There is/was nothing heated in anything I said, and our debates/discussions have nothing to do with how I feel about you as a person. What I'm saying now is in a purely conversational tone. I've always been able to remain focused on a topic w/o making it a personal issue. I simply often find you in error on many of the more technical subjects you choose to freely offer advice on, and on many other issues as well, though I never comment or disagree unless I feel the advice offered has the potential to diminish some one's growing experience should they pursue the course you advise, or unless I think it will mislead them into believing something that isn't so. I always offer a very thorough and polite explanation of why I don't agree and offer an alternate approach that I feel IS sound and backed by science and sound horticultural information and techniques. Instead of always pointing the finger at me, as though it was my fault a disagreement arose, it could easily be made a nonissue if you would openly discuss the issues at hand when you or your advice are questioned. I'm always ready to explain the hows and whys of ANY advice or observations I offer, and whenever I press you on an issue we disagree on, you always introduce a wide variety of other topics that have no bearing on the subject. I try very hard to pin you down to one topic, so the people listening in can fairly consider the advice and evaluate it, but it never works. Personally, I hold myself to the standard that if I'm not thoroughly familiar with the topic being discussed and cannot back everything I say with facts and science, I choose to remain silent. I don't question you because I find it fun, or because I have an ax to grind, I question you because some of the things you say don't fit with what we know to be horticulturally sound. I'm really sorry about that, but I think we have an obligation to directly address the issues when others question us, and to provide reliable information. You have to be fair and admit that what one person thinks is reliable may not actually be reliable. It's how you/we/I support what we say that helps others determine that. If I offer something that doesn't agree with what you said, and you simply restate the same information you initially stated without offering additional support, or try to offer information that doesn't really support your position, it perpetuates the disagreement. For myself, I've found that always operating within the limits of my knowledge saves a lot of disagreements, so that's how I operate. I know that if I stray beyond the bounds of my knowledge, I'm going to get called on it. That's one of the reasons I usually refrain from discussing or trying to identify specific insect infestations. I realize there are others on the forum who are much better qualified, and I defer to them instead of arguing with them. There is a lesson to be learned in that. If we are not qualified to discuss a topic in depth, or if we're unable to field the questions put to us because others doubt, and someone who is familiar with the topic happens to disagree with something we said, before we reply we should examine closely if we have our ducks in a row. If we don't, the wisest course is silence or deference. You mentioned our discussions going back years. I remember them, and they arose for the same reasons almost all our discussions presently arise. I have a good memory, Toni, and I see you today, offering advice on a regular basis that we argued vehemently about years ago, and I'm not the one who has changed my perspectives. No one wants to rob anyone of the right to offer an opinion, but opinions don't come with credibility included. That has to be earned and it comes as a result of how we demonstrate a command of the topic at hand. I invite anyone who wishes to question anything I say to disagree or challenge it, directly, and I'll answer directly to the best of my ability and let the chips fall where they might; but if all I were to do is obfuscate and try to cover my tracks, I'd be destroying my credibility, and I can't blame that on anyone. I'm perfectly willing to let the pH thing go. I think I made a case that demonstrates that I know what I'm talking about, and I answered JJs questions. I didn't have to look anything up because I understand the relationship between pH, alkalinity, nutrient availability ..... and how to manage pH in containers (I've been helping people manage pH on the container forum for years), so I'm well-able to portend tomorrow's effects based on today's advice in this area. I really don't mind if you still wish to debate. No one has been uncivil, and others can learn much from disagreement. All I would ask, if you choose to continue the debate, is that you remain on topic, which I think is always a fair request. Al

Yes you can! Last year I went and cleaned up some of my outdoor planters the day before a killing frost was expected, and cut the fronds off my asparagus fern right to the soil line and threw in the garbage. I just didn't have the room indoors to overwinter. That night with nothing godd on tv I am perusing through various sites here and come across information about overwintering these things. It's described that you can cut up the root ball like a cake, and then repot. But what I did is...I went back out the next day, and removed the root ball, being in potting soil much of the soil could be cleaned away so I could view the roots and what I think are called storage roots (look like tubers but are not tubers, I think they store water for drought situations - similiar to chlorophytums-spider plants.). I separated several small bunches, 3 to 4 storage roots each, and each portion contained the top part where the fronds had emerged that I'd chopped off the day earlier, and I potted up, watered, stuck in a sunny south window, and crossed my fingers hoping for the best. And I got it, with a week or two new baby fronds started to emerge, I let them grow until November, when our sunlight really diminishes, and then moved them down to a basement window well, where they would have been in bright light, no direct sun, and with the curtain closed behind them the temps would get down to 10C, so that's like 50F? When I put them in the basement I'd made sure they hadn't been freshly watered, just maybe ever so slightly damp, and left them until the end of January. Not one dried up leaf/frond, brought them back up, potted up and watered, gave sun, and away they grew. Go on the Ferns forum, or this one also and search 'overwinter asparagus', and some more info should come up. I also learned from the knowledgeable people here that the asparagus fern is not a real fern, but now I can't remember which family it belongs to...I'm thinking lily? Good Luck, they are really tough plants - noxious weeds in some states down south - so they should survive a chopping! ~k~

Carrie I believe Thomis is talking about edible asparagus which is related to asparagus ferns but winter hardy. Some of the regular hanging basket types of asparagus ferns are remarkably hardy but not the most common ones. With the houseplant/hanging basket type I just try to keep them cool and free from frosts over the winter. If I have to I give them an extreme haircut but usually because they won't fit anywhere without it. They do really well planted in the ground but can only handle a mild winter in the Raleigh area.

I just thought I would mention that I live in metro Atlanta and have this planted in the ground. The top turns brown during cold weather but new growth appears in the spring.