I find that I prefer to use VF-11 as a folier feed, you can also use a weak feeding of something else but it would be overkill. Since you have a soiless mix, use VF-11 in place of the other fertilizer. Also neem oil is not a fertilizer, so you can use it, however if you do use VF-11 alone it makes the plant stronger an less susceptable to disease and insects so you'll end up using less and less.

Sandy, I greatly enjoyed reading your last post. Your attitude, insight and desire to learn more has taken you well beyond a hobbyist level. With that you will have an endless new world of questions, understanding and knowledge spread before you to explore and enjoy. And that new knowledge gained will greatly benefit the Lepidopteran species you study and the folks you share it with. Joining and taking an active role in a local group of Lepidopterists will make all of that happen much faster, and is something that anybody who really wants to learn more should do. I agree it takes strong personal ethics when you travel to foreign countries and find new to you species just begging to be reared and studied. They are not a problem on longer stays as you could do so while there even in your hotel room. But when its time to come back home and you still have livestock in tow is when "that" decision raises its ugly head. Unfortunately I know of even professional Lepidopterists who have stowed away livestock to bring home, and gotten away with it. That is nothing but laziness on their part because it is just not that hard to do so legally usually if you know the regulations of the country you are in and those of US Customs. Naturally, any livestock brought home must be eventually euthanized rather than released, so doing your studies, making written notes and taking lots of pictures while there on the leps home turf is easily the best choice for anyone but serious Lepidopterists who have a valid need for reference material brought back home. As for your Morphos, technically to be legally in this country, even dead, dried specimens should be under a US import permit, including those specimens incorporated into native art. However, few foreign countries bother to regulate Lepidoptera at all, and US Customs rarely enforces the regs for Lepidopteran art even if caught when coming home and going through customs with them. They have bigger fish to fry, so I would not worry about them at all. Individual specimens for scientific research are a different story, and should ALWAYS be under permit. I got a chuckle out of your comment that I was from the "other side". There is no doubt at all that I am on the other side from what is the norm here on this forum, and I am not offended by your comment at all. Being from the dark side does make posting here quite difficult for me usually though. My intent in being here at all is to offer some of the perspectives from that side as well as the much deeper knowledge gained from being a part of it while trying not to offend the many folks here who seem to be so easily offended. Its really a balancing act for me that often leaves me biting my tongue and not replying to some threads at all, only giving partial answers to others and rarely posting what the stark truth is because many here simply couldnt handle it. I know Im not always successful even though I do put a lot of thought into my posts. So I am sure I do offend some folks and can only hope that doesnt cause anyone to stop posting. Hopefully it will all come out OK in the wash. If not I can always find something else to do with my time, and Id much rather do that than run anyone off this forum. ------ APHIS This APHIS thing has left me really perplexed. Mainly because I do not fully understand what drives it as it pertains to Lepidoptera I guess. On the cover, as it applies to Lepidoptera, it looks like total foolishness right out of the bleeding heart liberal La La Land and regulations that I would personally fight. I always took Lepidopteran regulations very serious when I was actively studying Lepidoptera, not so much because of the legalities but mostly because of personal ethics AND believing they had a valid purpose. I was very well versed on all of those regulations, stayed current on them and ALWAYS obtained permits when required. But trust me, I did serious knock-down dragout battles with US Customs more than once over them because I was right and could prove it and they were wrong. So I plan to do some heavy research into APHIS, eventually to the point of calling their contact person for a discussion to get to the bottom of it. Its probably pretty certain that I wont agree with it entirely as most of the regulations on Lepidoptera are full of holes with real world reality commonly left out. But the last thing we want to do on this forum is give people bad information, especially information that involves legalities. Then each can decide for themselves how they will follow the regulations. Will take some time with the health issues looming, but when I fully understand it Ill post the findings on the forum so hopefully we will all understand it in laymans terms. Larry

Here's a quick reference guide for growing veggies here. I see nothing in it about growing anything in July. I wait until early September to plant warm weather veggies. I will start some tomatoes, peppers and eggplants in pots in August, to be ready for their final transplant in October. Then I'll plant cool weather crops after Thanksgiving. I usually start some more 'maters in January for spring. Here is a link that might be useful: growing vegetables in FL

karen - I'd be inclined to sow them thinly, immediately in pots, protect the pots from mice, birds heavy rain, etc. and leave them out all winter. Plant out the entire pot to avoid transplant issues. If you have a cold frame I'd use that. I believe that sowing the seed fresh now will be more successful than saving and sowing later. If you have a lot of seed you could also try sprinkling a few in situ. I can't grow them where I am but I had this advice from a chap who runs a large garden open to the public in Devon. You are so lucky to have the soil for the blue Meconopsis! Here is a link that might be useful: Meconopsis