The roots of Aesculus flava grow very fast - I've got one under lights that I'm growing right now. I found the best thing to do is let them grow to 1 inch long and re-pot them in a rootmaker pot, poking the root tip out the bottom. Keep an eye on the root - Once it turns black, pull the nut back out and re-pot it with the rootmaker cell completely filled this time. (I prefer the RM-18's for large-seeded trees like Aesculus) Plant the nut, now with an air-pruned root tip, in the center of the pot, root-wise. In about 3 days, the root will take on a knobby look, and new, fibrous roots will emerge from the knobs. About 2 days later, the seedling shoot will begin growing. Once root-pruned, Aesculus grow fairly fast! Conventionally, they spend years nursing a taproot and are very difficult to accommodate in a container. The earlier you can get the root to prune, the better. Whitcomb (inventor of the Rootmaker system) recommends the "4-inch rule", but I like to get large taprooted seeds like Aesculus and Carya when the root is 1 inch long.

I just remembered something. I'm not real familiar with the creeks and rivers in the Picayune area, but pawpaws/Asimina parviflora grow on the bluffs of most creeks in south Mississippi. You might see some rare zebra swallowtails, so keep your eyes out for them, Mary! I saw one along a small creek that flows into Black Creek once, and they've visited my garden once or twice since we've lived here. Sherry

Keep the potted plant in partial shade/sun (east facing, under a shade tree) all this year. You can feed it lightly with 1/2 or so recommended concentration of mir-acid every couple weeks. Those two things should help tremendously. Top soil, cancel that. The stuff is gooey. You want a real lightweight mix and adding peat moss is a better alternative. You can add your sand too. If you have clay, do not ever add sand, just the peat and compost's. Top soil is good for filling in a hole in the lawn, per say. Also, and lastly, you should remove by hand all damaged needles as this is only taking away from the plant natural ability to regenerate damaged growth. And remove those dead branches, always. Take care, Dax

No I won't Ken, this little beauty will be right up front in a place all to itself pretty much. Shaded by the large Elm over head most of the hottest part of the day. What I meant by in the back, I meant in the back yard. ;) Sorry if I didn't specify clear enough Ken hehe. Still chucking about tromping through the bed to focus on the pink tho. I just love your humour Ken. You always crack me up every single time. LoL Early morning sunshine will provide sunlight and late afternoon sunlight will provide sunlight with the hottest part of the day being shaded for this one. I've planted it beside the deck, when you walk down the steps, off to the right of the deck, if you stand on the lower portion of the deck you can look down and see the Pinus parviflora 'Tanima-no-yuki'. There is a bit of mint growing to the left of it but that will be removed in the spring and planted in the flower bed that is currently being built by DH for me. :) Click the picture to see more than this one image if you want to see them all. Thanks for looking! ~Tina, who's already in love with this little one.