I'm really glad I checked in here this evening... I live less than a mile from a 23 acre piece of property, that was a horse arena/lounge/restaurant/stables.... it's for sale and it's vacant. by the light of the full moon tonight, I could see clearly just how much there is, of long time composted horse poop, in the cement open bins...soooo much out there. I hadn't even paid any attention to it before but recently I've been craving compost for the yard. I do believe I found my source and don't know if I want to bother to call the realty company for permission. I don't want them to say to stay out of there. maybe I could just go ahead and fill buckets and haul some home, each evening. taking care of grandkids, I always drive right by it.. what started as a surprise that it was for sale in the first place..eventually led to this latest discovery of "black gold"..of course a lot of it is sawdust, from the arena itself. that should be even better, shouldn't it?? I know it's been a couple of years now, since anyone has been in there.

I take fuchsia cuttings all the time. If I decide to get a new variety I buy a single plant and by the end of the summer I can have lots. In my climate I grow them in large pots which I hide up against the house under lots of leaves and they break into new growth the next spring. The question of 'making lots of wood' is not really relevant. However much wood is made it will be enough. Yours has already proved to be hardy enough to overwinter outside so any cuttings from it would be too. Don't keep them in the house at all - it's not necessary where you live. If you had just hung an old sheet or something over the one you had that died it would probably be alive now. If frost is predicted give a little protection. Otherwise leave it alone. Cuttings are child's play. Pinch off the end of a non flowering shoot about two inches long with a few leaves. Put it into some seed or cutting mix and keep moist but not wet. That's it. It will root. I root almost all the pieces I remove when pinching out the plants to make them bushier. Once rooted just plant them where you want them and forget about them. In the winter watch the forecast and protect only if necessary ie if it's going to dip below about 33f. mytime - I'm curious you put yours in the fridge. Is that because the fridge is actually warmer than outside? I suppose it's around 5c which is a good temp for a fuchsia in winter.

This seems like a silly debate... it's a fact that always remains if the plant tissue completely dessicates and becomes bone-dry inside and out, it dies; this is true for any plant. It's also true for most plants that if it becomes too wet and moisture pools on the surface or the water causes the stem/roots to lose contact with air, it rots. And in the meantime, plants are variously adapted to maintain a mostly-constant water content inside themselves despite the variance in surrounding moisture. So a number of different methods will work for maintaining the appropriate amount of moisture inside the fleshy stem, also depending on your particular climate and the environment in which they are stored. So the big question is, how much humidity is in the air in your climate and specifically, in the location where you are storing the plants. In very dry climates, soaking a dormant stem, bulb, root or tuber in water periodically may replenish lost moisture. In very humid climates, soaking it in water may very will kill the plant tissue with mold if the water does not evaporate or if the tissues can't get oxygen, but in those climates it is unnecessary to soak the plants because water loss is very slow. I would suggest in this case you try the same methods you use storing plants like cannas and dahlias. You can completely control the environment by burying it in a pile of barely-moistened peat moss - just moist enough that the peat does not turn to dust if you blow on it, but not any more - in an OPEN grocery bag and setting that in a closed cardboard box, then putting it in a cool (but not freezing) garage. Then no matter what happens to your air humidity, the peat only very slowly loses moisture through the winter.

Final update, for me anyways. Sylvia : Papi Amarillis, lavender mint, pink rose For me : Yellow bird of paradise, culinary sage, lemon mint, schoolhouse lily if you have any extra Phyllis : Varigated ginger, lavender mint, lemongrass For me : Flame acanthus, sabrina hollyhocks, purple butterfly bush Seamommy : Orchid For me : Pots and purple salvia will be great Fortunegardener : Rose and mexican mint marigold For me : Texas Star Hibiscus, garden phlox preferred or sedum is fine element : 3 gallon potted Vitex seedling do you have any potted plants on my wish list?? or kombucha baby or several 3 gallon or large pots?? barkingdogwoods : I have a large hawaiian crinum spiderlily, multiplying onions, elephant garlic For me : rooted fig cuttings, corona de cristo passionflower I will have some extras for the orphan table for sure. See you all Saturday.