Coincidentally, I left a post on another thread a little while ago that addresses the idea that certain plants "must dry between waterings." This is one of those statements that could be useful if it was properly qualified, but is simply wrong on its face. Strangely enough, I even used aralia as an example of plants that do indeed rebel quickly and notably when over-watered; however, that the plant doesn't like the stress associated with over-watering is not an indication it likes the stress associated with a dry soil, either. Following, is a copy/paste of what I offered on a thread about F alii. Remember it was written and posted before this thread appeared: [The question was asked] "Before I lightly water, should the soil be completely dry from top to bottom of my pot?" Your question begs a yes/no answer, but if I answered YES, I would be wrong, and NO wouldn't be very helpful because it needs qualifying to be useful. Some growers confidently give the advice that plants like succulents, schefflera, aralia, ficus, and many others, should be allowed to go dry before you water again. This is an error that cuts against the well-being of the plant. These plants TOLERATE drought stress better than most other plants when they're taken as a group, but that doesn't mean they are immune to the ill effects of drought stress - they're not. Let's add some perspective though, to what I just said. It's easy to see how that advice originated and came to be accepted as a near universal truth, when in fact it should be relegated to the pile of horticultural myths. Aralia, for example, is a plant that reacts quickly and poorly to soggy soil conditions. Somewhere, someone writing a plant book said, "I don't think my readers will understand, or want to be bothered with what it takes to understand, this watering business, so I'd better make sure the information I supply at least keeps them from killing their plant from over-watering." The author then evaluates whether or not it's better to let the plant go dry and suffer the effects of drought stress, or to tell them to keep the soil moist and risk the grower being too heavy-handed on the watering can. The lesser of the evils is to let the plant dry down before you water. It's not "good for the plant"; it's simply 'less bad' than over-watering. 'Balance', is a nuance that escapes a high % of even long-time growers. It's important to understand that what you THINK you're seeing isn't always what is actually happening. For instance, many growers assume that when you can only detect (with finger/probe) moisture in the extreme bottom of the pot, all the roots above the detectable moisture level are unable to take up water and nutrients. That's what it LOOKS like - the soil is dry - right? That's what we assume and what we act on, if we don't understand that plants take up water a molecule at a time from a microscopically water in the bottom of the pot diffuses in vapor form throughout the entire soil mass. So in actuality, it might only be the top 10% of the soil that is actually too dry for the plant ..... and the roots in the top 10% of the soil are going to be almost all conducting/anchoring roots anyway. Additionally, when there is moisture detectable only at the pot bottom, the diffusion rate can easily be high enough that not only will there be water available in vapor form in the upper part of the pot, but enough diffusion might be going on that it maintains the integrity of that microscopic film of water on colloidal surfaces from which plants gather water. Remember, plants don't take up water in sips/gulps like we do. Water moves into the plant a molecule at a time, so water that can actually be SEEN in soils is inhibiting of root function. That's why it's so important to understand that evenly damp or moist is the ideal state of water retention for almost everything we grow. HOW to achieve 'evenly moist' is part of the same play - just a different act. At this juncture, what's important is that 'evenly moist' is ideal, but if you have to err, err on the dry side - but not TOO dry. One thing you need to consider is where the roots are in the container. A 12" pot containing a plant with 3" of root depth due to a recent root pruning/repotting/potting up, shouldn't be allowed to dry down as much as the same set-up that's mature (roots have thoroughly colonized the soil mass). The key to this whole watering thing is reducing the amount of perched water in the soil to the greatest degree possible. It may seem like word play, but reducing the amount of perched water a soil CAN hold is better than working toward reducing the amount of perched water a soil DOES hold. The reason there is a difference is, the former is achieved as a function of particle size and the physical properties of the particles, both of which affect ACTUAL aeration and drainage. The later can be achieved via a variety of ways that don't necessarily depend on changes in particle size and aeration; so while the net result is still an improvement, it's not as significant an improvement as reducing the amount of water a soil is capable of holding. Al

Persian Shield(alternathera ficoidea) can be rooted in water. I've never had problems rooting it in a peat based soiless mix. I like to have a cutting apx. 4" long usually from the tip of the plant,with two leaf noides at the bottom of the cutting(leaves striped off,of course),cut the top out,leaving 3-4 leaves. If the leaves are large cut them back by half.see webpage walterreeves.com Never tried Chiken Gizzards(Iresine herbstii) but from what I found on search,it can be done pretty much the same as above.found some info on webpage killerplants.com PP

Certainly not what I expected from the title. Very creative, as usual. Some of my Grandchildren would have loved this when they were teens, one probably still would. And I totally agree about the gizzards & hearts making good broth. And yes, the meat on a turkey neck is really good, too. So, cook all three together, along with whatever seasoning you like, celery, onions, parsley, etc. Drain for broth, use meat for something like Giblets & Rice. Then make jewelry from the bones. Recycling at its best! ;>) And the picture of the naked chicken feet on another, older thread was probably the grossest thing I've seen yet on this forum. The fish looked good! Rusty

Man, I'm out of practice giving dinner parties. At least hot pot is easy. It is a fun sort of dinner too, very communal. Here is the kitchen with dinner in progress. I'm making broth here. The chicken broth got seasoned with soy sauce, rice wine, rice vinegar, ginger, S&P. The beef broth needed a help from a whole jar of jellied beef broth I've been saving. I also marinated the scallops, mussels, beef, shrimp, and lotus root. [URL=http://s800.photobucket.com/user/jylmks/media/592B4240-62DA-4A9C-B89F-8CBD6603C256_zpsvrwb4mql.jpg.html][IMG]http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy282/jylmks/592B4240-62DA-4A9C-B89F-8CBD6603C256_zpsvrwb4mql.jpg[/IMG][/URL] The table set. We had several kinds of noodles, a few kinds of mushrooms, other veggies, fish balls, shrimp balls, and the marinated proteins. Not shown, but we also made pork & shrimp shao mai, pork & leek dumplings, pork short ribs, steamed buns, and other stuff. I also marinated and fried some mackerel, and simmered some other mackerel in sake, mirin, and soy sauce. The soup dumplings did not get made, sadly. Ran out of time and energy. [URL=http://s800.photobucket.com/user/jylmks/media/890E3466-9B82-4391-A58E-2D436A53D0A7_zpsiwjbggs3.jpg.html][IMG]http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy282/jylmks/890E3466-9B82-4391-A58E-2D436A53D0A7_zpsiwjbggs3.jpg[/IMG][/URL] And this is during dinner. The bald guy is a neurosurgeon. His wife runs their vineyard and they've started making wine, which is very good. He and I mostly talk about cocktails and guns. My friend from a big local semiconductor company talked to me about the current downturn in that industry. I told his wife she shouldn't be hard on their daughter for not doing well in high school physics, because our high school does a really terrible job of teaching that subject. My daughter took physics there and understood nothing; I couldn't figure out what she was supposed to do in her assignments, despite two years of college physics, their approach to the subject is so opaque. My son won't take physics there. My friend brought his new boyfriend (fingers crossed), who made fun of me by speaking Cantonese which I don't understand at all. There were some kids there, they had a good time. [URL=http://s800.photobucket.com/user/jylmks/media/7D13EBA3-3313-46C8-9F09-67FD8B0F56A3_zpsult0gbk0.jpg.html][IMG]http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy282/jylmks/7D13EBA3-3313-46C8-9F09-67FD8B0F56A3_zpsult0gbk0.jpg[/IMG][/URL] We cleaned up, mostly, and I went to bed at midnight. Got up at 6 am to drive daughter back to college. Actually she drove most of the way, she's finally learning to drive!. I was so tired that on the return drive, I had to pull over in a rest stop. Okay, back to one pot meals and leftovers. I just haven't been cooking much lately.