They love being under my domes, which are 10" x 20" and fit on the standard 10'20 flats. I just bought three more domes as I expand my propagation on the light stand. I get these domes at a store in San Francisco called "Plant It Earth". They cost $6 each. The other day when I was in the store I discovered that the domes they carry have been improved greatly. They are now thicker clear plastic and arch up higher--over 8" above the flats in the middle. I haven't checked but I think this store sells by mail order and has a web site. If I knew where to buy a case of them wholesale, I would, and, then resell the extras as I am sure they would be much cheaper then. I am up to about a dozen of them so far. (4 fit on a four foot light garden shelf). They sell the 10/20 trays for about $1.50 each. I like the white trays but the store only had the black ones when I was there. All these dimensions are inside dimensions by the way--the trays and domes are actually a little larger.

Off topic story: this store is really interesting. They do a good business, and have two or three locations now. They sell all kinds of high end indoor light growing set ups, costing hundreds if not thousands of dollars. I suspect their principal customers are not growing episcias and flowers but things of a more economical bent. The other day I saw that, for the first time, they had a fluorescent light stand set up, selling plants and the fixtures and tubes. But, whoa Nelly, ;), these weren't your garden variety fluorescents. The fixtures were some sort of high end deal--a four foot fixture that uses special high output tubes. The fixtures come in sizes that use 2,4,6,or 8 tubes each. The tubes cost about $20 each! and are 5/8" in diamter (a T-5 tube). The fixtures start at around $200 each but are about $500 or so for the ones that use 8 tubes. Oh well, if their customers buy them I am sure they will have enough light for their "herbs" or whatever. But I digress.......

Blue Nile can be very pretty with its contrast of pale and dark green/brown. Regular light stand lighting should be fine, but don't be afraid to take a tip cutting to start new compact plants.

Jon

You are right on two counts: Plant It Earth has a web site and it is a most interesting place to visit!

I have two E. Blue Nile. One is growing in a south window on a pebble tray and the other is under lights. The one under lights is doing better but I think it was a more robust plant to start.

Regards,
Linda

Psssssst- wanna buy a dimebag of lilacina leaves?

They are great for growing high humidity loving gesneriads under lights. I have some plants that stay enclosed all the time and others that I am propagating or are recovering or are on vacation for the winter. Lately I have been taking cuttings of my episcias, trying to get them all back to my goal--a plant without much of a stem and a nice crown of healthy leaves. For compactness I hope to keep most of mine as single crown plants, removing and propagating stolons as soon as they grow large enough to cut off. Episcias that make stolons inside the domes will put out air roots from the stolons, which makes propagation very fast! I just cut and pot up in a two inch pot with potting mix and a week later they are rooted in and starting to grow. I took some tip cuttings on leggy episcias and they have rooted nicely in potting mix too. I like to take the crowns with just four leaves. Also, you can root them in pots that are about half full and then add more mix as the plants grow taller, removing the older sets of leaves. This will produce a nice sized plant in a two or three inch pot. I've also taken tip cuttings of kohlerias but am yet to take cuttings of K's in bud.

Anyway, I shouldn't be posting now--I've got a society luncheon to attend in 45 minutes. Actually the San Francisco Gesneriad Society Holiday Lunch. We have a nice room at a neighborhood type restaurant in SF. I am taking Celine with me, bless her 93 (shhhh, don't tell) year old heart.

Jon