I use several methods to keep pots cool. First I use a soil temperature thermometer to measure temp in pots. Second, if I am going to keep the plant in a pot for a long time (a year or more), I use a paint primer and paint the pot white (I don't worry about the top lip as that is above the soil). Most of the time I find a black pot painted white pot stays less than 85 F, usually 75 F (where I live day temps run 65 winter to 95 in summer). Bigger pots benefit more from white paint. For smaller pots, I cut pieces of 1/2" ply in 8 ft lengths (5' lengths for the green house benches). I either lean them up against a line of 1 gallon or 2 gallon pots, or I screw a tap on each end that will go under a pot to hold the board upright. The ply is nice because it isn't that wide and stores easily. In the winter, the black pots are actually nice, to keep the soil warmer. My passiflora love a warm, moist pot and will die in a cold, wet pot. I also have 4 areas for pots. Two receive morning sun, one is against a south wall by a pool, one is on the north side of a wall. I also have a 50% shaded area which has a drop shade on the south side for the winter sun that sneaks in under the shade. I just leave the soil thermometer in a test pot in the warmest, easily visible area and that tells me when I need to start moving pots around. I start moving once I see 80 F. Sounds like a lot of work, but I often have up to 2,000 4" through 15 gallon pots. When I paint the pots I use two coats with a brush (primer re-coats virtually instantly). Spray paint is not better and costs more. By using a primer, if the paint scratches off, I just touch it up. _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…