowing if you found the link I'm leaving helpful, and if anything I've said moves you to questions. Al Here is a link that might be useful: If you're up for homework ...... click me

During these dog days of August, waiting for cool or breezes so I can attack the huge surge of green from recent rains, I found a great thread from June '13 that I missed. It is long, so I'm not "bumping" it up. It has much lovely writing, and funny. It was started by "aharriedmom" about being overwhelmed with rescue plants while lacking ability to plan or design. It ends with 10 before/after photos by "shear_stupidity", of her gorgeous pool and patio installation. I hope you, too, enjoy it. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/flgard/msg0607462519688.html This post was edited by irma_stpete_home on Wed, Aug 27, 14 at 13:26

This is what the post says they have: ..."The following may give you an overall idea of the "ecozone" and types of plants available. There are large, relatively flat areas as well as slopes and drainage areas. The property contains heavy ashe juniper/oak areas as well as a mixture of cedar elms, Spanish red oaks, live oaks (even some fairly large ones), escarpment black cherries (a few), evergreen sumacs, yaupon holly, flame leaf sumacs, Mexican Buckeye, redbud trees and Texas persimmons; there are various sized seedlings of most of these, appropriate for hand digging. In addition there are grassy areas. A sample of other plants might include agarita, twisted leaf yucca, rusty blackhaw vibernum, cedar sedge (and maybe other sedges), American beauty berry (a few), two-leaf senna, Lindheimer senna, Lindheimer crown beard, a few lantana (horrida), little bluestem, silver bluestem, Indian grass, tall gramma and even a few mountain laurels and lots more including prickly pear cactus. Some of you "grass experts" will probably be able to identify many additional grasses...." Omar

Updating, the newest frond is all grown up looking like the rest of the gang. Haven't yet seen any signs of the Black ZZ called 'Raven' here in my area. Then again, I haven't been in Manhattan since 3/20. Haven't been to my local BBS in a month, don't know if they even got in any Spring plants, given the Corona virus shutdowns.