If it has 4-5 hours of morning sun, then ok. Or, three hours of non-interrupted afternoon sun. Anything less is going to stress it. If dappled light only.... it will need six hours throughout the course of a day I would guess. That's my opinion. Dax

dse 1, yesterday I found Gertens (10 min from St. Paul on 494 and 52). They have a remarkable selection of beautiful conifers. Many of their prices were in the $80-$150 price for #3 pots of interesting conifers. I'm still hoping to find cheaper. I've now found two nurseries stocking 4" pots of conifers in their miniature or dish garden section. These are sold for $7-$10, and some of them are interesting confiers (ie Degroot's Spire arborvitae, juniperis -- 'limelight' a gold cypress and several mugos). Are these what are being referred to as fresh grafts? Can they be overwintered with mulching and protection such as a tomato cage and a mound of leaves for their first couple years, or should I heel them in with their pots? What about using dormant oil of evergreens, especially babies, to help with winter's dessicating winds?

I'm a bit dubious on the identity of the P. thunbergii - that species typically has white buds, not brown, and also slightly shorter, stouter needles. This one looks more like P. nigra. Resin PS note thunbergii, not -iana

i have to ask ...WHY???? i would prefer to grow it in the ground and move it in 2 years.. rather than fool with pots ... given a choice ... second best would be in pot ... in the ground.. with native soil.. unless you are dealing with clay .... then this probably wont work ... if you are stuck with a pot ... drainage is key .... conifers like a drink .. and then prefer that all excess water shed away .... 50% bark mini chunks.. and 50% peat based medium works for me .. in summer ... I THINK .. a cactus pre-mix might also work ... if you have no choices plus keeping a pot out of winter sun .. and wind... and wild fluctuations of temp .... how about a few more facts... do you have it??? is it already in a pot??? how big .... etc.. etc in a perfect world.. i would learn how to mess with pots over winter.. with cheap replacable plants ... not starting with very expensive, rare treasures... but some times you just gotta do.. what ya gotta do .... ken PS: i gave up on this one.. after 3 failed... so no matter what you do .. it might die anyway .... its not an easy one, for sure ...