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phil_whiteley

Pruning for Beginners

11 years ago

Hey everyone, I have cut the tips out of a few smaller seedlings i have grown to see how they turn out in the coming years but I also pruned a couple of 2/3yr old plants I bought a bit back, but its a trial and not sure if I was a bit drastic, any thoughts please?

Comments (14)

  • 11 years ago

    I think you did a great job. I'm seeing a number of internodes placed closely together right next to your cuts. They should branch nicely. The leaves look a little unhappy. Did you recently repot them?

    Tracy

  • 11 years ago

    Oops sorry, Tracy and I have crossed tracks lol. Hi Tracy

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Averil it was good to see your input on another thread about seedlings going dormant, as Phil had some questions about it.

    Phil I can't see the one on the right as clear, the leaf is blocking the view of the stem. Look for nodes (leaf scars) around the cut. Hopefully there are several placed tightly in the same proximity of the cut. The nodes closest to the cut are where the new branches will form.

  • 11 years ago

    Hi Tracy, looking at the leaves on Phils plants, I have had the same problem this year. Yellowing and dropping and discolouration. My plants are only three years old but in the past, during the summer months the foliage has been lovely. We have had a really bad summer here, one sunny day and five dull and rainy. I've checked and sprayed them for beasts, although I haven't seen any, so I reckon our intemperate climate is to blame. Still we carry on lol :)

  • 11 years ago

    Hi ladies good to hear from you both. Happy to her I didn't butcher them too badly either as it kinda always looks when they aren't many leaves showing or left lol.

    No I have not Re potted recently tracy so was not too sure why they look worse for wear as it were as they are prob the roughest looking plants in my adenium collection, even the younger and smaller plants I cut don't look as rough lol, I will have to post a pic or two of the younger plants I cut too for comparison.

  • 11 years ago

    Here are a couple of others that I grew from seed. Grown on a windowsill to start then outside in my mini greenhouse when weather improved and it's where they have been ever since and still there now. These were sown end of April this year and when they had enough leaves, 3 sets, I nipped the top of then out. One is obesum black king and the other dazzling light.

    Clearly you can see compared to you guys on here they are much smaller and not as fat but they are quite uniform in growth just now and have branched nicely so far

  • 11 years ago

    Hello all, just to add to Averils comment about leaf discolouration...I too have a problem with my two largest plants, they look a right mess at the mo, leaves going yellow and brown, then dropping off. The remaining six are fine though, I can't figure out what their problem is at all.

    Your decapitated twosome should recover given time. I've not personally taken the top off a plant at that stage, mine were bigger I must admit, but I don't see a problem for them.

    The two seed grown plants in the last pic look healthy and bushy...always a good feature in my mind as I also prefer the short stocky plants as opposed to tall and lanky. I'll post some pics of my efforts and show you a very branched plant that only had the growing tip removed, it has so many sprouts I can't count them!

    Gill UK

  • 11 years ago

    Phil one more thing I should mention, I would remove the leaves from the pruned plants above. It will force a chemical reaction inside the plant to increase ramnification and hopefully branch well for you. Sounds cruel I know but it works.

    Tracy

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Wow never knew that, cheers tracy

    Do you mean from all of them or just the first dodgy looking ones. The smaller ones were trimmed weeks ago

  • 11 years ago

    Always remove dodgy-looking ones, Phil. You never know what they're up to.

    P

  • 11 years ago

    Thanks pal :)

  • 11 years ago

    I would remove the leaves on the two plants that you just pruned. This will help them put out new leaves, but they need to have a decent source of light to help achieve optimal ramnification.

    Tracy

  • 11 years ago

    Ok cool, they are in my mini greenhouse so once this rain passes over the sun is supposed to make another appearance lol according to the forecast fingers crossed then ;)