Hi All, along the lines of bulb requirements (soil, heat, moisture, light) and experimentation, there was something else I wanted to share & ask the group with regards to Hippeastrum. Last fall (November) I bought 3 Hippeastrum (Giraffe, Clown & cybister Lima) from Amaryllis.com to add to my collection. As an experiment, I planted them all in one, rectangular, cheapo, $1.00 Store, *plastic* container in 100% (sphagnum) peat moss; no sand, no organic compost...no-nothing else...and then treated them the same way as the rest of my Hipps with regards to water & fertilizer. 1.) Well, Lima immediately started off-setting. When the first off-set broke ground shortly after the mother-bulb's leaves began growing, I assumed it was a weed...which I thought was odd being in 100% sterilized peat. In the past 8 months it has produced 8 off-sets...all 1" to 3" inches away from the mother-bulb. I don't remember any of my other Hipps off-sets growing so far away from the mother-bulb; most emerge either from the mother-bulb or right next to it. 2.) Not only did the Clown send up two 5-flowered & 4-flowered scapes, which produced so many seeds that for those of you I sent Rhodophiala seeds to, I also included a packet of Clown x Clown seeds too (just to be rid of the damn things...so now they're on you), but now the Clown is the largest Hipp in my collection; leaves 28" x 2.5". If I hadn't seen it bloom, I would think that maybe I was sent some kind of Crinum or Agapanthus by mistake. 3.) And Finally, the Giraffe has sent up another scape and is about to have a second bloom of the season, which I don't remember any of my other hybrid Hipps doing before. The question is; *Peat...or Heat*? HEAT: The first 3 months of these bulb's grown cycle (first-green to seed-harvest) I had them in my apartment in San Francisco...which although has light issues 'cuz of its Eastern exposure...it also has *steam radiator heat*! Since it is perpetually winter in San Francisco, even with a thermostate & timer, the radiator is always on and the bulbs were kept constantly in dry heat between 73F and 82F. That's really the only significant difference. After I harvested the seeds, I moved them to Sacto...and they've been out in the back yard (open) with all my other Hipps since the beginning of April. *Would anyone care to venture an answer to the 'Peat...or Heat?' question?* Lemme know. This goes for all my PBS group forum entries...if you would prefer to respond privately...please do. Thanks, -d.