I bought one eye of EP in the beginning of the 2006 season. Today it is still one eye. Slow, but it is fantastic looking, nonetheless.

It is normal for plant growth to slow down if not stop during the short days of winter. I cut down on watering and do not fertilize until late February/early March. Still, I use a lot of supplemental flourescent lighting and the palms push active growth during winter despite the coolish temperatures I maintain for them. There have also been a lot of clear sunny days in the East so indoor light is fairly good, and the lack of cold weather means less heating and that means a moister indoor atmosphere (important for indoor palms). (Very brightest interior conditions are when there is a snow cover and the sun is out.) Majesty palms are fairly fast growing but they are somewhat prone to spider mites inside. (I keep mine in humid and coolish (60's) conditions to avoid this problem.

Why did I renovate? It was time... Very little counter work space Was tired of always bumping into my DH at the sink while I prepped on the 2' of counter b/w the range and sink! I was also tired of only being able to have a couple of ingredients or tools out at a time b/c there was no room for the rest in my small prep area...I had to put away the first ones b/f I could get out the next ones! Very little useful kitchen storage Children outgrowing kitchen table area Drawers starting to fall apart Cabinet hinges starting to go (we had already replaced one and another went "bad") Vinyl flooring was really starting to look bad DR was cutoff from Kitchen by a 33" doorway and w/our children outgrowing the kitchen space where the table was and our realizing that we were going to have start using the DR for all our meals, we decided we needed to open up the DR to the kitchen (which we had always planned to do "someday") Lighting was awful...very little light reached what little work area we had Washer/Dryer area-turned-Pantry was just not very functional (18" shelves too deep, too much wasted space in front of shelves, wire shelving, etc.) Everything finally came to a head when I bumped into the table (that was sticking out so it was only 12"-18" away from the counter & only about 6" from the oven door) with hot food from the oven and it spilled all over my recently set table and washed floor!!!! I pretty much lost it....I hate my kitchen!, I yelled. The rest, as they say, is history...I began looking around for KDs and cabinets and had pretty much settled on one and gotten my design. Then, while researching appliances a few months into the process, I stumbled on GW just before vacation...I spent the next week at the beach split b/w the ocean and the computer! I posted my first question regarding quartz countertops that very week. Then, while anxiously awaiting replies, I saw all the design help that others were getting. I read the comments, etc. and realized that the design I had gotten from my KD was definitely not "the" one! Old timers, you know the rest... the hashing out of my design over two separate threads spread out over a couple of months. It's only b/c of everyone here that I have a GREAT layout. Now, if we can only get these pesky issues resolved!

Most succulents use it to regulate moisture loss. The hairs trap air to reduce the temperature difference between the leaf surface and it's surroundings and that reduces transpiration. I think the best way to keep that hair growth lush is to just keep the whole plant healthy. I don't know what the hair is made of.