Justaguy2: Do you still think it needs a drain hole? No, I don't think the pot *needs* a drainage hole, I just think it will be *much* easier to grow a plant if there is one. The inner pot appears to drain excess water reasonably well, but that is a test with an empty pot and water. Do the test again with a peat or bark based potting mix and I think you will find the pot doesn't drain water as readily. The mix will hold a lot of water and when your plants are 'resting' and have reduced water needs rot and fungus knats will be a potential problem. The way I look at it is this: A drainage hole makes your life easier. You don't have to be as knowledgeable about and as attentive to a particular plant's watering needs with one as you do without one. You most certainly can grow any plant, including the most root rot prone succulents in a pot without drainage holes, it is simply that you as a grower have to have more knowledge, experience and attentiveness to avoid the rot and pests. I, personally, would drill a drainage hole, but you know what? I don't grow plants for the end result, I grow them for the process and the process involves doing a lot of things 'the wrong way'. If you want to give them a try with drainage holes you have nothing to lose beyond a few dollars in plants. Big deal. Have fun and enjoy the process. And give hubby a hug for being considerate and thinking of you.

With real estate, it often comes down to location, location, location. So I have heard. Some years ago, I did landscape maintenance work for a housing development. The gardens of the 5-6 model homes were kept in prime condition to encourage sales, so I worked there often. A (dim-witted?) Anna's hummingbird decided to make a nest in the potted tree at the entrance to the last model. That would have been fine, except she was very protective of her nest and would angrily buzz and swoop every potential customer that came near! (And me too, but at least I was aware of the nest!) Because almost all of the visitors were there for the first time, there were many, many surprised victims all day long. I would try to warn the customers when I was working in the area, because the sales people never seemed to, but it was an impossible task. More often I would just hear startled shrieks throughout the day. There had to have been a steady stream of customers while she was constructing the nest, so I cannot guess why she thought it was a good location. Other than the abundant amount of flowers. Silly bird. But she did manage to fledge her young, and did not return the following year. I imagine her stress level must have been off the charts. Even for a hyper-hummingbird.

If you think of them as a rather long lasting type of cut flower, then you won't be sorry :-) Plants that are able to grow outdoors in temperate climates (i.e., hardy shrubs like hydrangeas, azaleas, even mini roses) do not make good long term houseplants. But as long as you give them sufficient light, water and moderate temperatures, you can enjoy the blossoms for several months. These are just plain old bigleaf hydrangeas, H. macrophylla, and they are grown outdoors across most of the country. In colder climates, usually zone 6 or lower, most are given winter protection to guard against cold damage to the flowerbuds and stem dieback. Florist's hydrangeas have been manipulated with fertilizers, growth hormones and light to bloom at a very young age and because they are grown in a greenhouse, a bit tender initially. But if properly acclimatized and hardened off before planting outdoors, there's no reason why you couldn't add these to your landscape after flowering. They also make great porch plants until cold weather sets in.

Brett, Please keep us posted on how they do as we move into Spring. The late winter can be a trying time for plumerias stored this way. Around Feb or March they may want to start growing, but if temps and light are not favorable, they can get some tip rot. Does your garage heat up during the day? ...or does it remain in the 40s 24-7? I found that if my garage stayed in the 40s for a long time - with no daytime warm-up, the plants didn't like it much. So keep us posted. I'm always trying to learn new things about the best way to 'store' these plants.