You wrote: "Kasprowicz, Ray" <RKasprow@microage.com> Subject: [CH] Fertilizer questions. Any suggestions on fertilization? I have been using Scott's Vegetable fertilizer which is a broadcast type and the plants seem to be doing OK, that's it, just OK. All my plants are in pots and with heavy watering, the leaching of the minerals has a definite impact. Being in Arizona, the summers get very hot and I have to water heavy. I have been gardening in the desert for many years and I have found the following works for me. Using a lot of compost in the bottom of the pot topped up with a good potting mix . Some of my pots are buried in the ground and where I have above ground pots, I have them "double-potted" In a very large pot I put a layer of gravel which will allow an inner pot rim to be at the same level as the outside pot and the inner pot small enough to allow at least 3 inches between the inner and outer walls. I place the inner pot and fill it part way with compost. I then fill the space between the pots with sand and with shredded newspaper packing it down well. I then finish filling the inner pot and transplant my seedling or plants into the pot. I only need water a couple of times a week except in extremly hot weather - 105 and above. I also use shade cloth as a vertical wind-screen as the wind is as drying as the heat. I use epsom salt early in the season to encourage good root growth, then use fish emulsion as soon as the first buds appear. -- Andie Paysinger & the PENDRAGON Basenjis,Teafer,Cheesy,Singer & Player asenji@earthlink.net So. Calif. USA "In the face of adversity, be patient, in the face of a basenji, be prudent, be canny, be on your guard!" http://home.earthlink.net/~asenji/