Thank you Mutant for your quick response, the confirmation on the ID of my Nepenthes and your compliment on the condition of the plant. Means a lot to me coming from you. I hold you and Petiolaris in high esteem. I use RO water from the Watermill Express. I researched different companies first. I had the water checked at my LFS (local fish store) lol, and have used it for water changes in tropical fish tanks. I met one of the technicians as he was servicing the system and got the "tour" inside the mill. Just amazing. Today I called the office to check on the possibility of copper in the water. I was told absolutely not. Here is the web site for the company if you or anyone else is interested. http://www.watermillexpress.com/ I have looked the plant over with a magnifying glass and not found any pests on it, doesn't mean I didn't miss something, but it's not infested. In November 2007 it's leaves were starting to grow in a twisted fashion. I figured either mealybugs or aphids and used Ortho Systemic Insecticide. That took care of the problem. Haven't used anything on it since except daily water misting. No other plants with bug problems that I know of. Perhaps I should spray it now sort of as a rule out or prophylactic measure. Haven't repotted it since last August, no foliar feeding since it started growing pitchers last year. Lighting is the same. I read somewhere that florescent tubes can lose some of the necessary spectrum and should be changed every year. Those could be changed, it has been almost a year. It gets plenty of food, everyone wants to feed it, lol. Even a neighbor was catching bugs and bringing them over. In March one pitcher got indigestion from to much food to often. I have cut back on the food allowed and now have to check to make sure a pitcher has fluid in it before dropping something in. Pretty much since last fall it has just sat where it is, grown a lot, digesting it's insects and getting watered. That's what is so puzzling about the lids on the pitchers. I haven't made any changes with it's care. I was hoping to figure this out before making any changes like repotting and hanging it. Thank you again for your input and the compliment. Your opinion is always appreciated. I'm not quite so worried about it but still puzzled. Nycti

Dear Mike, Congratulations on quitting your job! :) Things may be difficult for you now, but it sounds like quitting was the right thing to do, and I'm glad to hear you did it. (IÂm not sure itÂs my place to be proud of you, but I am :) Years ago, I was laid off from my first job after finishing school mostly because I refused to lie for my boss. He told me to tell a supplier that the check to pay them for their previous work was being sent, when we both knew that that check would not be written for at least three weeks. The point was to cajole them into doing more work for us, for which we would presumably pay them someday. I'm not a person who usually holds to deep convictions, but I looked at the boss and told him that if he wanted the supplier told that the check was being cut, he would have to tell them that himself. When the lay-off list came out four weeks later, my name was on it. It was very difficult for me at the time, but I did find another (much better) job, and over the years I've gotten to be slightly proud of finding a level below which I would not descend. I hope things work out as well or even better :) for you, Yama-san. with increased respect, - Evelyn

It is New Years, My Birthday, The 4th of July and Christmas at my house today. I received my box from Anita, and Im just in awe over it. I hope I donÂt miss anything, and here is what she sent me! BRUGS: Milk and Honey Peaches and Cream BULBS 10 Allium Bulgaricum 10 Fritillara UVA Vulpis 10 Fritillaria Meleagris 30 Brodiac, Queen Fabiola DAYLILIES Chines Offerings Dearly Sweet Green Flutter PandoraÂs Box Pixy Deception ShelbyÂs Song (OMG, THE FAN IS HUGE!, and IÂm so thrilled to get it. Shelby has hit the five mark being in remission and this plant says it all!) Strawberry Candy Undercover Angel Vera Biaglo Winter Masquerade HOSTA "SUGAR AND CREAM" CHOCOLATE VINE SOLOMON SEAL PINAPPLE LILY CD-Flower Master Avon tea light and holder "All about Apples" Autumn scene puzzle Nice note cards and Envelopes Fan light If that wasnÂt enough she sent me an insulated lunch box with>>> Candy bars, Milky Way, Snickers, Twix, Tuna Medley with Sundried tomatoes & basil (yummy, hubby and I had these for lunch!) Pecan Pies (We had this with our coffee for dessert.) Capri Sun, Wild Cherry Lemonade on the Go ANITA, ANITA, ANITA, I don't know what to say, this box was incredible, and be sure that another box will be heading your way next week. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! LIFE IS GOOD! Annie

Sorry but I skipped over this due to the title. I thought it was going to be a northern grass issue. I forget there are pines along the gulf. I don't see any reason you can't have dense St Augustine in there. Raising your tree canopy might help, but I had a lot more shade than that and had pretty good lawn. There are different varieties of St Aug that grow better in sun or in shade. Floratam does every well in full sun but will be thinner in the shade. Others work better in deeper shade. It comes in large pieces, not plugs. You could make plugs out of the pieces, but I just lay a piece down, walk on it to make good contact with the soil, and start watering very lightly 2-3x per day to keep the roots moist and not soggy. It should knit to the ground and start spreading later in the year. Next spring it will spread 3-5 feet. Next fall it should spread another 10 feet. You have all the bare soil you need to get started. If you start the pieces under the shade of the tree they should root faster and with less water. Put a few pieces around the yard and let them spread. What you have now is weeds, so no need to get too deep identifying them. The St Augustine will run right through most of them. The rest can be dug up or sprayed next April with an atrazine product to kill them off. Atrazine is a harsh approach, but it is the only herbicide that does not seem to affect St Augustine. It kills almost everything but St Augustine and centipede grasses. Generally you water deeply and infrequently. In East Texas you might never need to water due to the rains you get. My area is much dryer and I only watered a few times this year. I got 15 inches of rain this month and don't expect to be watering again until at least November. Mow at the mower's highest setting, always. Wait until Memorial Day to fertilize. Then fertilize again on Labor Day and finally around Thanksgiving after the grass stops growing. For this year I would use organics like alfalfa pellets for the rest of the year. App rate is 15-20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. If you use organics, do the entire yard at least one time. For future fertilizer apps, just fertilize the St Augustine and don't waste it on the weeds.