I have a stainless steel sink in the BBQ Island, and that thing gets really HOT! I have to run the water a while to get cool water for my sprinkling can. I just purchased some pots that are grow bags, actually, and they are white on the OUTSIDE, to reflect light, and black inside. They have holes on the bottoms and the bottom half of the sides. People use all kinds of containers for plants. If you go on a driving trip USA, you will see many interesting, creative containers. I agree, neutralize that hot steel as best you can, because plants in dirt in the ground live in a cool environment under, and a sunny one above. Suzi

For water garden, try Colocasia, creeping jenny (will grow in water easily-very nice hanging over sides of pot), aquatic canna, cardinal flower; water lettuce, water hyacinth, parrot's feather; water lilly, duckweed...some of them multiply very fast, some are very tall, so check ahead. There is many, many more. They could be in soil held by special pots for using in water, or you can go frugal & use stocking instead of pot (works very well). Some don't need any soil, they just float. If I was doing a water garden, I think I would use 'bubler', or even a 'fogger'...Depends how wild you want to go. You can have any plant in cachepot, since you are planting in another pot & using glazed ceramic for decor. I would make sure there is some space between planted pot & decorative pot for good air circulation, and that it is raised off the bottom so it will not sit in water that may/will drain out. Use a brick or some large rocks to raise it. Or a 'feet' made for raising planters off ground.

You might want to take a trip to Banjong Orchids. 17720 SW 218 ST in Homestead. I got these from them at the Fairchild Orchid Festival back in May(?). I think they were $10 a set, the one on the left had 1 smaller one, and the one on the right had 3 smaller ones. They were imported from somewhere in Asia. I don't have their #, but you may have a hard time talking to them unless you speak Thai, but you may get lucky and get someone who speaks english well enough. But they may be "what are you talking about" because I think they specialize in just orchids, and not orchid supplies. They may have just ordered the pots for the festival. I don't know about the quality. As you can see, some parts are lighter then other parts, and they feel a little rough, but I dont know anything about clay pots. I haven't touched these since I bought them.

It makes sense that since spider mites are in the arachnid family, they are tougher to get rid of...pesticides for most insects don't work on spiders. I did want to comment on a previous statement (jennq) that once you have them you will always have them...not true! I had a room full of houseplants of all kinds, and they (unfortunately) attacked my "maryjane" plant, which was in the center stage (they were all on the same table) with a vengence. I had been away for a few days and came home to the cannabis in a tent web...covered. I took it outside and disposed of it. That was four years ago and I never had another spider mite. So...yesterday my partner finds a huge majesty palm tree at Lowe's for $5. He brought it home and it was completely covered in webbing and mites (he isn't experienced at looking closely). I probably should have tossed it, but I cut off all but one inner leaf, stripped it of all soil and gave it an underwater soapy neem bath, then gave it a hand sanitizer rub, then repotted and have it in my bathroom for a few weeks. Of course, my anxiety over my other plants getting mites may outweigh my dysfunctional rescue urge here. I wonder if anyone has EVER successfully cleared a plant of spider mites...? I understand plants are more susceptible to these critters when the plant is stressed with watering issues (consistancy helps), but this opens me up to a ton of other questions...