Hi Raythegardener, Sorry this reply is so late. For some reason I wasn't notified that you had replied. What are you looking for in trade? Please take a look at my trade list. Also if you have in mind something that is not on my list, I may be able to get it. I am interested in all three species of the bamboo you listed above. Send me an email.

Ah, hex you want this to be so wrong. Sorry but you can look up the "no nutritional value" on hydroponics it's well documented. An yes your right the plants don't care what the source of those elements are. But we're not talking about the plants but what "feeds on them". But lets talk about something else. You mentioned a perpetual motion machine. Well, yes that's what life is. it's in the very air we breathe. The plants breathe in bacteria that has the nitrogen cycle living inside it. The plant nitrogen (waste) cycle is part of that too. Even in an anaerobic system that still goes on. I have apple and pear trees that are ten years old that have been flowering, fruiting as well. With no intervention from me other than water if I notice. That means no fertilizer either. The bucket design captures rainfall so that wasn't often. Oh, that's right there's another difference. Capturing the rain water is taboo for your form of hydroponics. I mean with all the measurements and such. Haven't needed to take a reading ph or other wise in more than 20yrs. As for growing something..a tomato. Really. Is that the hill you standing on. I'm showing Cashews, Macadamia nuts,, coffee, 3 kinds of Bio-Fuel. Apples, pears, Plums, peaches all growing happily in the system. I bring pictures of everything. There even Strawberries flowering this year that grow anaerobically. Let's just off the top of my head there are Norfolk pines, Fiddle leaf figs, Sago palms, cactus, White and Yellow Birds of Paradise, Orchids, Pony Tail palms, Citrus. All growing quite happily. Those pictures are already on here. As for water consumption on average each tight 5gal container holds about three an a half gallons. That water last between 45 and 60 days with out rain. If I get a good rain once a month I don't have to water at all.

daveh, I've never been to one of the sales, but I can imagine. I used to live in Pasadena and the Huntington sales were amazing--people would line up 2 hours in advance with their wagons. On the other hand, I went to the UC-Santa Cruz nonmember's sale last year and was incredibly disappointed--everything was already cleaned out by the member's sale just before (no Proteas, no Leucospermums, one or two Banksias...). I've heard that even the member's sale there is a free for all, and that you have to plan in advance exactly what you want and run for it. The thing that I like about the monthly sales at Strybing is that they are so low-key (do most people even know they exist?), so that even really amazing plants are often still there after 30 minutes. In February the Passiflora table was really sleepy and I imagine that P. antioquiensis, P. exoniensis, P. antio x parritae and P. exo x parritae were still there for quite a while. There just wasn't a mob of people there to grab them. As you say, the people working there were incredibly helpful. I met up with someone at the sale this month to exchange some plant material, and he asked for a particular plant that was not on the sale table (possibly P. bogotensis? I'm not sure). Anyway, the guy went right back to the greenhouse and got it for him. It's great to hear that's standard practice--pretty amazing. It sounds like if you really want a particular plant the monthly sales might make more sense if it's that easy. daveh--If you are still reading this thread, I have a question. The themed sales later in the year: perennials, native plants, etc. (also each month)--do they have a substantial representation of other plants, or are there fewer? I've heard that a native plant sale is not for example, just a native plant sale, but a general sale with an emphasis on natives. So in this particular case would there be fewer non-native plants? Also regarding volunteering--do they make it so that people can do it only one the weekend? Many botanical gardens are geared so only retirees can volunteer. Passionlove--that's interesting. I'm always amazed by the plants that "shouldn't" do well in Florida yet survive, or even thrive. Another Andean species, Solanum quitoense or Naranjilla comes to mind. From a book chapter on the plant (actually a really nice book online on a Purdue site): http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/naranjilla_ars.html#Climate "In Colombia, the naranjilla flourishes in humid regions at elevations between 3,600 and 7,900 ft (1,600 and 2,400 m) where the annual rainfall is about 60 in (150 cm). Precipitation up to 120 in (250 cm) is tolerable if well distributed throughout the year. In Panama, the naranjilla has made good growth at altitudes from 4,000 to 6,000 ft (1,200-1,800 m). It is grown in southern Florida at near sea-level. The best plantations in Ecuador are between 5,000 and 6,000 ft (1,500-1,800 m), where the mean temperature is 62.6 to 66.2º F (17º-19º C). The naranjilla cannot tolerate temperatures over 85º F (29.4º C). It is not adapted to full sun but favors semi-shade." It does get above 85 F in South Florida, right?

This site lists some posibilities.