Heres a few things i know about Citrus in general: they like a free draining gritty soil that should dry out between waterings(my mix consists of turface,granite grit and pine bark mulch), plenty of sun and warmth and dislike water logged roots.They are heavy feeders needing micronutrients(i use Miracid for fertilizer)I overwinter my lemons and grapefruits in a sunny window (about 6 hours a day) and put them in direct sun outside after the threat of frost has passed and they do fine. Do keep it away from any forced air heater vents inside. I'm not sure of the cold tolerence of the kumkquat though i hear it can take lower temps. Hope this helps, DavskiB

Unless your 'Catus Orchid' is an Eulophia pertersonii which I doubt, it probably is an Epiphyllum which has nothing to do with orchids but makes spectacular, short lived flowers. Good luck with your new plants, sounds like you controlled your self pretty well. I have a couple of suggestions; Start a catalog of your plants, not now but eventually when you have a few hundred plants, you will tend to repurchase the same plants as you are attracted to certain types. Having a list of plants helps to avoid that. If you have a smart phone and can go on the internet, bring up potential purchases as some plants change names. Encyclias have been fragmented and go under several new names, the same thing will likely happen to Masdevallias. I have on several occasions bought a 'new' plant only to find out it was a synonymn of something I already have. The best times to go is the earliest and the latest possible times. Go immediately when the show opens as you get the best selection but also go 1/2 hour before closing as most vendors will drastically slash prices to get rid of stock. Don't be embarrassed to make a low offer on a plant, you will be surprised how often it is accepted at 4:30PM Sunday. Look for damaged plants. If you like a certain BLC for example and there are several available, one with damaged flowers, make a low offer on that plant, it will bloom again. Don't buy for the flowers on the plant right now but for the ones in the future. Flowers are of course important as it's your best guide to what you are getting but I have no problem with fading or slightly crushed flowers as long as the price is right. Buy the largest plant you can afford, it's very frustrating to buy a small plant because you like the 'Sample Plant' and then have to wait 2 to 3 years for your first bloom. Probably not now but once you are fully addicted, go to the show with a certain amount of cash and leave the check book and the plastic at home. Just like Los Vegas, a good orchid show will suck you dry so be prepared. In the end it's all good fun and there are centers for rehab if you ever want to escape the addiction. There also 9 or 12 step programs for recovered orchid addicts you can join in the future. Or you can fully immerse yourself and end up doing handstands for rare and unusual plants which you will never find at orchid shows but are obtained by scouring the far corners of the world. Nick

The reason I wanted to know where you live (state) is that culture instructions vary widely according to where you are. Sorry to say that i think the plant roots are in such a bad condition that it is doubtful if the plant can be saved or if it is saved the process could take ages before you see another flower. The plant needs temperatures in the 60 to 90F range. Good bright light or sunlight filtered by shade-cloth. A coarse well drained potting mix if you like to water often or a finer mix if you can stay your watering hand. Drainage must be perfect so that the roots can dry between waterings. Doesn't need filtered water, most water from the "tap" is fine. Fertilise more often in the warmer months with a complete fertilizer with trace elements. Forget about this humidity stuff. The current humidity reading in this room where I'm growing Phals. on a windowsill is 46%. Find some complete culture notes written for the Pacific North West and maybe buy a new plant.

Capoman: I keep thinking about getting more soil and I drive by the store every day. I don't think I will sleep right till I do pot up to the 3 gallon. Going to stop there later! And as far as the 511 mix. I am scouring my local shops to see what I can scrounge up..not going good. Thanks for chiming in. Bill: The summers get brutal here and I also picked up some lava sand to top mulch and then cover with pine chips. Just getting ready for the summer and trying to slow down evaporation. Everything helps and since I am planning on moving sometime around August, containers are my only option. Bruce: I guess I have to get out of the bonsai mindset. I am in the habit of root and top pruning my other plants because they are in containers as well. The bonchi fascinates me. With the 1 gallon and soon the 3 gallon containers, my plan was to use the thick green gardening steaks punctured through the bottom drain holes of the pots in an attempt to steak down the plants and use the bamboo with green gardeners tape to create a mock tomato cage style holding pattern to some what control the growth. I do not mind doing the additional work. My Espaliered trees require a lot of work so it is a nice break to get to play around with the pepper plants! :-)