It's not exactly a plant but when the inventor of the Thermoplanter told us about this innovative product that could make it possible for people to grow neem outside in areas that occasionally freeze, we decided to put it to the test. It's a really great concept -- if you keep the roots warm and then put a portable greenhouse over the top of the plant, it will survive freezing temperatures. The Thermoplanter has a unique patent-pending design that uses an insulated outer pot with a lighter thermally conductive inner pot. A layer of water between the two pots is heated by a thermostatically controlled 15 watt heater. It's very energy-efficient though and just costs about 30 cents a month to operate. Hopefully we won't have temperatures low enough to test it out in Florida this winter, so we're looking for a few great gardeners to try it out. If you live in one of those borderline areas, buy a neem tree and a Thermoplanter and put it outside for the winter. If it freezes and the tree doesn't make it, we'll replace it next Spring at no charge to you. The Thermoplanter will ship directly from the manufacturer with a wire stand to hold a blanket over the tree. There's also some research suggesting that keep the roots of a plant warm will keep it happier if it's growing inside. Mark will work on that this winter, or if you'd like to be part of the experiment, email me at vicki@neemtreefarms.com. For more information on the Thermoplanter visit www.thermoplanter.com. | 
