To northga, I found this post purely by accident. I thought I would give my 2 cents worth anyway. Do not bother with a larger hose ( if you need a new hose anyway by all means get the 3/4". Don't bother with the expense of a 1" ). The increase in pressure will be negligable ( unless you have a long run of hose ). Someone answered your post and part of his information stated that in your area it was common to have a 3/4 inch service line and water meter. If true your water venders' engineers need an education, 3/4 inch is absurd unless you are providing water supply to a camper. In any case it sounds like a plumbing problem ( very common ). Many times ( frankly most of the time ) pipe and fitting sizes are just to small ( even if 'up to code' )and create velocities that are to high, thus a more than reasonable pressure drop. I would love to sell you a booster pump, but that will not solve the problem ( considering the information you have provided). The first thing to due is to confirm the size of your service line and water meter ( if 3/4" you are out of luck ). Your water vender should be able to provide you this information. Second, locate your water meter. There will be some type of isolation valve(s)( shut-off valve(s) ). Be sure the valves are fully open ( you would be surprised how often they are not ). Next locate your pressure regulating valve ( yes you do have one ), if there are isolation valves here as well be sure they are fully open. I'm sure you have the same[pressure]problem inside the home when several demands are made on the supply ( this occurs in most every home due to small pipe sizes ).[ If the plumbing were sized and piped correctly your shower would not be affected by a toilet flushing. ] I am getting long here... A booster pump ( or any increase in pressure ) will not by itself provide an increase in flow ( gpm ). Flow is determined by what the plumbing (size) can provide within acceptable losses and by the demand on said plumbing. If you are demanding 20 gpm ( sprinklers, showers, dishwasher, etc ) all at the same time and your plumbing can only provide 12 gpm ( at 5 feet per second velocity ) you will give up the pressure that's available. There are many things you can do, even if your water meter is to small ( including but not limited to installing a booster pump ), however any "fixes" will result in increased flow and pressure for the sprinkler(s) and reduced flow and pressure in the home ( all things being equal ), short of installing a second service line and water meter. If there is a hose bib available upstream ( prior to ) of entering the house then do use this connection ( see "fixes" above ), this alone may provide you with the what [pressure] you are looking for. The bottom line is consider doing your outside watering during a time when houshold water consumption is not an issue. Hell, I've got to get back to work hope this has been some help. MChristensen, Technical Consultant Booster Pump Tech Here is a link that might be useful: GardenWeb

Opinions differ on when to remove the pups (offsets) if at all. If you can stand it, just leave them on til the mother plant is well and truly dead, removing brown dead leaves along the way then copmpletely remove the dead foliage. People who can't stand it, or growers who are trying to get several plants off of one mother before decline, will remove the offsets when they are about 1/3 the size of a mature plant...sometimes removal spurs the mother to produce even more offsets. But, depending on species, your plant may not work this way. Neoregelias will hang around for a long long time and decline more slowly, allowing many offsets to be removed sometimes, while I have found Billgergias tend to crump a little faster. Unless you just don;t like the pot your plant is in, you can leave it there. Many species of bromeliads can be pretty much 100% epiphytic, in the rainforest they grow in the canopy layer attached to trees, rocks, etc. Its actually pretty dry up in the canopy, which is why they have evolved as epiphytes, developing the specialized cells in the water holding tank/cup that allow them to be watered that way. But they can and still do take water and nutrients through the root systems. For many plants, the only reason they have roots is to anchor them to something or into the ground.

As long as the reservoirs are filled they should wick the correct amount of water. If the water runs low, you'll know it. The plants will wilt almost immediately. Curled leaves are not a major problem and won't affect growth.

> Trees should only be watered when they need it. Do not water on a set schedule until you have determined the needs of your particular tree. Not every tree has the same requirements. You must identify what tree you have in order to meet its needs. > Be sure the pot has drainage holes in the bottom and that water will drain freely from it. > For most outdoor trees, water when the surface of the potting mix looks like it is starting to get dry. > For indoor trees you can buy a moisture meter which, when inserted into the mix, will tell you when it is dry. Some use a chopstick or toothpick the same way. When it comes out dry, it is time to water. Some people stick a finger down in the mix an inch or so and check for moisture. > Some enthusiasts use the heft of the pot to determine when it is time to water. Lift the pot when it has just been watered thoroughly. Lift it again when it is in need of water. You will sense a definite difference in the weight. > Many factors influence the amount of water a tree will use. Some of these are: potting mixture (some elements hold more water than others), temperature and wind (the higher the temperature or stronger the wind, the more water is used), humidity (more humidity, less water is needed). > When you water, water thoroughly. Some recommend pouring a little water into the pot and letting it sit 15-20 minutes. Then water again and after another 15 minutes water until it drains from the bottom of the pot. This will allow the water to penetrate any dry pockets that have developed. If your trees are outside you can turn a hose with a slow stream on them. > Trees that are extremely root bound have special problems. The water will often just run down the inside of the pot never penetrating the root ball. > Newly pruned trees will use much less water than they did before pruning. They dont lose as much water through transpiration in the leaves