Lol - up in the middle of the night fretting over fertilizers? Please tell me something else had you up at that hour. ;-) Here's how I fertilize in the winter: I water/fertilize (fertigate) every time I water with a low dose of fertilizer. Not everyone CAN fertigate that way - it depends on your soil choice and watering habits, so don't emulate unless you understand the ramifications. After I'm done fertigating, I fill 5 - 1 gallon milk jugs with tap water and add just under 1/4 tsp of 9-3-6 to each, and let them rest for the 4 day interval between fertigating, so they come to room temperature. I've asked a LOT of degreed hort people if plants suffer adversity from being watered with cold water, and not one has ever offered anything conclusive that says it's either good or bad, other than potential damage to foliage on some plants, like AVs. Most bonsai books suggest that a cool drink during the midday time period is very helpful because it quickly cools roots down, so apparently the 'shock' thing is a perpetuated myth. Still, it's no extra effort to allow the water to come to room temp, so that's what I do. When I fertigate, I use a watering can with a long spout that allows me to reach plants in the center of my 4x8 growing areas. The spout has a fine nozzle that sends out a 1/8" stream of water, so it take on average about 20-30 seconds to water a plant. This allows me to wet the entire surface of the plant, so gravity moves the solution down through the entire soil mass. When I see water flowing into the collection saucer, I water for a few more seconds, then stop. My plants are set on pieces of plastic u-channel above the effluent, so I don't need to empty the saucers. The evaporating water means my humidifiers run less. When it's time to water, I pour 2 qts of fertigation solution from the gallon jug into the watering can. I then add 3 drops of ProTeKt while the water is still turbulent, so it mixes well. I don't mix it in until the last minute because mixing the fertilizer and ProTeKt ahead of time causes some of the elements to precipitate from (fall out of) the solution. You asked if the ProTeKt is necessary. I think it's good to remember that in many cases, we approach growing with only our own perspective in mind. Much disagreement arises between someone who thinks their way is good enough for everyone because they are happy with it, and the grower who has found a way superior to that particular way and wants to share it. People very often get defensive when someone suggests that what someone says or does isn't the best way. "Well, it works for me!" really isn't very conclusive when it comes to deciding what might or might not be best for the plant. In addition to that, some growers place a high premium on 'less maintenance is better (for me)', while the next grower is trying to make the point that MORE maintenance is better (for the plant). I tend to always speak from the perspective of how to get to what's best for the plant, and then let the grower decide if they want to go to any extra effort or expense that might be entailed in getting there. So, the ProTeKt isn't necessary if your goal is to raise a healthy plant. I had healthy plants for many years before I started using it, but after I started using it, I noticed a lower incidence of insect and disease issues, and I noticed that my plants seemed more resistant to temperature extremes. I noticed these things even before I read a few of the many studies that quantify the effects of aqueous Si on plants, so if I was dreaming, I was at least dreaming in accord with the conclusions of others who made the actual effort to nail down the Si's effects on plants. I can't really tell you it's necessary, but I can say with a fair degree of certainty that if you do use it regularly, it's going to be helpful. Al

I haven't checked this post in quite awhile. I got this computer sometime around 2002. I could have gotten XP then. I sure wish I had made him give me my copy of XP as I furnished my own 98. A little late now. I guess sooner or later I'll have to bite the bullet & get it. I just hope I don't lose everything when when it is done. I have a zillion PSP tube LOL & would hate to lose them. They are on drive D so maybe I won't. Most of my PSP filters are on drive D also. I need to backup my filters. I have a burner but haven't used it in a LONG LONG time & don't even remember how. I don't even have the program installed anymore. My son found out the hard way if your XP is pirated U can't put in some new programs. He bought his computer USED from a shop. It had XP but was an illegal one & he didn't know it. He now has a legal one in it. His was XP professional. The HOME one may be different. I just got NetScape 7.1 last nite. I only use it for mail but my old 4.7 quite working all of a sudden when NS did some changes. I wish I could get a CD for it like I did the 4.7 I had. I can't upgrade as higher doesn't support mail. Most of the time newer isn't better.. just harder to use. Dar

Wow....what an amazing list of people.... too many of them no longer with us or active here. It is nice to remember some of their names and their struggles that we shared. Thanks for the memories.

I have Version Microsoft Office 2007 (either Professional or Business). I just can't remember which I have, my wife has the other on her Laptop. I do have MS Office 2010 Professional on a DVD, just never installed it. I have MS Office 2013 on my Acer Iconia W4-820-2882 Tablet, it came with the Tablet (Think it's the Home and Student Version)! BTW, I downloaded and Opened your Document. I still have the same Menu Options. Maybe it's in the setting and you have something enabled that I don't? In my photo above; I just opened a New Word Document and added a photo from my Picture Folder. There isn't any Text, I was just trying out the Menu Options to check out the problem that Chas045 is having. I do have the same issues as Chas045. I will try this out on my Acer Iconia Tablet later. Been kinda busy. I'll post my findings here! Chuggerguy, I see in your photo that the Document you posted is opened in Compatibility Mode. If you'll note; mine doesn't say anything about Compatibility Mode at the top like yours! The only time I've see that is when someone is using a Different Office Package like Open Office! Just checked the Word Options for my 2007 version and couldn't find anything that would make a difference. I did play around with a few settings but nothing changed when pasting to the Picture Folder. Wondering if Word 2007 and Windows 10 could be the problem. Not sure what version of Word of which OS Chas045 is running?