You needn't duplicate the commercial orchards approach, in fact you might be better served with higher scaffolds if you eventually plan to have turf underneath your trees and need mower access. Also, if you want to keep coons and possums off your trees (don't know if that is a local problem for you) you're best off with about 3.5 ft of branchless trunk to attach metal flashing to stop them from climbing trees- unless you have an electric fence. You live in a humid area and you may not want to apply as many fungicide sprays as your commercial grower neighbor(at least 10 a season, which you can reduce to 2). Leaving space between the wet ground and first branches will benifit air circulation and rapid drying after morning dew and rain. You don't have to get maximum yeald with the least possible ladder work to make a profit. I beilieve home orchards should have trees even more open than commercial ones for this reason.

So what your saying it I can prune it pretty heavy and it should react well as long as I stay on top of it? What I was saying was it likely will react in all kinds of crazy ways even though you stay on top of it. You lost half in an ice storm? I recall an old 'Victory Garden' where they lost 1/3 and gladly took theirs out. Don't waste your energy and find a new plant IMHO. Dan

Either that or a volunteer that keeps re-seeding? I have a Tomatillo plant that kept reseeding and popping up each year. Ive had many cherry plants do the same thing (sometimes right in my lawn) So maybe some just found their way into a great location and has set up shop? Interesting!!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if that website were still up & running? I have such a hard time finding properly fitting clothes so I tend to wear jeans & tees most of the time. I can find jeans to fit my bubble butt & smaller waist, but can never find slacks to fit right. And forget about tops...if they fit in the bust, the shoulders are too droopy and the shirt too baggy. Fit my hips and it's just way too big. I have fairly broad shoulders so I can't find tops that have enough give at the arm holes (yet the sleeves are always set so low). Have to buy men's sportswear to get a decent fit in the shoulders. And let's not forget that womens blouses, especially those in larger sizes are made bigger across (wider) than longer. The last thing I want is to have my belly button exposed! I have managed to keep gravity from the girls until the last year or so. I'm a D and have always worn a very good bra. If I pull my shoulders back they still pass the pencil test, but have lost that perky fullness.