Damn! I had a long post all prepared and did something stupid (I think) and lost all my work. I did that yesterday on another forum site, too. I HATE it when that happens. Try this site for reliable information about nutritional issues and info. It even has a Mulder's Chart that shows how antagonisms play out, which really shows why fertilizers that don't closely mimic the ratio of nutrients plants actually USE, can get you in trouble in doubletime. Ask any specific questions you can think of. We can probably answer them. Root growth and top growth are closely linked. Root growth always occurs prior to top growth. Chemical messengers keep the plant informed about it's state of vitality, and growth regulators will suppress top growth until there is enough root mass to support it. What is the first thing to emerge from the seed? The root radicle, not the trunk. That plants in very large pots with plenty of room for roots to run won't put on top mass because they put all their energy into growing only roots is a myth. We KNOW that tight roots slows growth more and more as root congestion increases. It doesn't make sense that tight roots and roots with room to run would BOTH suppress growth, does it? Growth and vitality begins to be negatively affected at the point where the root/soil mass can be separated from the pot intact. Once a plant gets to that point, nothing will correct the limitation other than correcting the problem via root pruning. Potting up won't do it, and neither will planting out. Myth - shallow pots stimulate lateral growth while deep pots stimulate ht. No truth there. Whether plants are shrubby or tree-like originates in genetic predisposition and can be controlled to a large degree by selective pruning. There are 2 perspectives when it comes to plants being potbound. From the plant's POV, tight roots are always limiting, so the plant wants more room for roots when they are congested - to relieve the stress. The stress CAN be employed by the grower to make some plants grow in desirable ways. Tight roots have a dwarfing effect (smaller leaves/tighter internodes, and sometimes a few more blooms, but stress is stress. Stress unchecked leads to strain, and strain uncorrected always leads to death of the organism. Not long ago, ONE person glommed onto a negative statement someone made in a blog about Turface. This person is intentionally negative about most things associated with the 5:1:1 mix or the gritty mix, and even regularly sacrifices his credibility on the altar of negativity when it comes to these soils. It's not uncommon to see that happen. Turface, used appropriately, is a superb soil additive/amendment. Asking people who actually USE these soils, and considering them a reliable source is going to serve you much better than believing someone with an axe to grind. Al

Oh my Gawd!!! What a horrible thing to read sitting here in this amazingly earthy gorgeous place. Our apt/suite is located on a tiny cobblestone street and was built in the 1400s. Everthing is so old and quiet and peaceful,until you get down by the harbor and then the speed picks up. A couple of doors down from us is a small Internet Cafe and DH actually popped in here yesterday to see how Ohio State did. I told him he was a real sicko. Thanks a lot Jazz..I'm going to have a bunch of raki instead of one tonight.Boy that stuff doesn't go down easy. A football forum? What on earth can they find to talk about? Im going to register under another name and try to destroy it.

For all the hot!!! climate mater growers thats havin truble growing stuf in the heat not jist maters Id like ta set yah thinkin bout usin surround wp. The only thang yah hafta bes careful bout is gettin it on blossims. Itll make yore leaf surface a dad gum site cooler with out takin away eny of the goodies the sun duz. It mite even hep with small critters and the dad gum sickies that maters do git.And this here stuf be bout as hurtful to ma nature as a cool breeze. Ifn it pleases you to , look it up on the dad gum i net . Im not tryin to sell it , i jist know it worked for me. Ifun youd like i kin go inta more detail. talk at yah later , enjoy a mater.

Hi Susan, more help than you can imagine. It all is coming together, I am starting to visualize--and looking for my credit card. Your response about burning cd by going to Walmart or similar is priceless--that's me, overanalyze, make the direct complex. I do miss my 35mm and lenses and medium format cameras. With a career as archaeologist/preservationist, I created hundreds of b+w images that worked fine, from holes in the ground (contrast problems) to hulking buildings. Frame, focus, shoot, bracket, shoot, pray, bring to photoshop. Youth, familiarity with the tool, simple support system was nice. I have hundreds of medium to large format b+w negatives related to my study property: 1920s to 1949. Fairchild camera aerial views, on and on. Getting prints has been a nightmare--I'm doing a few with an on-line service and have promise of prints, digitizing, etc as student project at local community college in the fall--great but too late for my schedule. I could chip in on your post with some stories. Best tho, I checked out the scanner you mentioned. It will do up to 8.5x11, film, wow? And the price is great--I bought half of it with on-line scanning order. Your images a beautiful, just the quality I hope for with my larger negatives. The photographer was good too. I certainly will keep you posted as I learn and get about my work. Help from all corners is wonderful. Winner? Go to Walmart! BTW, I am upstate NY native, the region was my primary research focus for several years. Mike