Laura, sorry about your misfortune, but don't kick yourself to hard, sometimes those things happen and there isn't anything you can do about it. It does sound like he wasn't taking the precaution about carrying it correctly. Kinda feel like he didn't deserve something that was created from your heart! Just think positive about all of the great stuff you made that was perfect and everyone loved!! Just like we love your junque and know you would never, ever sell anything that would knowingly fall apart. My heart goes out to you because I can see how that sincerely hurt you. Don't worry, you're doing the best you can, thats all you can do! We LOVE your creations, so get back in there, and don't let this stop you!! Listen real close... that's all of us, cheering you on!! blessings-sherri

Karyn now you"re talking. SO good to read that YOU got good weather. It is about time that you can work OUTSIDE the greenhouse. :-) I just walked around....My heart is heavy. It is worse that I imagined. This is my 1st hailstorm I remember that damaged the garden as it did. I guess I always missed out on the bad ones with moving around a lot lol Had rescued a banana plant from the sales rack at Lowes. That poor thing I swear looked dead just like Caren's. It had grown TWO layers of leaves ready to get big ....well the hole plant looks worse then your banana plant Caren. thanks dweep. I am glad this is my first and PLEASE the last one. I know I am dreaming again :-( Chocolate Brug, you sure know how to bring sunshine in my day! That is such a beauty! Oh I was just thinking what hail would do to a Plumeria and that reminded me of the succulents in the wheelbarrow that REALLY made me cry. But now I have unique succulents I am sure only I got lol What a way to get one of a kinds. Mary Jane I sure hope that you play it safe with this storm and going to games :-( I hope for your sake that by then you do not have no more storm!! For the rest that were able to *rescue* your plants before the storms comes. I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!! Next time they say we get hail...guess what I will try to do! Not that I would move my DH's car out from the carport rofl. But SHED here we come AGAIN lol Man even the cellphones did not work during the storm. I tried to call hubby and warn him to take his beloved car somewhere under a cover. Before they put a fence around the building he works in, he used to drive it right in the building. Well I had to plug my regular phone back up and call him. I sure hope his car is ok or I will see a grown man cry today Here comes the rain again. Let me go and close this and the doors Lucy

Andrew: If you can not find the ingredients you need to make the gritty or 5.1.1 mix, you could always amend a bagged one you are planning on using to hold you over briefly until you do. Yup, I actually said that. Many still find a way to grow in amended mixes bagged mixes. I would sift most of the peat fraction out of any bagged mix until you have mostly bark left over. Do 5 parts left over bark, one part of that sifted out peat, and one part perlite. The smaller perlite will work well if you just strain the dust out with a sifter/spaggetti collander. It would be better than any mix right out of the bag. In fact, you WILL need a better mix if you want those small cuttings to thrive, epsecially on those roots. Let us know what you do. When you get some time, you should really look into investing some time into finding any of the ingredients you need to make the mix you use to be much more efficient and durable. Perlite you can practically buy at any box store or nursery. Try and give them the best start as possible into anything better than what you described. You might want to watch they don't over dry out in those black pots since the hot sun this time of year can practicllay burn them in pots black, that big. Can you pot them into colored ones, or even better, clay? Over watering and under watering can be very tricky in containers, black that size. It is great to see you back buddy! I love those little plants. Mike

You've done well, grasshopper. If the blooms had not fallen off, I would have recommended you cut them off to promote tree size and strength... usually after the blooms comes a growth spurt. One thing I have noticed in Meyers is if you overfertilize them, it will often lead to blooming soon after; but if the tree is not strong enough, the blooms will only suck up a lot of energy, then set few fruits. If you only have one, I would rely on a good specialized citrus fertilizer and apply it according to label at the dripline 3 times per year.