Hey guys I am pretty new here too. I have not had any of the problems you guys are talking about. But the size of mine seems to be all over the board. I am looking forward seeing what your seedlings look like at 2 1/2 months. Mine are approaching the 5 or 6 week mark. I know I planted very early April. I will post a new picture tomorrow of mine as well, I'd like to compare as well. One thing that I want to note and hopefully get some comment back on is this. I had one get pulled up/knocked down by my son "petting" them. It was just laying on top of the soil so I made a hole with a toothpick and dropped it in and watered it. This little guy has taken off! It's not tall as some but the leaf growth and the trunk thickness is as good or better than all the rest in my opinion. It's too early to say but I am wondering if at some point dropping these guys down doesn't promote more girth? I think that in another 2 or 3 weeks I will be ready to transplant and I intend to experiment a little with them by dropping some down and seeing what happens. What do you guys think? Here's a link to my older pictures of the seedlings. John Here is a link that might be useful: My seedlings.

Rick, Thank you! I have already noticed some small differences. The first one that grew developed a reddish hue on the stem. I believe there are only one or two more with this trait right now. Bill, I plan on keeping 4 of them. And selling the rest, once I see them flower...which means it may be 2 or 3 years before that happens! I will also most likely trade them or give them away c: What are your plans? Which blooms will yours have? My blooms will look similar to these or a variation of these two...

that's why while some have zone envy (7/8) because we have a couple of warm weeks in January and have tons of seedlings - we suffer around this time because our temps are now and have dropped as low as 15 and sometimes with snow.. I have tons of seedlings already up with three sets of leaves. I have a system when that happens, special blankets, etc., but I NEVER plant out into the garden until I am well into spring - even not until April 15th. You learn by your mistakes -(although I do plant out my dianthus because they can take the cold well) :0) Carrie

Hi there, well firstly I'm no adenium expert but I have been able to grow 3 to just over 3yrs old and one to 2 yrs old from seeds here in the less than tropical conditions of the UK. Saying that, I have lost far more than are surviving at present...haha!! I found the site below very useful in helping me out along with folks here on the plumie and cactus&succ forums. Very young seedlings can take a lot more water than older plants which should be treated as cacti in the winter...very little water if at all, through to tropicals in the summer months...taking up rather more water than you would imagine. Apart from when thay are germinating the soil should drain as fast as water is put onto it really, the faster the better, never let them sit in wet saucers. My last batches of seeds failed miserably, I think that was due to old seeds from ebay, but I have yet to find them for sale as seed or plants here in the UK except for one plant I saw several years ago which was too dear. Here's a pic of mine for you to see. One of the bigger 3yr old plants made buds last year and the year before in late summer early autumn but they all aborted before they developed fully. Our season is so short and we dont get prolonged high temps sadly....but its fun trying!! Here is a link that might be useful: adenium info