Where should I situate the palm plant? Right now it's placed in front of a west facing window and because it's early spring, the sky is cloudy so I have the window completely open. I think when it gets sunnier, I'll close the blinds. I have white honeycomb blinds that let soft light in. I'm just hoping it's enough light to keep the palm happy. Do you think I should move the plant back 8 feet from the window and just keep the window open?

I agree with tropic. You need a faster draining soil. If you want to keep the MG soil, I recommend amending your soil with perlite (you can buy a bag at Wal-Mart or Lowes, HD, a garden center for about $4). By itself, MG too water retentive. I have my houseplants in a MG/perlite mixture that's about 50/50. There are better mixes out there, but I only use MG and I can't advise you in detail on the others (no experience). But if you're interested in other mixes, there's the Gritty mix and the 5:1:1 mix, both of which have numerous posts on GW that you can find by searching. While these are labeled low light plants, they would appreciate some sunlight (or at the very least, placed near a window where they receive bright indirect light). That being said... these will burn in certain windows as the sun is too intense, and the only window I'd suggest placing it in or near is an East window (it will only receive morning sun). If there's anything I've learned, a plant isn't necessarily going to be the happiest where I'd want it to be. I've ended up moving all my plants to right next to our Southeast window. The further away from a window, the less light the plant receives. Planto

Dear Purple, I do appreciate your experience, your love for plants, and you concern for helping others nurture their own passion. My feelings are quite the same as yours, but my experience is different. What I've learned is that the critical factor in having healthy, beautiful plants is soil moisture/aeration cycles. Perhaps if anyone has found their plants doing better as soon as they ended the "wet saucer" practice, it was not so much that in itself, but other factors that were allowing the plant(s) to reach more favorable aeration levels between waterings. There are always many variables in operation. What I do know is that by ascertaining the soil moisture throughout the medium in which the plant is growing (meaning all the way to the bottom of the pot), and by allowing the moisture/aeration ration to reach the optimum level for that particular variety of plant, you are taking the first, largest, and most important step in assuring a long and beautiful life for your plants. This is not "arcane anecdotes," but practice established over 50 years, by 1000's of people, and millions of plants. I'm not saying what you, or anyone else, are doing is wrong. On the contrary, if your plants are thriving, if they make you happy and beautify your life, it is totally right. But don't you think people who are seeking advice should be able to consider several possible approaches? What about very busy people; even if they feel they can spare no more than a few minutes a week on plants, shouldn't they be able to have plants if they are willing to spend those few minutes? These are the people I'd like to encourage. Maybe some of them will get "bit by the bug," and end up with a thousand plants in their home ( the 1000 plant thing, as related in the 'first plant' thread, just blows my mind), using all sorts of culture methods - hydroponics, gritty mixes, tree bark, self-mixed soil recipes, exotics in environmentally-controlled cases the size of half a room. Who knows? So, to address a few of the matters you bring up, from my point of view -- 1) yes, newly potted-up plants are susceptible to rotted roots - all the more reason to get in there and make sure the soil has aerated thoroughly. (Also not-too-large pots, more porous medium, etc.) 2) it's not the roots growing through the drainage holes that "suck up" water in liners; the water actually moves back into the soil/root mass from the liner through those drainage holes, and spreads evenly throughout the pot volume, if the medium has a good particle/space ratio, where it is then available to the roots. 3) distinction between corporate and personal plants - (hoping I can shed some light on the interior landscape business here). First of all, it's a business, meaning it has to make a profit or it's out of business. Replacements are costly - therefore the technician must keep the plants looking beautiful (not just "clinging to life") as long as possible, or they cut into an already slim profit margin. Secondly, people are paying to have beautiful plants, and that is how they must be kept, or the customer find a new service. Thirdly, people get very attached to "their" plants - the people whose offices have plants, people who have plants near their desks, and the tech taking care of the plants. Fourth, corporate plants are not generally put into "adverse conditions" "at the limits of their endurance" "clinging to life" - no profit in it; contracts require that plants be placed in adequate light and protected conditions. So it might not be like having some of grandma's plants, but folks still love the plants that help make the corporate world a little less cold. I could go on and on. I'm sure everyone thinks I've already gone on way too long as it is. So you disagree with me? Cool! I love to examine differing viewpoints from varied angles, to try and pick out the threads of insight that knit together seemingly opposing positions. Oh yea, those nasty plastic disks in the bottom of some plants. I honestly don't know why they're so bad, they have holes and all and should just let water through, but they don't. I just know if you find them, you should take them out and throw them away.

Single seed = single stem unless you keep pinching back at the nodes to force development of secondary stems. Best to plant in small cluster. Same for ferns although the root ball, once mature enough will generate new branches if not planted too deeply. Dave