heptacodium has a point. There are clients who just want cheap, and they get what they pay for. The really nice looking plants are serviced by companies who charge more and deliver more. It's kind of like a McDonald's meal vs. a fancy steak house. You pays your money and you takes your choice. Right now, with the recession looming, people are getting very price conscious, and hiring the lowballers or cancelling the plant service altogether. It's a tough time to be getting into the industry, or trying to stay alive in it. There is also a real swing away from the "fern bar" look of the 70's and 80's to a stark minimalist look. Just one or a few big striking plants in a fancy, artistic container. Lots less maintenance income to be had on that.

"Yes, many plants don't need insecticides but some definitely do." That's kind of an absolute statement, don't you think? I haven't used an insecticide on anything since 1996, and that includes indoors and out while gardening in both tropical and midwest climates. I have tropicals now that summer outdoors and come in for the winter and they get nothing aside from a strong blast of water or soaked in a bucket before I bring them in. I believe that it is more about prevention and observational skills than anything else. If you see scale or mealybugs while there are just a few of them it is easy to get them off. If you wait until there are swarms of the things it will be more difficult. I think the best plan for indoor plants is to place them in cache pots so you can switch them out easily if one gets too bedraggled or looses its appeal. Keep the less than perfect in another area until you get them back in shape. And all youse guys with 'disposable orchids' can send them to me! It pains me to think of plants being destroyed just because their blooming period is over.

I had such problem my first year growing tomatoes. Actually, I left for three days and come back to them all laying on their side. I was devastated and thought of throwing them all away. But got an advice - to buy 2 gallon pots, soil, take the bottom leaves and all shooters away and plant them in a big pot laying down their stems in spiral in the pot the way only about a foot is above the soil soil. There was nothing to loose(other than money, ha-ha)) and I did it. The most challenge was to plant them later outside with a such root ball, but they grew so many roots, that the root ball stayed together. Just do not water for few days before setting them outside to have them almost dry for replanting. It will make it lighter and easy to work with. I still needed second person help to hold the greens, while I am taking roots with both hands. It was great tomato crop that year).

Smaller version of Terra Cotta irrigation unit that siphons from reservoir. Waters by difference in water tension in unit and soil. Works like a leaky tensiometer , the vaccum in the unit draws water from reservoir thru tube. http://www.amazon.com/Self-Watering-Probes-Package-of-5/dp/B0002VAHXC%3FSubscriptionId%3D14H876SFAKFS0EHBYQ02%26tag%3Dhubpages-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0002VAHXC