Yes figs are EXTREMELY easy to root and fortunately there are several good methods that can be used. However, M Taggart indicated he/she does not have a heating mat and is questioning whether or not moving to a warmer room is advisable. I believe that I have answered those specific questions. Al is the one confusing the situation by throwing in the use of propagation mats.....which M Taggert has already stated he/she does not have. Maybe one day we will see the details of AL's written fig rooting method(s). I know that he has been passing a rooting method around to certain forum members. The IMPROPER use of heating mats can be very problematic and is often THE CAUSE of rooting failures. IMO the risk/benefit and cost/benefit analysis of using any external heating source is not justified for a hobby rooter when very reliable rooting can be conducted INDOORS at room temperature. Normal room temperature (70 - 75 degs F) works real well and no propagation mat is needed. Al recently posted this suggestion to another forum member: "I've rooted thousands of deciduous cuttings by sticking in a damp, sterile medium and applying bottom heat to keep the cuttings in the 70-75* range. I normally provide some type of tenting to keep humidity very high, but vent the tent. Keeping air temps a little cooler than soil temps (10*) is also helpful. I remove bottom heat a soon as the cuttings have struck." In answer to M Taggert's question in this thread, Al references a 55 to 65 degree rooting temperature. In the quotation I reference above Al recommends a 70 to 75 deg rooting temperature to another person. Which is it?????..... the 55 to 65 cited above or is it the 70 to 75 range he cited in another post???? A post, by the way, in which I was criticized by some forum members when I stated the obvious......that a 70 to 75 deg temperature range is plain old room temperature (see link below). It would be helpful to forum members if Al posted his exact fig rooting method(s). Maybe there would be less confusion. M Taggert, in answer to your question and in consideration of your particular situation.....move your cuttings as I've suggested above. Keep the top on your Rubbermaid box. Save your money and do not go out to buy a propagation mat.....it simply IS NOT NEEDED in your situation. FYI.... if interested in reading more about my preferred ROOM TEMPERATURE rooting method see the attached thread (link below). You will be very pleased with the results that you obtain if you follow this very simple fig rooting method. I consistently obtain a very high rooting success using this method. You DO NOT NEED a heating pad, nor a propagation mat, nor a temperature controlled device, nor any additional heat whatsoever from any source when rooting indoors. Many forum members have had their cuttings severely damaged or destroyed thru the improper use of heating devices that were recommended by others. Those devices are better used in an OUTDOOR (Greenhouse) type of rooting environment. Dan Here is a link that might be useful: An easy and reliable rooting method

Cooksnsews--Glad to hear someone else who has what I'm considering. Clueless--I've never heard of a switch in a kick plate! Corrie22--Technically, the light switch could fit to the left of the window, but....... It can't go immediately next to the window because the plumber ran his vent pip right there. I could move it farther left, but I run into the KA mixer and espresso machine that will live on the counter. It is a possibility though. Florantha--I'm running into that very problem and I'm not liking it. I'm going to have 6, yes you read that right...6, switches already on the side of the fireplace stack facing the kitchen. That's waaaaay too many in my book, but I don't have a lot of wall space. This is another reason I'm considering the sink light linked with the perimeter cans. Maruha--I was thinking that I could use the UC lights near the sink as the sort of kitchen nightlight instead of the sink light like I do now. Andrea--The GD switch will be an air switch. One of the sink light switch options is an air switch also, but DH vetoed that. OCJeff--Bingo. See above. Rhome--It can go left of sink, but see my comments to Corrie above. I always, always, always turn every light on in the kitchen when I'm in there working. Darker spaces anywhere, even peripherally, bother me when I'm working in a room. One of my many idiosyncracies that make me loveable! I'm planning on going to the house again today to look at your suggestions and my options again IRL to see if I can work in a switch. I don't like BS swiss cheese anymore than I like ceiling swiss cheese. ;)

Joanie, what brand of solid surface are you looking at? I have been looking at countertops for 4 months, and have definately found that at least in our area (northeast) granite and solid surface are priced very close. The budget solid surface colors are very limited as well. We actually had plan to go with an LG clor that was on special. I was really drawn to the seamless aspect of solid surface. When the price came in after templeting I was shocked. They charge an arm and a leg for integrated sink and backsplash. By the time it was all said and done it would have been more than a basic granite by about 25%, even more if I wanted everything completely seamless. So I'm back to the drawing board myself.

We had a window in our first house over the sink. It faced the street so the blinds were closed most of the time for privacy. In our current house, the old kitchen had a corner sink and a corner upper cab over it, with a lazy susan inside. I felt like it was too close to my face when washing up at the sink. I am not tall, approx 5'5", but it bothered the heck out of me. It was also a pain if someone needed something from the cab when one of us was at the sink. In our new kitchen, there is nothing above the sink yet, but we will have a backsplash with feature tiles (our vintage stove has its own attached bs) and chrome railroad car shelving above that. I wanted an open wall behind the sink because it is an interior wall with no windows. I'd much rather have some space between my face and the wall and have something interesting to look at. If we had more money, we'd tile all the way to the ceiling but since the ceiling is a cathedral style, it would have broken the bank, lol.... In any case, unless you are stuck and need every single inch you can squeeze out, I'd keep the area over the sink as free as possible. I think an open shelf, a shorter cab placed higher or going bare are all good options if you don't have a window with a view.