I have been asked for a cutting from my SAMBO LEMON. My tree is small, about 15'' tall. IT is healthy and very bushy. I ALSO HAVE a 2 year old PUMELLO, about 3'to 4' tall and is also bushy. I WOULD LOVE to learn how to take cuttings. I don"t know how. Here are some questions I have and would appreciate any and ALL input and advice. My friend has a rentalhouse next door to me. I have permission to take cuttings from her trees. They are looking shabby but produce AMAZING JUICE ORANGES. Let me say too that I will also search the resources given to me by GATORMOM2 [THANKS] 1.... Are cuttings taken from new or old growth and is there a preferrable seaon to take those cuttings, that will increase my chances for success? 2....How large do the cuttings need to be? 3", 6" 3' or 6' [lol I hope not that big!] 3.....Straight cut or blunt cut....root hormone or not? 4.....Now what do I plant them into ???, AND do I plant immediately or allow them to 'heal over' a day or so? 5. Re: ???, what do I plant my cuttings into. ie sand,dirt, perilite or simular 'stuff'. I have to tell yall I am excited, this is something I have never attempted to do my self. I did buy cuttings for dragon fruit and frangipanni's on ebay last year and followed the instruction each seller sent, with 100% success on both accounts. My frangipanni bloomed earlier this year and is currently putting on a second blooming, The three varieties of Dragon fruit are busily climbing the stucture I set aside for them. These two items have taught me the value of following instructions and detail. Please dont tell me these would have rooted almost any way I treated them! lol PLEASE let me enjoy my fantasy that I did it JUST RIGHT. THANKS AGAIN......MAN DO I LOVE FLORIDA......

Hi, thanks for the comments and the encouragement! Kew tip....you a Londoner then with a name like that?? You're correct, houses here in the UK are usually brick built, or stone blocks like in the older houses in our village. The concrete blocks you see are actually the rear wall of the garages that we didn't get round to rendering and pebbledashing to match the rest and the house....will it get done now do you think? The list of jobs grows daily, it was more important to get a house for all my plants first. A door and opening windows come first I guess. I live in the Staffordshire Moorlands, 5 miles from Alton Towers Theme Park across the fields and valley at the back. (it's around 150mls NW of London, a similar latitude to Edmonton, Alberta according to my map for those who are not too familiar with these parts) We are just south of the Peak District Nat Park, it's a small rural hill-top village...and very windy! We managed to salvage most of the glass as it was toughened so that was a great help and we already had the wood, so all it cost was many man-hours...and woman-hours too! It's already filling up with all kinds of plant life....palms, agaves, dragon trees, alocasia, fuchsias, pelargoniums, passion flower, strelitzia, hoya, callistemmon, plumeria and not forgetting the Royal Poincianas!!! Things are really warm here for the time of year, we are having an amazing April with temps of mid 20's, I am having to open the g/h before work as it reaches 100+. Usually this time of year is cold and wet still..global warming?? Happy growing! Gill.

The Tuckeroo is a lovely evergreen and gets lots of marble sized fruits on it but they don't taste the best, maybe the name comes from Kangaroos liking them LOL. There are many different members of the Brachy family and you are right the Illawarra flame is one of them, they all flower and have interesting seed pods and lovely plump bodies.

I have to confess to being an over-planter. It's just blind enthusiasm and impatience I suppose. Your subject says it all... so many trees! I've certainly had a couple of reality checks over the years. What you have to consider is that the mistakes can come at a price. A considerable one financially if you are needing to remove mature trees or constantly lop ones intruding on your neighbours. Or a turn-off to potential buyers if you want to sell and your market is not so green. That said, your choices did not seem so deadly to me... given the distances and your soil, I reckon you won't see anything absolutely taking over for well over 10 years. The frangi can be butchered and restarted from cuttings anywhere anytime it is unsuited to its spot. Personally I found the little corymbias quite manageable and a gem magnolia is hardly going to take over the world. (Your ultimate problem is actually going to be that poinciana :-) but we all know who to blame for that decision). Your under planting isn't going to be any easier for years, none of the trees will provide much shade. IYou would be better off looking at summer sun-stopping options for a few years while you get your understory plants going, even if in pots that you shift around. Shade sails might work, also large tubs of clumping bamboo that will grow quickly, even temporary arches of vines that can be sacrificed later when you have the shade you need. Bamboo, thatch products, trellises and a bit of ingenuity should give you a cooler feel for a while. Don't discount a couple of cheap water features and water plants, either - a few tubs of waterlilies or cannas plus gold-fish and a little solar pump can do quite a reasonable job on the cheap