Notching a tree in an attempt to induce lateral branching is not as effective as chopping it back. Chop/ chopping is a common term among bonsai practitioners and describes the practice of chopping the trunk of tall trees back to only inches from the soil line. Most would never expect this tree could possibly live or ever become a bonsai. but note below the explosion of growth stimulated by the chop. Same tree - note the wounds are closing ^^^ Other examples of trees which were chopped hard: Progression of tree immediately above (center) with the large whit scar: Next 3 photos represent 1 year of healing at the point it was chopped: Tree progression: and, today: You didn't mention if the tree was in the ground or in a pot. Trees in the ground normally respond with much more enthusiasm than trees in a pot. An image of what you're working with and something about what your objective is would be very helpful. Al

The deciduous magnolias do come in a number of different cultivars, with varying mature heights and varying shapes. I have a 'Jane' (I think, the tag is long gone), one of the Little Girl series, which after 5 years in the ground, from a 1-gal. pot, in very good, built up soil in a flower bed, well watered, etc., is now about 10-12 feet tall and maybe 5-6 feet wide. It has a heavy crop of dark purple-y flowers in spring (now) before the leaves, and sporadic flowers throughout the summer. I THINK it is supposed to mature at less than 20 feet, but will have to wait and see. I have another of the series, possibly 'Jacky'?, which stayed in its pot for another year, and is planted in relatively unimproved clay with less watering. It is about 5 feet tall, 3-4 feet wide, with pale pinker flowers, only in the spring so far. A friend has another one (unknown variety and age) which is probably 15-20 feet high and about the same wide, with pale pink flowers. So if Marystem looks carefully, she can select the shape and size of magnolia that will fit her planned spot. But, I agree with Picea that the magnolia foliage may not stand out too well, since the deciduous foliage, in my experience, tends not to be as shiny as the evergreen ones. I am not sure a gingko is the best alternative, as the ones I have seen as youg trees are not overly attractive; in fact I think calling them gangly is being kind. Since 3 of them are growing for me, I am not against them, just saying they take a while to become attractive. But, mine are of unknown parentage, just generic gingkos, so some of the selected cultivars may be very good, even at a young age. Certainly, the fall foliage should be spectacular against the oaks! However, as far as the eventual height goes, unless there are shorter cultivars of gingko, I would be reluctant to plant anything that I KNEW would be too big. Eventually SOMEONE will have to deal with it, even if it's the next owner of the property. There must be some species/variety of tree that will grow sufficiently fast to make a statement in a reasonable length of time, without coninuing to grow beyond the desired height. I admit to being slightly inconsistent in this, as I am quite happy to plant short lived things like dogwoods, and not be too upset at the idea that I will have to take them out in 20-30 years for reasons of old age, but it really bothers me to think of taking out a perfectly healthy tree, just because it has now grown too tall for where it was planted, when I KNOW I will have to do this. And I get even MORE bothered at the idea that someone would then top a tree because it is too big! Just a personal idiosyncracy...

I finally managed to track down all the ingredients for the gritty mix and am in the process of re-potting all of my severely neglected adeniums and succulents. YAY! I've taken the little adeniums outside for morning sun for 2-3hrs for a couple of days now. I think I'm safe to leave them outside for the rest of the summer, right? I'm a bit apprehensive as we are having a heat wave here with 90-100degree weather right now. Water everyday and they will be okay? Now for the big tall adenium... This is what the caudex looked like when we got it out of the pot. How much can you expose the caudex without compromising the plant? We tried to find a nice shallow bonsai pot for it but there was none to be had at Home Depot. Maybe its not time yet for a shallow pot? So we lifted it up and since it had been sitting in the previous pot on its side, there is quite a lot of roots now exposed. Will they fall off after a while? This is the super tall adenium repotted. I am trying to plan a strategy for it. Maybe have it outside in the full sun for 2 hrs/day this week and then prune it to where I have the blue tape? This plant is my Dh's baby and I'm so afraid of ruining it. The leaves are nice and green & glossy so it seems like a shame but I know its the best in the long run. Thoughts?

i am looking for a wholesale nursery that will sell seedlings in batches of -say fifty or one hundred. - bare root The seedlings i need are only of Ginkgo. Got any ideas? It's for the purpose of Ginkgo hedges. I have one hedge, but now, others want one too. mine is about 1000 seedlings from local seed trees, but they are a very unreliable source. A Ginkgo hedge is a very rare thing because it's hard to find enough cheep seedlings! Please ask around about this. the old-timers may know of a wholesale nursery that sells ginkgo seedling by the hundreds. PS: back-in-the-day, (1970s) someone would get a lot of (bonsai) club members to order together to get enough for a wholesale order of seedlings. but I don't remember the name of the nursery. thought it might be Hess in New Jersey, but can't find much of them on the net. Anything you can find on this would be greatly appreciated. Please ask people it! maple_man