thanks very much...I thought if I could, I'd let the new canes grow to their 10-12 foot height and then cut them back and go ahead and cut back last year's growth now...they really haven't put out much new growth on the last year's canes yet...here they get kind of burned in the winter, but the spring growth before the shooting, makes them nice and green and bushy...last year I harvested the oldest canes and thinned it out a bit after shooting, so it's not too dense.. It's good to know I can control it at 8' and it won't kill it...I was afraid I'd have to get rid of it and I really enjoy it... thanks again, mate...

Hi Kristi..I 'wish' I had your problem..LOL (reside in IL) Did you have your heart set on potted or under-ground citrus? Sounds like your balcony gets adequate light. Since it faces east, does it receive any south sun? Is anything obstructing the upper part of your balcony? An awning or a second upper balcony? I'd like to add, I'm NO expert, just a citrus/plant lover and grower.. In most cases, lack of sun is the issue..If you decide to plant in ground, set citrus out gradually, until they acclimate.. But honestly, citrus I keep out front,faces west, with added north and south, do far better than those out back which is semi-shaded by a big, old maple tree, facing mostly south, and additional east and north. Still they flower and fruit..since you're in Ca, have much longer seasons than us Illinoians, I'm sure your balcony will suffice. I honestly think your balcony would do. (if you want to keep your trees in pots) It's highly unlikely your citrus will die from lack of light on the balcony..you can always keep them there this spring/summer/fall..If results aren't to your satisfaction, plant in the yard next year. Since your soil is mostly clay, it'll need amending. This means, digging, and re-digging. And tilling. Don't bother using a small tiller like Mantis..I have one..it works, only after sections are tilled by larger rototillers. Deep into the earth..ridding grass roots is not an easy task. I personally dislike grass-killing-agents where I intend planting, especially edibles..(that's my hangup) Poisons..uh uh..Other mediums will need to be added in the area you want to plant trees. It's a big job, but can be done..and worth the effort after the job is completed..You'll feel great.. What is 8ish soil? Do you mean it's alkaline? If so, another project ,,, bringing those numbers down..But that's just a matter of adding other mediums, blending in, and voila, a Perfect 4-6 acidic soil. Growing citrus in pots requires similar soil, only on a much smaller scale..Again, I'm no expert, only grown a couple barely-edible citrus in the garden year round..so my experiences lie in containers. Perhaps someone from your area will chime in. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best..believe me, citrus are worth the work, either way..Toni

The tiny white pumpkins used for fall decorations are Baby Boo. Available from Burpee, Henry Fields, Reimer, Amazon etc. For a halloween carving size, Casper is the more popular Others include Moonshine, Crystal Star, New Moon, Full Moon, Cotton Candy,Lumina, Valenciano ...

June Lynn, Welcome to the wonderful world of canning! I've had some jams sit around for four or five years (we don't eat that much of it, even small-batch recipes make several jars, and people sometimes give it to us, slowing down the consumption of the ones I make even more). They taste fine, and most look fine, though a couple have darkened. Most stuff gets eaten within two years, however. I have a big tomato garden, so with them it's a question of canning (and drying and freezing) however many tomatoes I've got and can possibly make time to put up in a given year --- some years there is quite a bit left over, others it runs a little short. In the bounteous years I tend to feel naturally more generous about giving it away, so it evens out more than I'd have expected. With other fresh-harvested stuff that I'm buying, I try to make enough to last at least through the year till the next harvest. But often the limiting factor is how much time I can carve out to do the canning. For me it's a hobby -- a serious one, and I definitely love eating my own canned stuff, but I don't pretend to aspire to putting up everything, or even a significant portion, of what we eat. If something runs out, it runs out, and I buy some or we eat other stuff till the next season. Some stuff that is really labour-intensive I try to make a big batch to last several years --- the BBB roasted red pepper spread, for example, I find a pain in the patootie, so I try to avoid making it every year. (I see there are two jars left --- will have to do it this fall!) And some stuff, featuring ingredients I can't get farm-fresh here anyway, or that freeze really well, I can make year round. It was fun to get out my canner in December and make some "international" sauces for Christmas gifts, for example. Have been doing this about six years now, and am starting to get a rhythm that feels good to me. I look in my pantry at this time of year and see mostly rows of empty jars, while in October I'll see mostly full ones! But there's some overlap --- I added some filled ones of rhubarb ginger jam a few weeks ago, and yesterday a dozen one-cup jars of salsa, made from tomatoes frozen last October! Good luck finding your seasonal/yearly rhythm, and happy canning. Z