Mohave, I'd suspect temperature to be the reason the new growth is not variegated. I have a couple of plants that lost their variegation over the summer when the room where I grow my AVs (my home office) was not air conditioned much of the time. The variegation returned in the new growth when the temperatures cooled. In a year's time, this plant should have bloomed for you. I believe temperature can affect bloom size and quantity, but it should still bloom. Factors such as inconsistent watering and fertilization can also have an impact on the plants ability to bloom. Before I give you advice, I should mention that I'm not an expert - I've only been growing AVs for a couple of years. If this were my plant, I'd remove the outer couple rows of leaves and unpot the plant looking for any signs of pest problems or rot. Then I'd repot in the same size pot with fresh pottimg mix lowering the plant in the pot so that the (new) bottom row of leaves is just on top of the soil. I'd put the plant in a window that didn't get quite so much direct sun or under fluorescent light and begin a consistent watering/fertilization program. This plant is clearly a survivor - it'll thrive with a little TLC. BTW - You can propagate new plants with the leaves that you remove - I do this regularly when I'm re-potting plants as insurance in case the newly repotted plant doesn't make it. Please look at the links below - you'll find a wealth of information about the culture and care of AVs: http://www.rachelsreflections.org/ http://www.violetbarn.com/plant_care.html -Tim

Stepup: The normal human tendency is to blame someone else for our misfortune. If it is not about the rain, then it is about the sun. I am sure I have been there before, perhaps you have too. Enlightment and the path to happiness are when we realize that we can only control what we have control and let go of what we don't. Your SS is trying to set you up in triangulation between his father, you and him. The best is to avoid that situation. Just let your H deal with his own son in terms of discipline and such. But destruction of your property should not be tolerated and dealt w by the police. I hope your SS will only be invited back for a thanksgiving meal or christmad but that is about it. He should not be welcomed back to live.

To my gardening friends, I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and and an even better New Year. I know I am a bit late in expressing my gratitude, but it's being an emotional roller coaster for me. Much as happened to lower my sprite, but my friends here have help tremendously to make this a great Christmas season for me. I would like to thank the following people who have so graciously shared a part of their garden with me. To Heavenlyfarm, thank you for Miss Jekyll Blue and Clematis seeds. And yes I was surprised. Your thoughtfulness was appreciated. To VA (no alias in card). Thank you for so many seeds. Some of my favorites includes Foxglove mix, Spinach, Bee Balm and Celosa Pink. I will be busier than a bed trying to plant so many seeds. Thanks again. To CH, thanks you for Bonanza Harmony Marigold, Asclepius incarnate (swamp Milkweed and Cassia Alana. You've helped to make this gardener feel so special.

....cont'd I know they may not be the most popular plant but I see them in almost every property/yard I pass by in the fall. But seriously heucheras, hellebores, dahlias, begonias? Who the heck uses those plants? People who are really into chrysanthemums tend not to be interested in general gardening topics and live in a fairly rarefied world of fellow obsessives. Also, I feel I must add, just to add some gloom to the proceedings, one of the least attractive aspects of chrysanthemums is their utter refusal to die. Never, ever again will I plant a buddleia. Please don't reply with your tips that have helped you keep your buddleia bushes thriving for 10 years or more as I must make a clean break. It's invasive, in the true meaning of the word, and it's ugly. I don't often consider any plant ugly but buddleia is a gawky, twiggy, leafless, mess of dead brown seed heads for much of the year. I hope you didn't mind my bit of, I hope, constructive support and not take it as a criticism in any way, I'm not qualified for that. Glad to hear you thinking that way...I was holding back telling you to get rid of it NOW. No no no – far too late to stake at this point – they will simply look ridiculous all season. However, there is a better, easier solution – administer the 'Chelsea Chop'. Hubby bought himself a new toy and went crazy in my yard chopping everything green that was over 3" in height..including my coneflowers!! I really can't blame him. I too went crazy over my new weed trimmer and cut off some perennials. And I have done it not a few times due in part to my zeal to get the weeds gone. However, germination is the easy part of raising Joe Pye Weed from seed – the absolute nightmare are slugs and snails – which will crawl through a gravelly hell to get at the seedlings. I am sure these (Japanese Beetle) horrors have had cell phones and an internet connection for a long time. A few scouts go out, and when one of them finds something tasty, he sends a text to his buddies. They then all book a group tour via cheapflights.bug, all-you-can-eat buffet and orgies included. It is not over till the fat Lady sings and maybe I saved it from the bug for the deer to eat. Now the deer...I wish I could shoot in my neighborhood. Oriental Lily Chomping Deer – Venison anyone? It only takes the tiniest change of perception (and some plant deaths) before Bambi morphs into venison casserole. I worked with a woman that had a monkey. He was like her little son. She had him for 20 yrs. He was the cutest thing. Had his little bedroom decorated like a jungle. Strange but funny. If you hate cats...why in the world are you contemplating a catmint of any type??? What's next: I hate the smell of horse poop, but I am getting a horse??? I hope you are offering a spot for all the manure your friends' horses produce...well rotted horse doo is pretty good stuff...especially when it is free...and local...and they might deliver it to your yard just to get rid of it... Now for the weird part. Earlier this year I caught my neighbor sneaking into my front yard, thinking I wasn't home, and snipping some of my Calla Lilies for herself with a pair of scissors. I had a talk with her, but I am paranoid she is the one doing this to my Agapanthus. I am actually considering installing a security camera now! If it's an ongoing problem, buy a really nice plant that they would likely steal again. But this time, put a poisonous substance in it. Hopefully it would kill the thief. Problem solved. Found what I thought was my dream property of 4 acres and I have been plant restricted because of deer, groundhog, rabbits, squirrels, raccoon, even a skunk last year. It seems like I cannot win. I have 5 acres. What happens is – you find your standards for neatness miraculously vanish, you no longer see weeds, the grass only gets cut when you start to lose dogs and small children in it, you never water again and you embrace the 'wild' look, and start thinking about arboretums. I have a blank space in my back garden bed and, yes, it does leave me a tiny bit unsettled each time I look at it. I am SO sorry to hear your wisteria are less than stellar this year. They make such a statement and to miss out is really too bad. I have always despised the wisteria even when it was maintained but I don't know what to do with it at this point..In a perfect world it I could just poof it and the whole thing would disappear. But...I'm not sure if that's legal. I made the horrible, horrible mistake of planting two pretty pink evening primroses that turned into Primrose Frankenstein. My mother in law gave me some Chinese lantern pods to grow. Now I know that I should crush them, burn them, and throw the ashes in a river. I've known people that cut back their gardens (perennials) in the fall and leave it lay in the bed to rot – called 'chop and drop'! Supposedly this is the "new" way to do clean-up. Kind of make sense as this is what Mother Nature does? Will I remember this years' lessons next year? I think it will depend on the weather and the price tag. Do whatever makes you happy. Don't forget...gardening is just an excuse to allow adults to play in the dirt. I'm so blessed that I can still get out and play in the dirt. I put in at least 30-40 hours each week from spring to fall. In the winter, it's rabbits to trap, birds to feed and help with snow removal. I guess I will keep at it until the Lord calls me Home. Have a great winter, everyone.