Hey Marquest. Didn't see you reposted. What size Amary bulb was it? Mini Amary bulbs are less than an inch. . When they sent the freebie Amary bulbs, they looked dried out..I thought, what the heck, then tossed with the Epi. I'm curious how yours turns out. Please post pics when it's larger. Great, after seeing your plants, and since you use both VF and ST, I'll do the same..now if only we got sun..lol. Or maybe it doesn't matter..since VF isn't a fertilizer it shouldn't matter. I'm grateful you told me. Last wk I ST'd Hoyas. I was planning on using VF thinking it was a fertilizer. Big dilemma. Do I use a third product, a fertilizer, too? My plants and pets eat better than I do. lol. I eat 1.5 meals per day..the puter takes so much time..lol..When working on plants, forget the .5. It's worse in spring when working on the outside garden AND indoor plants. Some days I don't eat anything..maybe a bowl of cereal and a popsicle. lol. Since your story is working, I agree, stick with it..like they say, don't fix something that isn't broken. Marquest, I usually don't keep lists..like you, if I see something I like, and it's affordable, I get it. But last summer I found four succulent nurseries that sell gorgeous plants. I spent a good amount of time reading and studying each succulent, choosing those I liked. Same with a nursery in Thailand..I adore red Aglaonemas. He has the most beautiful Ag's ever, at very reasonable prices. They're very healthy. Found this guy in 2009, took a chance ordering overseas..They're doing fantastic. So, I went through his site, 'took over an hour,' lol, and jotted those I liked. Give your Begonias time. Especially your beautiful Escargot. Do you ST Begonias? Dottie and cousins, most Roseo Picta Calatheas are difficult. Don't think I have any RP types left. They died. I tried Cynthia and Cora a few years ago, but gave up..I have Cals but stay away from RP. My fav Cals/Sro/Ctants are Peacock, Tri-Color, C. Rufibarba and, darn, can't think of the name..it's leaves look like snakes. lol. Have you ever tried STromanths or ctenanthes, sp? They have beautiful colors, and hardier than Cals. Last year I bought the most beautiful Prayer Plant/Maranta ever. It was in a 4" pot, and needed water every couple days..Well, during Christmas, the area was blocked, and I forgot about it..It's now a goner. Its stems were over a foot long. Colors outstanding..doubt I'll ever find this type again. Marquest, btw, your Cal looks fine to me. Or is that a summer pic? What size is the pot and do you let soil dry a little between waterings in winter? They love humid air, but not wet feet. Toni

Roger, Sugar apples prefer soil pH that is mostly alkaline between 7.0-8.0. At the bottom is a guide to growing them. It was written for the growing conditions in Florida but just make adjustments that suit your region. I feed mine a water soluble complete fertilizer 20-20-20 with minor elements every two weeks. To a gallon of water I mix 1 oz of water soluble fertilizer then I pour it at the base of the trunk. I start seeds in a pot with quality soil. when they are about 3 inches high I feed them a weak solution of the same water soluble fertilizer as above but I use 1/2 oz to a gallon of water. When they reach a foot high I plant them in the ground near a wind break. When I grow them using this system they bloom sooner. To make the plant branch out more, pinch back the tips periodically. Seedling 1 foot tall with bloom (in black circle) Another seedling also 1 foot tall with bloom (in black circle) How to grow links: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG33000.pdf http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/sugar_apple.html Here is a link that might be useful: Sugar Apple Growing in the Florida Home Landscape

There are no Atemoyas in season in Florida at the moment either. As I stated to you before on another post since Atemoyas are hybrids they do not come true from seed. You grow Atemoyas by grafting. If you do manage to get fruit at all from those seeds they will be something else other then a Atemoya. Atemoya seeds grow into extremely large trees, and there is no guarantee that they will ever flower or produce fruit.

Hi Shannon, There are way too many amazing and choice conifers to choose from that would fit nicely in your yard, so here's a list of my favorite mail order sources for you to peruse. If you see something you like google image search the entire plant name i.e., Picea omorika 'Pimiko', to get an idea for large and small specimens and their growth habits. https://www.etsy.com/shop/DANSDWARFCONIFERS http://www.coniferkingdom.com http://www.iconicgardens.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc http://www.maplestoneornamentals.com http://www.singtree.com/Dwarf%20Conifers.cfm http://www.songsparrow.com/catalog/plantlist.cfm?type=all&subtype=EVER,&startrow=1 I would start by choosing a few vertical accent conifers that will act as the bones and anchor points of the bed. Perhaps 3 narrow-ish tall growing conifers spaced apart along the expanse of the fence. Something tall in that corner would be nice. Once the larger tall growing conifers are placed imagine the bed being three larger circle around those three conifers, allowing them room to grow over the years and then take a hose to layout long sweeping curves that connect those circles. Make sure the curves are gradual enough that it's easy to mow. Then choose a bunch of dwarf, mini, compact, and globose shaped conifers to be placed throughout. The tall narrow conifers won't bother your neighbors =)