"I hope we can still get that cool rainbow look but I'm really just happy I'm getting any growth at all right now." Not in Virginia Beach but it's impressive, surprising even, that it managed to return from the roots. Where did your gift giver get it - or did you ask? I think they are pretty rare in commerce. "We have a lot of crepe mertles here that people cut back and the tree regrows its branches back, would a eucalyptus do the same?" It would but it's a bad idea, especially for crape myrtle. Google "crape murder" - I believe there used to be a website.

THANK YOU everyone for your all of your thoughtful insight. hcmcdole: I really like your idea of trying to grow them as a free form esapaillar. Or what if I just prune REALLY aggressively on the backside???... So here's what I'm thinking I'm going to do: I am going to prune REALLY aggressively on the backside of the plant to minimize it's growth and spread against the wall... Do you think this would work??? I don't mind how much if it wants to spread forward away from the wall or side ways in width. I would also like to minimize and maintain about a 5 foot height... That way it can overlap the bottom edge of my windows... And I can see the flowers even from the inside of the house. Is limelight the kind of hydrangea that will respond well to pruning and shaping during the growing season??? I know that I would probably make my life a whole lot easier if I just got the Little Lime variety... But it was nearly twice as much for a 2 gallon... Which isn't in my budget. What do you all think??? Am I going to be sorry years from now for even considering this idea and thinking I can keep Limelights growth maintained with pruning during the growing season??? I've never had much luck with hydrangeas in the past... So it's difficult for me to fathom a hydrangea that will grow 8 feet tall and grow so quickly.

I too am new to all this and struggling to learn what needs to be learned for this to work. My biggest challenge is that some of my plants don't look good (I'd say 6-8 of my 28 are in some level of disrepair or desperation), and I *know* they don't look good, but I don't have the ability yet to look at a plant and based on its condition say "Ah, yes, bugs." or "Needs fertilizer" or "too much water" or "too little water". Man, it'd be so great if there was one site with pics of each problematic condition a pepper could have. I had aphid infestation, and I got rid of those, but then it rained every day for a month, and the damage looks similar...LOL Anyway, like you I was getting lost and overwhelmed by the whole fertilizer thing. Then a guy who works at a very successful and major nursery here (DeBaggios) said, just use TomatoTone, period. at transplant time and then once every three weeks, another tablespoon full in a circle around each plant. Seems pretty easy. I guess we'll find out if it works.

I use the back of my hand to judge light intensity. Also you can download an app for some phones that will measure light in lumens. You should be able to feel the light, without it getting too warm after 30 seconds or so on the back of your hand.