In a couple hours since I've posted, both of the smaller plants are back to normal. Like nothing happened. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Very interesting. This outright rules out any root problem. IMO any root problem is no/cannot be reversible. Wilting like what I see in the picture, can be due to TWO things: ___ extreme thirst' ___ extreme heat/sun In both above cases, plant will perk up after watering and after the source of heat/sun has gone. You say you water them every other day. But is it possible that you forgot watering for much longer than that ? OR maybe it is not just enough. It happens to me all the time. Just a week ago some of my tomato seedlings were wilting to the point of dying: THE CAUSE: thirst. After watering, they perked up but the lower leaves did not recover. Sure, soil less medium is better but I have grown all kinds of things in pots filled with garden soil. The problem with compaction and root bounding is that the pot cannot hold enough moisture for a long time (maybe not for one day), in the dog days of summer. Probably you have summer like weather in Florida right now ? THE BOTTOM LINE SOLUTION (imo) re pot them with soil less potting mix into a bigger pot. Hope all this is worth couple of pennies. But I am not asking for anything. hehe

Thank you so much for all your suggestions. Sorry I haven't responded sooner, please don't think I'm ungrateful. I've been trying to research all of your wonderful suggestions. lavender lass: Yes, I'm in Spokane. Good deduction by the way. :) The alyssum did quite well and for the most part fit the bill perfectly. I'm just trying to minimize the amount of annuals I plant each year. Gardengal: Thank you for those suggestions, I really like the Saponaria Ocymoides, it is going on my definite maybe list. CMK: Also thank you very much, I'm adding the Origanum Rotundifolum 'Kent Beauty' to the above list. I really like this one too. Also looking at the thrifts that you all have mentioned and for a low growing perennial geranium. If I didn't thank you all individually, forgive me. I do appreciate Everyone's help. :=) Alexis

grizzman I guess it came out wrong, it was late and I needed to get to bed. I meant that growing in soil generally takes about ten times more water than growing hydroponically. With soil you pour water on them and it all drains down through the earth (pots etc.), that takes continual watering (often daily). Where hydroponics makes use of all the water in the system (unless it's a run to waist type system). So really the only water used is what the plants drink, and some evaporation (depending on location and setup design). jfd986 I simply cant tell you how much it will cost to build and run the system that you decide to build. That's why I wanted to explain all the variables to consider when making a decision. If you decide to use a water culture system that only uses one or two air pumps, you wont notice anything on your electric bill. Unless you decide to grow inside, then you would need to factor in the cost to run the lights as well for the same plants. Bottom line * Water pumps, timers, and air pumps cost almost nothing to run, unless you are using a lot of them. * Lights I would go with what grizzman said with respect to cost to run, I don't use lights myself, I grow in sunlight (its cheaper that way). But you would need to factor in the cost of equipment. It isn't just the cost of the bulb. As bbrush said there's the cost of the ballast, and metal halide, and High pressure sodium ballasts are not interchangeable to the best of my knowledge. So if you are needing both type, for different phases of plant growth, well that adds up. Also you will need a light reflector to direct the light down to your plants. * The cost to build the system depends on how you build it, how elaborate you want it, as well as what the cost of the materials you need are. What type of system you decide on etc.. I can tell you that I built a system using 4, 5 gallon buckets for the plants, a 18 gallon reservoir, all the tubing and parts needed to build it, including the water pump and timer, even both black and white spray paint to light proof the system (as well as the growing medium), for under $100. But again I use natural light so I get great growth, without needing to buy expensive lighting (much less the cost to run them). This system cost just about nothing in electricity to run, and I had 4 large broccoli plants growing for about 6 months in it. do I really have to keep the light on for 24 hours? No, the lights don't need to be on 24/7. Everybody has a different lighting cycle for their plants, and they often change the on/off times (cycle) as the plants grow. Some plants like more light than others do, so lighting cycles should depend on the plants you grow. 1) Change the water Here everybody has their own preferences. Some change it once a week, some ever other week, some once a month, and others change it once or twice a year. The size of the reservoir, as well as the size of the plants is a big factor in those decisions as well. I personally chance it between one week and one month. There are a lot of variables in my decision, and I always pay attention to how the plants look. 2) Add nutrients (Are there instructions on the bag for that? Should I just comb through previous posts?) Again here everybody has their own preferences, and each situation is unique to that situation. I'm not sure what nutrients you plan to use, but any manufacture of hydroponic nutrients should have mixing directions with the product (and online as well). But generally you can mix them a little weaker than the manufacture directions. There is also a difference in how strong they should be depending on size of the plants, but manufactures list that as well, they refer to it as the growth phase. 3) Water them (Do they even need watering?) Every plant needs water, so I'm not sure what you mean. Are you asking if you need to hand water them? That would depend on how you designed and built your system. But that's why people use pumps in the first place, so the watering cycle is automated. In the case of a water culture system, the roots are always in the water, and the air pump provides much needed oxygen, and air bubbles to the roots so they don't suffocate. 4) Expect them to yield edibles I must of mist it, I'm not sure what plants you decided to grow after all. But generally speaking about the same as growing in soil. They will probably (and likely) grow a little faster than in soil. It all depends on how well you control the growing environment, that makes a big difference in both plant health, as well as yield. The better the conditions, the faster the plants grow. Any pet supply store will carry air pumps (and air stones) in the fish tank department. You can get an air pump designed for a 30 to 60 gallon fish tank at Wal-Mart for about $12 (air stones $2-$3). If you are planing to build a big water culture system and more air output, they do make high output air pumps, starting for about $80 and up that you can find online. P.S. I have some good links to strawberry information, but you say you decided not to grow them after all, so I guess I wont post them after all. If you want to keep track of the electricity costs get a Kill-A-Watt, you can get them at almost any home improvement store inexpensively. They will tell you exactly how much each electrical device is costing to run. You just need to know how much you pay per kilowatt hr (that's on your electric bill), and is programmable into the device.

Yes, mom, and I'm so glad your garden is growing well! I got my film developed at a drugstore that sold me a diskette for the pictures, as well as double prints. (Or do you have one of those new-fangled digital cameras? ;-) ) You don't ever have to blanche brocolli. Some cauliflowers "self-blanche"--their leaves curl up over the head naturally. Otherwise, you can use a spring-type clothespin to pinch 2 leaves over the growing head--that just keeps the sun from browning the pretty white head. (I accidently grew a cauli in the middle of 1/1 collard greens--the crowding shaded it just fine, thanks.) Heh--Maybe you can can tomatoes outside on a covered grill and keep the kitchen cooler. Or share your blessing with a soup kitchen.... Yes, it is a wonderful, exciting joy every single year.