Aggressive pruning won't hurt them at all. Think about a blueberry growing in the wild, they have to endure wind damage, grazing by wild animals, crowding by other plants, etc. I bought some plants this spring that were already leafed out and way too large for the amount of root they had. I cut almost the entire top half of them off before planting and they have already replaced that amount and look fantastic. I think it's better to have a plant that's a bit short and stout rather than just a few long twigs extending up in the air. Fruitnut, I read through the thread on vinegar that you posted, thanks for sharing the link. For the interest of others, I use vinegar on a daily basis now with my new potted plants and I can definitely see an improvement in them. If I use the vinegar treated water today adjusted to a PH of a about 5, tomorrow the soil will be about pH 5.5.....according to my $7 probe meter. If I water one time without the vinegar it will raise the pots to about 6. I have known right from the beginning that vinegar wasn't long term but it's so easy and safe to use that I don't mind. I buy a gallon of the vinegar at Wal-Mart for a few dollars and it lasts for several weeks on my 10 or so first year plants. My plants have never looked chlorotic but the vinegar is helping them. On my larger potted plants which are in their 3rd year, I applied ammonium sulf, one ounce per plant three times this summer and they are in a mix of peat and fir bark mostly and I just water them normally and they all look great. The plants are in wine barrels so you would need to use less than one ounce for small containers. It seems to me that once the plants get an established root system they can handle a higher pH much more effectively. The pH in my large pots is about 6, maybe a bit lower. I have tested my well water with cheap strips a couple times and it's about 7 so I understand this same approach may not work for those with water having a much higher pH. RM

Here in zone 4b I'm risking an H. Maui Buttercup to a half day of direct sun. Just planted it last August, so will have to wait and see. In the past when I've done this sort of thing they sometimes get a little burnt as the season goes on, but then in subsequent seasons after more full root development all's well. Remember that many, if not most native hostas are growing out in open fields in full sun. Lots of moisture is the key. Our first full sun bed has a weeping soaker hose in it and that really does the trick (along with a weekly drenching). hth, hh

Emerald Stain, a sport of Stained Glass. Thanks for the welcome back, Don. Here is a 2014 photo of Emerald Stain. It has some frost damage and is so unfurling but from what itâÂÂs showing it still has itâÂÂs nice solid stain of emerald? :-) It appears that the leaves are somewhat lighter when they first unfurl then darken as they mature. Josephines, thank you as well glad you like the name Phil, I don't know if it would be a Fried Green Tomatoes or a reversion? All I know is that it was growing together as one plant and I separated it. This post was edited by Mr_Gary on Tue, May 13, 14 at 13:51

flyleft--I would LOVE to go thrift-shopping with you! I can't get the pictures of the coasters to load...I'm going to try again later. I bought a couple of small,low, tile-topped side-tables on ebay--not certain if they can stay in the LR. I'll try to post pictures later. I really want to go on a MCM thrift-shop road-trip. NC is NOT good pickings...even though much of the high-end stuff was made here in the '50's-'60's. Tastes here ran to the traditional. I live in Chapel Hill--lots of MCM houses...not so much with the furniture.(All those folks moved on before I started collecting) ;^)