thanks loger! for question 1: yes, amazingly, I did have it going the right way. I am not being sarcastic, but I had to get a small magnifier (with my glasses still on) and get right up under the bench light. but yes, it was the right way. number2: no, I could not get it to work manually either. when you say here or there, can I assume that everywhere would ok too? anything that looks like it may move? what about the single string idea? should I abandon that? it's supposed to be a dual line machine

After 5 hours sitting in water, I place them in soil, mist them and cover them like @Nate G. do. The next morning, they almost fully open, I discover that the small one is a duo and the big one is cluster of 4 plants, a quartet!!! I only buy 2 plants from John but it turn out to be 6 plants 🤣 BUT there's one problem, I see some white hair-like fiber under some leaf, MOLD!!! I bet it is because of the rain water I use to mist them ( since I have no distilled water and tap water in my state is full of mineral stuff) and the dead leaf's sponge like structure that hold water causing mold to grow. I go to Lowe's to buy some limestone and put them in the soil and also remove some dead leaves to prevent mold. Ordered grow light on Amazon but it won't arrive til next week, so I use aquarium led light for now. I also found another plant in the garage that my lil sis bought before, it look so pale brown and I don't think it is alive, but I will give it a try and see if the core is somehow alive. Since I don't have a tent to keep the humidity high, I will use a small aquarium as alternative and barely cover them to increase the humidity. (To be Continue)

In response to anonty's post: You can buy them from American Scientific and Surplus at sciplus.com - it's very inexpensive. In response to aztransplant's post: I, too, recently bought a Dinosaur Back Cactus from Desert Botanical Garden plant sale in Phoenix, AZ, and I was wondering: Mine was developing small white spots for a time, but now that I've brought it inside from the cold, they seem to be getting better. Can you relate, or do you have any advice? Here is a link that might be useful: The closest thing I have to a website

With the picture no longer available, it's anyone's guess. Maybe FshyPlnts thought he/she knew which one the OP was talking about, but I'd bet he/she wasn't aware that there are many possibilities. Some include: Anastatica hierochuntica - Rose-of-Jericho/Jericho-rose/Dinosaur Plant/etc. Gunnera manicata - Giant Rhubarb/Dinosaur Plant/etc. Pallenis hierochuntica - Rose-of-Jericho/Dinosaur Plant/etc. Selaginella lepidophylla - Flower-of-Stone/False Rose-of-Jericho/Resurrection Plant/Dinosaur Plant/etc.