Mohave, I'd suspect temperature to be the reason the new growth is not variegated. I have a couple of plants that lost their variegation over the summer when the room where I grow my AVs (my home office) was not air conditioned much of the time. The variegation returned in the new growth when the temperatures cooled. In a year's time, this plant should have bloomed for you. I believe temperature can affect bloom size and quantity, but it should still bloom. Factors such as inconsistent watering and fertilization can also have an impact on the plants ability to bloom. Before I give you advice, I should mention that I'm not an expert - I've only been growing AVs for a couple of years. If this were my plant, I'd remove the outer couple rows of leaves and unpot the plant looking for any signs of pest problems or rot. Then I'd repot in the same size pot with fresh pottimg mix lowering the plant in the pot so that the (new) bottom row of leaves is just on top of the soil. I'd put the plant in a window that didn't get quite so much direct sun or under fluorescent light and begin a consistent watering/fertilization program. This plant is clearly a survivor - it'll thrive with a little TLC. BTW - You can propagate new plants with the leaves that you remove - I do this regularly when I'm re-potting plants as insurance in case the newly repotted plant doesn't make it. Please look at the links below - you'll find a wealth of information about the culture and care of AVs: http://www.rachelsreflections.org/ http://www.violetbarn.com/plant_care.html -Tim

Sorry about the confusion. Was talking about the spring-blooming freebies and wondered if I should deadhead those? I don't think it matters one way or the other as they should spread from the roots, just watered them. They are a nice daisy and not scraggly (don't look so great now) like some I've seen around town, but if they self seed and come up singly, that's a different matter. I like them in clumps or massed but under control. A few people here cover their whole steep terraces with them. I wanted the spring ones for a couple years anyway; they bloom the same time as iris and once-blooming roses, and I thought they'd be really pretty with those plus my found and rooted pink rose which needed something else there. Was going to move some of the yellow iris there, too. That's good to know about painted daisy, didn't know that. They are clustered in one corner of the jug (little over 1/4) but one of the first up. Don't know why my stuff germinates that way, it's level, but if I end up with just one or two of anything, I'm happy, like experimenting w/seeds but want variety. So my best bet is to plant them HOS and thin only if I have to. I decided I don't mind the colors mixing. They do in a planter I saw a photo of anyway (mine will go into ground). Then if I get them through the heat of the summer and first winter, in time I can divide the clumps and get more. I'm going to let them get a little bigger B4 I plant them. I will let the painted daisies go to seed if I am successful, and thanks much for that. Crazy was droopy today, gave it some water, low to the ground and it has an irrigation bottle (mentioned those on another thread). Those bottles are trapping beetles, don't know if that is a good thing or bad, no ladybugs at least. Sorry I tend to ramble; wish I could make myself be more succinct.

Do you check the humidity? Any chance the humidity is too low in your basement? When I had roses rooting in my basement under lights, I kept them in a larger plastic basket and kept plastic over the top so they stayed pretty humid (in the 80's). Also the basket had an inch of damp pebbles in the bottom. If you don't already have one, Walmart sells a little digital thermometer for less than $10 that gives temp and humidity. It might give you some clues about what is happening. I'm also using plain cheap fluorscent tubes in my sunroom to augment the natural light - but I use the "natural daylight" type. Cheers, Michelle

This is somewhat of a disadvantage, Gill, b/c I don't know what your goals are. Some might like it just as is, others might be looking to make it look like a large, old tree in miniature. For now maybe I could just pass on two impressions. 1. I wouldn't prefer the last view, where the two smaller trunks are more or less hidden. The second-to-last view I like to best show the good features. 2. There could be more dead space. Right now it looks too crowded together, and it creates tension when trying to view and enjoy it. Here is a suggestion for removing a branch on the left. If you agree, then maybe take the same idea to the right side, where the growth is very thick (several branches crowding each other). Then going forward don't let any new backbudding fill that area, but encourage growth up and out. The way it's growing fast and flowering shows impressive health- hats off to you! ez