Very interesting. You should do this again but with other nutrient lines. Keep the Botanicare as your baseline and then try like Advanced Nutrients or something. I'd be really interested in seeing how the different lines work out for you. Maybe you could do a blog to photo document the whole thing?

bldsgal - good point about our mothers. Mine was slim and trim and up until I was in 7th grade she used a wringer washing machine and had no dryer!! And of course she never has a dishwasher and she worked like crazy in a very large garden. Flyleft - you are surely right that many labor saving devices help people remain independent as they become older. But do you think that is really a significant reason companies make these products? I think it's because human nature is to find an easier way to do things and they're intended for the masses of "young" able bodied people flocking to purchase these things as our country generally becomes more and more sedentary. For example BIL has a lake cabin next door to ours. We don't have big yards. He bought a whoppin' big yard tractor to mow "our" lawns. He's not old and he's physically able to walk around and mow a small yard. We declined having the rider mow ours - easy enough to walk it (and easier to get around the trees). Meanwhile he laments being overweight and out of shape......

When I was young, the only a/c that we experienced was at the movie theater. I believe that is why my father insisted on the drive-in instead. As I have aged, I find that I am less tolerant of the heat. The thermostat is set at 76 during the day and sometimes that seems warm to me. I can fix that by removing some of my clothes (shades are down, thank you). At night, I need to wrap myself in the blanket, almost mummy-like. Ceiling fan is operating and the programmable thermostat kicks in about 11:00 (when the price of electricity is much less) and it cools the house to 68. Rarely during the day with the a/c come on. The house (walls, carpet, ceiling) have chilled during the night and all will be OK. We cook mid-day and evening meals on the grill, thus not much heat is created in the kitchen. The other day, I did a bunch of canning and that heated the kitchen (good bye clothes), but the other end of the house was still cool. Jim

This method seems VERY SIMILAR to the german self watering pots I use. you put your plants in the top and then the water reservoir is in the bottom. they use what is called pon as the soil - similar to gritty mix (no net pot). the roots grow very quickly. they are called lechuza pots and are kind of pricey. they work for not only adenium, but also for african violets. there's a water level thingie that tells you when to water. you also may purchase the pon substrate separately. No. 2 chicken grit and Napa floor dry (part No. 8822) also works. i like the mini deltini this is the taller (not mini) deltini dave