Howard, I've know, from reading this forum, that you're a teacher in orchid culture. My honor to have you talking to me about my orchids! I keep all my orchids in a "shade house", covered on top with transparent plastic sheet and on four sides with dark plastic net (?). So the plants get diffused light all day, all year. The temp we have here is lowest 60 and highest 80F throughout the year, no snow, no frost, humidity is about 75-85 (I don't have a meter so I cannot tell. I just "feel" the humidity on my skin!) I bought this big cym last year, in late November when it was blooming with 6 spikes. It was in a 12" cheap plastic pot and was looking like it would bust! So I put it into a bigger pot without disturbing its roots or anything after it finished blooming last season. Now I see 3 spikes on it so far! (The spikes are just beginning to emerge from the medium, but you know I'm so watchful I spotted them already LOL!) My other smaller cym bloomed in about August/September 2006. I repotted it (stupid me, I didn't know much then) in Spring 2007 and now I see one spike. So, I don't know if this is common or not but I'm very happy :-). I don't want to mess with them so that they might abort the spikes. Please educate me. Many thanks for your advice. Xuan

I'm new to beekeeping, and googled "online beekeeping course," and ended up at this site. They have a seven or eight lesson email course-free. Lots of good info, not really a course, just a series of emails that you read at your leisure. One of them address feeding and overfeeding. I'm not going to quote anything from there, as, the internet is full of opinions. Will let the experienced folks address your question. I tried to get directly to the course, but couldn't do it through the "front door." Perhaps you should just google as I did and it'll get you in if you're interested. Be well, Ev Here is a link that might be useful: Ploughshare Institute

I use Peters Professional mix for acid loving plants, or MirAcid. Both are widely available. I mix about a half teaspoon per half gallon and fertilize every two or three weeks during the winter, spring, and fall (less in the summer, since I am away!). I agrees with Hopeful that sunlight is important. Your Calamondin should set fruit reliably, without any need for pollinators, so the fact it hasn't suggests it is somehow unhappy. The most likely cause is poor watering. Watering before the tree gets stressed is crucial, since stress can cause fruit drop. My Calamondin, like some of my other citrus, shows early stress by slightly curling its leaves (from the edges in toward the center, so the leaves almost begin to look like they are trying to turn into cigars). When I see this, I know I have gone at least a day too long between waterings. Temperature should not be an issue: trees in citrus groves endure extreme variations in the spring months, and still set fruit reliably. Light intensity may also play a role. And possibly the lack of pollinating insects, but I think Calamondins set fruit relatively reliably indoors. Good luck! Don

It may be too soon to really know which canes are dead. Some people wait until June. Regarding the fertilizer, I'm always cautious. I'm using Osmocote for the first time this year and I have lots and lots of buds. But maybe I would have had buds anyway. I've never fertilized before, but I do use lots of compost as mulch. Whether or not you get any blooms might have more to do with the variety of hydrangea you have and whether or not it blooms on new wood and/or the severity of your winter.