Sorry to hear turface did not work. I was just about to say coarse perlite is fine instead of turface, but then I googled and found this: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg0323420918673.html. None if this is exact science anyway - you just need to see what works for your environment, watering habits and plants. You might need to water more often with perlite - or use slightly smaller particles if you do not want to water quite as often. Congrats on the new hoyas!

Jim, I agree, those are probably florida grown (or worse greenhouse grown). Actually the plants I have bought that grow outside in central florida seem to be pretty strong since some (especially after this winter) as seen temps in the 20s. I think the main difference between the palms growing up here and in places like northern gerogia is the duration of the cold here. The lowest temps here are pretty similar to georgia even the record lows, but the high temperatures are lower here. This year we only went down to 14F, but that was on 3 occassions and the duration of cold was unusally long. Usually only 1 or 2 days dont make it above freezing here every winter, but this winter there were like 3 or 4. I was just extremely surprised that my weak windmill palm survived and is growing healthy leaves, and my healthy needle palm died and only one tiny pup survived which hasnt really grown yet. My sabal minor also from Lowes was protected by the same means as my pindo palm (which off ebay and was from central florida) and my pindo had no damageat all, but my sabal minor had burnt leaf tips. My other windmill palm (this was also from central florida grown outdoors) was also protected the same way as my pindo and sabal minor and that also had no winter damage unlike the sabal minor. I think a needle palm that has been grown all its life in the cold would have absolutely no probelm here because it typically does not go below 5F-10F here, but one from a greehouse has no chance for the first few leaves. If I protected my needle palm, I have no doubt that it would still be here today and technically the pups are still alive so its not entirely dead. But Im sure once all my palms get a little older the ones rated for a zone 7 wont need any protection, but I plan on always giving my pindo and medditeranean fan palm protection since they are zone 8a palms at best. Good luck!

I read the link and can only speak from experience as a recent washlet owner. I think the bottom line is you get what you pay for. The washlet has so many more features that this one doesnt that its easy to see the value of the washlet. The washlet has a water reservior that if you choose to use it keeps the water warm and ready for whatever period of time you choose, self closing lid on a premium heated toilet seat not using your existing seat, front and rear washing capability with oscillation to assure cleaning, air drying afterwards which this inexpensive version doesnt have and I can personally attest that you need because you do get wet! LOL, a remote control that makes it easy to go from function to function, I dont know how you would turn that one on and off with the controls behind your back, and a power saving device to conserve energy for those that are afraid iot might use too much. Frankly it looks like the one you are showing should be sold on "as advertised on TV" by Billy Mays...maybe 2 for $19.95?

I have a bag full of seeds. I recently found some lose in the package, so I decided to plant them. They are growing very well, I still don't know what they are, but was thinking they might be zinnias. I will post the pictures later. I'm in Miami, FL., zone 10b. My cosmos are huge, and have lots of seeds. I'm throwing a lot of them back in the pots they're in. I have planted other stuff, but so not much is coming out. The pumpkin seeds I planted, most came out. Going to plant all them, about 8 plants. Hopefully, the cats will leave me some pumpkins. Not a very good year for the mangoes or avocados. I lost about 8 trees we couldn't lift. I have Valencia Pride with mangoes, the most, and the Glenn with less mangoes, usually the other way around. The only avocado tree I have left, the Donnie, has some avocados, but the tree is small, so not that much. I lost all the good avocado trees.