Heehee, the first new pic is the same hideous Adenium that in the earlier pics I 'found' its caudex! (Just shows that even if you think a seedling is ugly now, it may turn into something beautiful like this! Although I didn't think it was ugly at the time!)I think I chopped the top of it the next day after the pic was taken. My Adeniums seem to have branched with out any help but I think I took the top off most when they where about 2-3 months old, but only did about six to try and judge what was the best option, (to chop or not). As for my results, I'd say that the side branches grow faster and larger if you remove the middle one and when they are the age mine are they look nicer because they are more even. I will try and find some pics that show this. In summer I watered them everyday as they dried out everyday (I had them in full outdoor sun), and fertilized them with liquid cacti and succulent food once a week. Otherwise I don't know what made them branch, but the ones I raise from seed myself often branch quite early. Please remember that although I have done a lot of online research into growing Adeniums my oldest is just over a year old so I am no expert! Thanks deanie and kaktuskris, I've put a lot of effort in to my babies so its nice to have them admired :P. And deanie your babies will get there, I have no doubt yours will be just as nice! I couldn't find any pics that show good chopped/non chopped Adenium examples but here are some group photo's anyway that might be interesting to some :P. I haven't chopped the top off any of the younger ones (except for a few that had mites earlier) as it is winter here now. Eeeppppp, its so exciting sharing these pics with people all around the world whole love adeniums just like me!!! And I love seeing other people photo's too. So post away everyone!

That's the thing.... Humidity in my area of northern California is below 20 percent right now....very dry. With the ceiling fan and the sunny windows, one would suspect that I'd be watering often. In other parts of the world, with more humidity and more gloom, one would think that a porous mix would be *even more important* than it is here. I can understand folks desiring a more moisture retentive mix for the Summer season....but not for the Winter. I'd rather water slightly more often in the Summer, in order to have the perfect mix for the Winter when the real problems face those of us in more northerly climes. Josh

Jaynine~ I'm sorry to hear that! Hillbillygal & Fairyoak- With the drop out of Jaynine, we do not have room for any more Newbies. :O( Please come on over to the MNF thread, though....we ALWAYS have room for Newbies there! :O) NEWBIES: 1~ Cindy (cjcjmass) ** 2~ Deb (murphysmom)** 3~ Mary (prayerrock)** 4~ Carrie (barefoot contessa) ** 5~ Timmy (timmyhotwheels) ** 6~ Nichol (gardenmom2) ** 7~ Sherry (weineydog8) ** 8~ Patti (patti1957) ** 9~ Joseph (jdkind) ** 10~ Matt (Matthewhenry) ** 11~ Michael (riverdank)** 12~ Renee (eradams05) ** 13~ Billie Jo (cntrygrlathrt) ** 14~ Holly (reeselayne)** 15~ Angela (angela00) 16~ Lorraine (paradisa)** 17~ Dani (dbrown1973) ** 18~ Claudia (claudia claymama) 19~ Cindy (maimejo) 20~ Shannon (njcwgrl)** 21~ Wendy (loudbaby) ** 22~Jaime (ashcraftbunch) 23~ Anna (millna2) 24~ ? (Jaycetiger)color> E.G.'S: 1~Mao (mao_tse_mom) 2~Kami (kamiljablo) 3~Linda (lindaruzicka) *2 4~Wendy (sassybutterfly) *2 5~Lisa (ishareflowers) 6~Michelle (micyrey) 7~Nikki (nikkineel) 8~Tammy (greenthumbgrow) *2 9~Kathy (jaleesia) *2 10~Divahethr *2 11~ Dan (dan the mailman) 12~ Pat (pat6) 13~ Diene *2 14~ Karen (kalena67) 15~ Toni (dirtdiggin) 16~ Annie (canyonwind) 17~ Carol (veeja11) 18~ Melissa (hazelnutbunny)color> Also, if I haven't received your information (Newbies) PLEASE SEND THIS IMMEDIATELY! I am assigning partners tonight, and hope to have them posted in the morning. Again, if there are **'s by your name, I have your info. THANK YOU! :O) Melissa

Kim, are you going to sell bouquets? I've seen people add in fragrant herbs like basil or anything lemony. Speaking of flowers.... I have an aunt who has been liking or sharing my FB pics from years ago. I have no idea why. Maybe she's just scrolling through my photos. Anyway, a picture popped up last night of a beautiful zinnia/flower bed. I admired it and then realized it looked familiar. It was my garden! Then realized who had shared it. It was from 2 or 3 years ago. And, yes, Glenda and Kim, zinnias are just lovely. Lynn, it's a real mystery on why my patch of cilantro stopped coming up there. It was like clockwork every year. In the hot season, it dropped it's seed. In the cool season those seeds would grow. It was in an area that got late afternoon/evening shade. I'll probably grab a plant this spring and try again. Also tuck in some seed. I'm going in late to work today, so plan on wrapping a couple of gifts and making candy this morning. So, I was at a party a couple of months ago and there were the best orange sweet peppers. A little larger than the lunchbox ones. I brought one home to save seed from. I let it "rot" a little and finally opened it up to take out the seeds. No seeds at all. Back in the summer, I started pansy seed. Didn't get good germination and didn't really care for the seedlings very well. In October I finally just put the poor things in a flower bed not expecting them to make it. Well, I have blooms now! They are yellow and purple. That was fun to see. Those gardens are such a mess. They never got tidied up. However, all the stuff that I left is very attractive to the birds. They are enjoying my messy garden. Unfortunately, one of the cats got one of the birds. I know people who hate cats believe cats are the cause of the declining songbirds. Personally, I think there's a bigger reason. However, cat haters don't agree. My cats have killed maybe 6 birds in the 11 years we've lived out here. We have lots of different birds out here. There's not a bird decline on our property. I'm going to head out to feed the chickens now. They're "yelling" at me.