Roger Whitlock wrote: " The late Doris Page, a brilliant light on the local horticultural scene, once told me that the secret to success with F. imperialis was to give them potash." Is that by any chance potash as in sulfate of potash? I zeroed in to this earlier this year, thanks to a hint from another source. However, sulfate of potash does not seem to be available in the retail trade in this area. Or at least I have not found a source. Telephone calls to several local "nurseries" assured me that it was available. Delighted to hear that, I ordered several five pound bags. Every time I did this, when I went in to pick up the sulfate of potash, it turned out to be muriate of potash: not the same thing. The weak excuse given in each case: our supplier said it was the same thing. Also disappearing from the local scene: fertilizers with over-the-top phosphate levels. One I bought last year had the formula 10-52-10. Local concern about the explosive growth of algae in Chesapeake Bay (fueled by the high phosphate levels in runoff draining into the bay) have apparently nixed local sales of such formulations. Jim McKenney