Dave McDonald of the Botanical Society of South Africa, who recently gave a lecture tour in western North America, mentioned that some gladiolus don't flower until there has been a fire. Sometimes that has been for 15 years. I asked whether it was some chemical from the smoke or ash that triggered flowering, but he said it was more likely lack of competition that did it. I didn't ask whether these non-flowering gladiolus were putting up leaves every year. So - are your pots of plants completely open to the sky, or are they overshadowed? -- Diane Whitehead Victoria, British Columbia, Canada maritime zone 8 cool mediterranean climate (dry summer, rainy winter - 68 cm annually) sandy soil