zyperiris, you wouldn't be proud of me if you walked up to my front yard. That's the bad part of gardening in the front yard - compost piles in the driveway, excavation in progress, potted plants, front porch looking like a staging area, etc, etc. Really bad, but I'm glad I left you with a lovely picture in your mind. Ingrid, the neat thing about the pruners besides the size is the great spring in them that let's you squeeze and let go and that's all. Truly a breeze that fits the span of my hand perfectly. Re the actual pruning, I watched Paul's videos, and they were excellent, but when it's time to set the blade to the plant - well, I basically tried to cut at a joint and only in the middle of a cane when I had to. I don't like the look of cuts when I trim other shrubs, rather choosing to "hide" them so the bush looks the same when I'm done - just smaller. These Chinas and teas, I think, tend to sprout umbrella growth at those places. I don't know if that's 100% of the time, but I noticed it quite a bit even after deadheading. Maybe it's normal, but that's another reason I tried not to cut in the middle of a cane plus I've read about dieback. We'll see. Melissa, at least you had a nice day to do some pruning. I guess in many places it's still early for it - and in some places they're done. The world is different every place you look. It really was enjoyable to be "in the middle of the bush". Except for the ones with thorns - hooked ones are the worst. Today I got my tetanus shot finally, so tomorrow I'm expecting a sore arm. Pam, by the time I got to the climbers it was the end of the day, and I didn't pull out the ladder so they're fully "ugly-leafed' on top. Man, I was not prepared for how bad I felt when done. Standing all day was fine until the very end when it hit me like a ton of bricks. It made scary thoughts linger in my mind about how long I can continue this rose stuff. Juliet, "very savvy in your gardening ways" - I kind of don't know what that means, but I guess it's good. I just try to find answers, and with the internet at my fingertips, that's fairly easy if you're willing to stay at it long enough. I guess I like digging and research. At work they've given me the job of "shopper" to find the best item and the best deal - a normal thing for me (and my DH) that has rubbed off on some of my co-workers - but I've still got the job unfortunately. Quick learning is relative - it ain't as quick as it used to be!!! When those two invisible birds were playing dueling banjos, it was really fun. That's why I don't care for wind chimes. I'd rather hear the natural noises. We rarely hear racing car engines and that sort of thing, but there is a railroad track and regular train traffic very nearby. It adds to the ambience. These pruners are the 4th or 5th pair I've had. Never bought Felcos due to the price, but I have a $30 pair which are just not small enough - and I think I may have ruined them by cutting the wrong things with them. Laura, hope your Felcos last forever. I think I'm going to use these (or a 2nd pair) to deadhead, too. If anybody sews, you know those little nippers used for trimming threads at the sewing machine and other little trimming. These pruners act just like those nippers. So easy and quick. Sherry

hey searching for buds.. is common to any plant you wish to cut back ... just a simple lesson for a newbie ... there is less fear.. if you can see what you are doing ... past that.. it was just a curiosity as to what the plant is.. because it looks nothing like the shasta daisy's my parents grew in the 60's and 70's .. nor me.. in the 80's and 90's .. that is not to say they havent come up with new versions.. but it is key to learning .. to actually know what plant you have ... link below to my recollection of a shasta daisy .... if you google the term .. that flower is a vast majority of the pix offered.. but there are others ... including some doubles ... google comes up with no pix on Margarita Darling - Darling Shasta Daisy .. and Darling is a dwarf.. which is nothing like yours ... whats that all about. ... at this point its simply a mystery .. but it is still daisy.. and the snipping rules hold ... somewhere back down the line.. your plant started as a seed ... and it is not out of the ordinary.. that you might have some weird mutant.. no matter what the tag says ... enjoy it ... ken Here is a link that might be useful: link

Thank you Karma this post needed clarifying especially the second paragraph. The word 'while indoors' should of been cited after the words 'contain size' in the 3rd paragraph. I apologise for leaving that line so wide open even if it's pointed out later. That second paragraph was terribly incomplete. I should of added at the end "And I've made other big mistakes that contributed to my not getting the best brug growth possible or earlier Y'ing." That should have been summed up better in preperation for the next paragraph. This was a personal valuable experience. There are other mistakes that could be made but mine were specific to containing their size over winter indoors and the consequences. I can assure you that most newbies do not know how fast and big these will grow while in their homes and if not prepared will do drastic things. I personally ended up taking drastic measures to contain their size that I regret now. These issues I expect some newbies to encounter, indoors and/or out, light or space. Please note, the watering amounts are done in the 2 ltr bottles that I mentioned and you should, logically, adjust according to the size of your pot/container. I stand corrected. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What a Forum Is, Usually ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I was not writing a book here, it just looks like it now. This post is 'specific' for mistakes made while trying to contain their size which I did say. I did not imply that a space issue and resulting stunted growth caused from my mistakes was the only problem to consider or search out..lol I'm sure most others know or should know, the difference between a chat room and a forum. This isn't a chat room, we just use it like one...lol. However, a forum contains tons of questions and answers which others have already written up. And many would rather read, not ask questions. That is what a forum is for. You search out the answer to your own question(s), usually already posed by somebody else. Or just nosy around to entertain them/ourselves with chitchat, you got to admit we're pretty funny. The biggest advantage to a forum, they can read feedback on somebodies answer to an already posed question, or know that their could be, who will either confirm or even contradict - usually it's a differing factor that makes for a different outcome. Sometimes it's feedback on bad grammar, so the poster can correct themselves to be better understood, of what they're trying to teach. A personal experience is the best to read but it's not the only one and many people don't consider all the factors that might of played in their success' or failure(s). I've done this once myself before realizing it could of been something else I learned later but there are also other limitations or resources that other people have or don't have that have to be thought of as best as possible. People are just lucky to have people around, like we have here, to get a fast response or quick link, from people from almost every environment, which covers quite a lot of experience; but people should be aware that forums are not like ours. We're special. You're never being ignored in a normal forum, most other forums don't have people hanging out together, and they DO expect people to do their own search through the threads and then ask questions after a reasonable search is done...and then expect a delay. Here, at our brugmansia forum, they just better ask cause it'll take all day to search through our threads for relavent information...lol. Sometimes our people don't read all the links which explains some lack of response. And if we get too many more people these threads are gonna fly...no wait...they already do. So if you didn't get an answer after posting on somebody else's thread, though it be related, or you need a fast one, start a new thread on the main forum and state your question(s). One of us, who has so much time, aught to compile a list of threads we can all put in our favorite folder and just bump up when a newbie comes along. OK. The grammar and etiquette lectures are over. Hope I've cleared some issues up. Peace - Sandy

If there is no rush, I'd do an airlayering instead. It's guaranteed to work, no waste of fig wood, and one gets a stronger plant faster. If you're not familar with airlayering, here's how it works: While the plant is in active growth, take a clump of moist peat moss or similiar material, place it around a spot on a limb and secure it by wrapping with foil or plastic wrap. In 4 - 6 weeks roots will have developed and the limb can be removed and planted. Note that the moss may need to be watered during this rooting process to maintain moisture. For the rooting medium, I like to use these flattened peat pellets that are sold for seed starting. I soak the pellet and let it swell up, then slit the outer casing from top to bottom on one side to create a "hot dog bun" effect. I then put this on the limb, the limb being like the hot dog going into the bun. Then wrap this with foil. I like using these because they're easy, small, neat, no fuss, and hold water well.