When you applied the lime, and which lime, could have an affect on how things grew. If done shortly before planting the lime would not have had time to make any change in the soils pH and many nutrients would not be available to the plants. Lime, to have much affect on the soils pH, needs to be applied several months before that change is desired. Contact your local office of your state universities USDA Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done and also dig in with these simple soil tests, Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. to see what your soil looks like and what you need to do to make that soil into a good, healthy soil.

I have porcelain now, but had textured ceramic for 40 years prior. I have been using a daily product called "Clean Shower" (I think it is currently owned by Arm and Hammer) and have never had a problem (over the last probably 15 years) with soap scum dirt or hard water scale, mold or mildew. Google it to see now it works. Certainly worth a try and it won't hurt your tile or glass. -Babka

This might not apply to you, but just in case. We were having random brown outs in our house and then completely losing electricity only in certain areas. I caleed the electrician who was set to do our remodel coming up and he said to save time and money by calling the electric company FIRST. The elec co came out and discovered it was a problem with the outside meter, one of the "legs" that make contact had burned to a crisp!! They claim it would NOT have eventually caused a house fire. Anyways, they replaced their meter and they covered the cost of the electrician to install it. (it was a new digital kind replacing an old type and had to have new connections) so, my electrician saved hiomself a trip and saved me money by having the electric company out first and discover this co-incidently was happening right as we were getting ready to remodel. It can'y hurt for you to find out, right? Goosd Luck!!

The goal should be to grow a nice flowering display. I remember my first Phalaenopsis. It actually lived next door and it rebloomed for years and years from the one flowering stem. How do you tell a new grower to cut the old spent flowering stem off at the base and with good growing conditions it will grow a brand new flowering stem from the base. I certainly do not think that Phalaenopsis are easy. They certainly are not here in the sub tropics where the homes are not centrally heated. A few years ago the local orchid society we had a Phalaenopsis grower who grew them in a glass-house with annual climate conditions set just for them. Phalaenopsis benching at an Orchid Society meeting