Thanks everyone for all of your expert advice! I may consider minnows or the Rosy reds in one of my smaller ponds that can't have much damage done to them. I had the feeder goldfish that grew to an impressive size. Very nice sushi for the raccoons. The raccoons really went nuts when they saw them. I was really somewhat taken back by all of the destruction they did getting to the fish. Mosquito dunks are also a possibility. Thanks again! SG

While they don't look like what I usually have seen, I must ask - are the pebbles glued together? The plant looks pretty thristy to me. Chances are good that the soil is your problem. Usually, what they come in is not the best for long term health of the plant. If it were my plant, I'd unpot it and see what is going on below the pebbles. I've had plants in a peat substrate that would take up a lot of water, but have dry spots near the roots - so the plants were still thristy because the water was going around the roots. Once the peat dries out, it really won't hold water again. There are a lot of good soil "recipes" on this site that will be better for your plants. If your apartment is that hot and other plants have died, sounds like you may need to water more often. Are the plants near a register or air flow that will make them dry out faster? Is the apartment really dry, as in low humidity? (And they all have probably had the same soil issues.) I hope some of our experts chime in to help you. I am merely sharing my experiences. And I have been a gross over-waterer who has rotted a lot of succulent in the past. They were all in lousy soils, too. The folks here sure know their stuff! Hope they help you.

There could be any of the several reasons for not ripening the fruit: - Not enough sunshine and heat. I know there is a long warm summer there probably but in case it remains shadded for longer period of the day - Pot is small and if the plant is a couple of years old, there is possibility of being root-bound - And, potted plants need regular doze of fertilizer and watering since the roots can't graze out for nutrition and moisture. - Plants genetics is another possibility - Some varieties may mature a few fruits but most varieties get better at maturing fruits as they age over time.

Tra, La, La...Singing a love song 'cuz I'm sooo in love with your photos of her, Kath. Perfection, really. Especially your first photo of this lavender beauty. I adore lavender. Lol. I think I would be in big-time trouble if I spent ANY time at all at Regans. I can just imagine strolling through their wonderful roses and loading up. "Danger...Danger... Danger." Alarm bells would be going off in my head because I know I would want oodles of them. I just planted the MOONSTONE they sent me yesterday, and I can hardly wait to see it blooming. I have wanted this rose for a looong time. Thanks for sharing these great photos and for letting us know about your Wednesday visit to Regans. Fun, fun, fun!!! :) This post was edited by dove_song on Sun, Apr 28, 13 at 5:42