On 3 Feb 2013, at 18:17, Lee Poulsen wrote: > So what should one do (in So. Calif.) if he is tempted beyond the ability to > resist into purchasing them in mid-spring at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical > Garden (RSABG) plant sale? I cannot get them to survive in their pots until > the autumn. Have you asked the RSABG how they carry their potted PCI through the summer? This is the Mma Ramotswe technique: if you need information, just ask around: someone's sure to have the answer and will love to talk about it. Being a bold soul, I will, however, make a guess: you are letting the soil in the pots get too warm. Try shading the pots, especially from sun striking the pots themselves, or even plunge them rim-deep in sand or soil for the summer. -- Rodger Whitlock Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Z. 7-8, cool Mediterranean climate