Yeah, I opted to skip the holes also because I wanted to use my bins for craft stuff when I was done. Storage is a commodity around this place. Using the lid as a drip tray is an excellent idea though. I'll have to keep that in mind when I get some more bins. Not all tote lids are alike heh. I used about 74% perlite and 25% peat moss because it seems like I always have the "too wet" issue. I figured wicking and a little water in the bottom for humidity would keep me from feeling like I always have to have my hands on them lol. I think that is how I end up killing them, by babying them to death. Do you take the lid off your plants occasionally so they can breath or do they usually do well leaving the lid on them and leaving them alone? I took the lid off of the bins today for a while and they didn't seem to like that very much. They have perked back up some since the humidity started building again but they were sort of droopy earlier. I have a hard time with most cuttings but things like sedum, cactus, and most houseplants usually do pretty well in a glass in the window for me. That is as long as I keep the water changed. That sweet potato vine... I have never seen anything root that fast. Those things had little tiny roots yesterday and today they are around two inches long. I'm wondering if I don't need smaller cuttings for overwintering heh. I wish I knew they rooted that easy at the beginning of the season before I bought twelve of them!

UCVinero, Sorry, I've been a little preoccupied the last two weeks. Haven't had much time to devote to the forums. I agree with Butch T. I bottom heat around 85-90 degrees and have had 90-100% germination everytime with this variety within 10-15 days. I am very surprised by the result. I've had 4-5 others share similar success. Perhaps they require higher temps than other C. Chinese? I can't confirm because I always use this temp range and plant in Pro-Mix Bx. Chris

I am not overfeeding yet, tclynx. I put a spoonful of left over garbage in the container, covered it with a little more paper and sprayed that down. I managed to forget about the worms for 4 whole days, it is my nature to jump from one NEW idea to another, but yesterday, I peeked in and found 3 0r 4 worms lurking upon the handles under the lid...all wrapped together. The worms on the bottom are moving up, nicely, and I can see more than 1 worm when I look into the container! I can actually see hundreds of them without having to dig down and disturb them. I am being careful with the food, though. I figure that with as many worm beds that I have tried to establish outside, what little food I have managed to scrape off a plate can go into more than one worm factory, right? =o) Everyone is making more of themselves. I am happy! =o)

I would suggest it's a bit early to dismiss the supercropping as possible cause of the BER. I agree it's not likely, but one plant without symptoms doesn't necessarily prove the supercropping wasn't at fault. It's possible the control plant had some variable in its favor that made the difference. Of course it's more likely there was some other minor variable that pushed things against the plants with BER. For the aphids I'd say either go biological or get out the big guns. Hardcore pesticides aren't great, but sometimes it's better than a total loss. Oh, and leaving the fruit on can make the BER persist. Each of those fruits represents a major future investment of plant resources. If there isn't enough to go around (a calcium shortage causing BER) the more fruit they're trying to grow the more thinly it's spread and the worse the problem is likely to get. I'd advise removing anything with even a hint of BER. Force the plant to redirect it's resources to areas that aren't already lost causes. It may be time to look for a superior source for nutrition. I've been using Advanced Nutrients for awhile now without trouble. It might work better for you as well.