Here she is, I cut the main stem back another 2 inches. I am hoping this combined with the removal of all the leaves with help produce a number of new branches. I will keep you posted. Thanks everyone!

Martin, could you explain the reasoning behind your advice? I'd like to know the 'why'. Otherwise, I haven't actually learned anything. It is very helpful to have diagrams, so thank you.

Dain what I have concluded from Martin's post is that by cutting the part of the stem that has the nodes stacked closely together, I have a better chance of resulting in multiple branches forming a tight branching pattern from the pruned branch. By cutting the area that the nodes are far apart, you are more likely to get only a single branch or branches that are further apart which is less optimal. Terrific information! I am now looking at my seedlings a little differently.

Tracy

Exactly, Tracy. :-)

And that is why pinching/cutting the terminal bud when the plant is barely 2 months old (in my plant culture), produces multiple stems on top of caudex.

-Kadie

Kadie I would love to see you document the process of pinching 2 month old seedlings with pictures. Of course I know you have much repotting to do now but perhaps in the future this could be a terrific show and tell.

Tracy

Was about to post another picture when you piped back in. Yes, of course I would be happy to share, however, my newest seedlings are only 2 weeks old. I notice Martin has some that age, and others do too...maybe they could show at this time. Here's another pic:

Martin,

Thank you so much for taking the time to illustrate, and to
provide information about where and how to prune. This is the best I have seen so far.

I had often wondered why some of the branch
pruning I did resulted in the new branch taking over and growing over and on
top of the cut, thereby continuing the upward growth of the branch. Now I know it’s due to the nodes being far
apart (when the plant is elongated) I thought it had to do with the nature of
the particular plant. This is very
valuable information for me—for us.
Again, thank you.

Here is an example of what I mean. You can see where a branch had grown out and
took over the cut—scar is still there.

-Kadie

Kadie, you are welcome. :-) Btw, you have some really nice compact seedlings! Especially the one in your last photo. I do not think, I have ever seen such a compact grown and "fat" seedling with that number of branches. The internodes are really small. Well done!

/ Martin

This thread is so fantastic to read. I too had no clue about pruning just above the nodes that are close together. I had been randomly pruning and like Kadie had branches just grow up and over the cut. On some I was just lucky to get it right and got better results. But now I know what to do I can't wait until spring comes around and I can start pruning again and know what I'm doing. I have learned more from this forum than anywhere else. So huge thank you to Martin for sharing your knowledge.

Kadie I smile every time I see that chubby seedling of yours. I think it has garnered enough of a fan base to deserve a name. Have you given this plant a name yet? I feel I need to print a photo of it and show it to the giraffe so that she will know what she needs to do.

Tracy

Tracy and Martin, the picture of "Chubbs" was taken April 6. He's been busy since then--those branches have multiple branches--I don't know how it happened. Will post a current picture later today.

Kadie, I will gladly buy any future offspring/seeds from "Chubbs". ;-) Apparently, "Chubbs" is gifted with very good genetics, when it comes to compact growth and ramnification. Take good care of this little fellow. :-)

Chubbs needs to find a Chubbette to cross pollinate.

Dain, I'm afraid there are no Chubbettes around here. Hopefully it's a hermaphrodite adenium?

Jedoba: Don't even "think" about it. Ha-ha.

-Kadie

I am posting his new pictures in Potting Up My Obesums.

Have ever checked out Ray Saburhi or JK Adeniums. They have seed often and it is for these Chubby Adeniums. This is where Mike I believe has received seeds from.

These very large based Adeniums are quite popular in their areas.

The 'Dorset Horns' are a neat variety. The Mini-sized seedlings are very cool with their short branches and rolled leaves. Really enjoying watching mine grow.

Rick

Hey Tracy!

Just found out that your "giraffe" and my "rogue" had apical dominance [syndrome] (my own invented term I think). Check this out: http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/142/3/812.full

This "syndrome" (my term) is what Martin was trying to explain to us laymen about the function of auxin! (See Martin's comment from last Sunday above.) The light bulb is brighter now and someone is home.

I am hoping I didn't take the decapitation too far, I took off about 1/2 inch more than I intended. It's funny how I thought I would be sad when I was pruning and pulling the leaves off but it was somewhat fun. Anyhow, good article. Thank you.

P. S. Now I am on the hunt for a Dorset Horn. Ha!

To all adenium collectors:

When my seedlings were wee young-uns I merrily went about clipping shoots and branches. Now that they are older (10 months is oldest), and have thicker but not woody stems, I need to be concerned about scarring on pruned cuts. Some people use wood glue, or dust the cut with cinnamon powder, or apply fungicide, or leave as is. I really don't want to experiment on treating cuts at this time, so would appreciate input on what you do after pruning.

Thank you.

-Kadie

I dust cinnamon powder on all of my cuts. I've seen in reading elsewhere and on GW where wood glue is used on what I interpret to be larger plants with larger cuts. I have noticed that some cuts bleed sap afterward and some do not. I would expect the glue to be used in a scenario where a plant is larger and the branch being pruned is more substantial in girth and length. Please correct me here experts!

Tracy

I am no expert by any means. I used to just make a clean cut (sterilized knife) on an sharp angle so that any moist would run off and not collect at site.

Laura introduced me to using the Elmer's waterproof wood glue and I have used it ever since. I find the pruned ends health up evenly, without a dried up and atrophied piece of stem. I use it on all cuts. Still always prune on angle.

On most plants in our yard. It is always important to prune at an angle to keep moisture from sitting at pruning site and creating an environment for fungal grow (moist).

I can only go by what others have instructed and by the results to date.

Rick

I had no idea that it would help with the scarring of the stem. Thanks for this information Rick. I will keep this in mind for future pruning. I had read where folks were using the same glue but never the why.

Tracy

Thank you, guys.
Learning is so much fun! The
cinnamon is used as a fungicide, right?
I have a bottle of liquid fungicide.
I also have wood glue on hand.

I just stumbled unto valuable information on keeping
branches short in bonsai training, so will use fungicide for branches I want to
manage. And will use wood glue on those
cuts that are made for the purpose of enabling axillary buds to grow.

Thanks again, Tracy and Rick, for your input.

-Kadie

Kadie, yes the cinnamon is used as a fungicide that is rather gentle on the plant.

Tracy

Kadie,

Do you meant just put some cinnamon on top of the soil then can remove all fungus and bacteria on the plants?

Chris

Chris,

Please, I was only saying I could understand how it works on living tissue like on a cut on the plant. I did not say anything about putting on soil to remove fungus and bacteria. I have deleted the comment so that there won't be anymore misunderstanding. In the meantime, I will search the internet for how cinnamon works as a fungicide on plants. I like to know the how and why of things.

-Kadie

Chris,

I looked for information about cinnamon: It has natural chemical
properties that are antimicrobial and that act against a wide
variety of organisms. Antimicrobials include antibacterial, antifungal,
antiviral, anti helminthes and anti protozoa.

Some people use it on cut or damaged
roots to help prevent against rot. But Chris,
if you decide to use it, apply only to the roots—do not sprinkle or mix it in
your soil because it will also kill the good bacteria and fungus that your
adeniums need to grow well. If you have a problem
with bad fungus/bacteria, then repot your plant into fresh soil.

I couldn’t find anything scientific
so far about using cinnamon on cut or damaged branches and stems. Maybe
somebody else has found something and can share the information with us. I think people use it as a preventative
against anything that could harm the plant.

Hope this helps, Chris. It helped me on the why and a little bit of
the how things work. Learning is fun!

-Kadie

(p.s.) Mushroom is a good fungus. When you find it growing in your soil just pluck
it off and put it into your compost material.

Kadie,

Thank you so much for your info

Chris

So a small update on the giraffe Adenium, it is busy pushing buds from every stem! The apex branch is pushing 3 buds out right now and I am extremely happy with the progress, although it has been slow. And of course every time I pick it up, say to drain the excess water from the runoff tray, I seem to knock a bud off somehow. Loving it to death...

We've got leaves showing up!

Good morning from the sunny Midwest. The rain has stopped for a day and the sun is out! Update on the giraffe Adenium, we are leafing out! It is difficult to see in my image, but there are still more buds being pushed from the apex branch. The leaves are all healthy and happy, I haven't seen a dingy yellow leaf since the pruning day. Yay!

Tracy

Yay! Sunshine! Joy! Flowers coming soon!

-Kadie

What a great thread! I've already learned a lot from all of your posts and your photos. I just have one sad looking adenium about 10 years old. It has had branches frozen off when left out too long in the fall. It has been through severe droughts when I've been on trips. It's long and leggy with only leaves at the very tips of the branches. Yours are so fantastic and compact, Kadie! I will start a thread soon about mine, and hope you all can help me rejuvenate it. It does have a wonderful caudex despite all of the bad care.
~Karen

Karen,

We look forward to seeing your adenium and to helping you rejuvenate it.

-Kadie

Thank you so much. As soon as I find a pot to use to re-pot it, I'll photograph it and post. It's really an ugly duckling right now. :)

Oh no! You're going to re-pot for a photo shoot? Please, not yet. We'll help you with re-potting too. Please don't be shy--take "as is" picture and post on your own thread.

-Kadie

Repotting the giraffe today, found a pretty cool Bonsai bowl yesterday that will suit the size better than the current pot, which is too deep. The growth has decreased and I hope a repot will trigger it to begin growing again.

It is showing some new feeder roots since it's pruning and repot some months back.

Soaking in some vitamins and hormones with the twins...

Into the new pot.

Giraffe and friends after their repots.

Back to the recoup location for a few days before she gets to go outside with the others.

Tracy

Tracy, You have turned your new plants into marvelous looking specimens. The pots you have chosen make them look so professional.

Rick

Tracy, you are definitely on a roll! Wow! I really like your choice of pots. Happy growing!

-Kadie

Thank you for the compliment, Rick. I felt the need to find the perfect pot for all 3 plants before I could pot them, if that makes any sense at all. I am looking forward to seeing them respond with new growth. Next weekend I will be repotting some of my 16 week old A. obesum and A. arabicum seedlings.

Some of the multiple plants that we found in Florida gave me a couple of ideas with the repots. I would like to try potting up some juveniles together and train them to form unique duos and trios. If I use 3 different cultivars then come blooming time, if I am lucky there will be 3 different types of flowers on them too. Just an idea...perhaps it will be good material to start a new thread.

Tracy

Kadie we must have been typing at the same time. Thank you for your kind words. I have learned so much from you and others here that I couldn't have done any of this without the knowledge of you all.

Tracy

Love pots and plants. Love seeing the process and progress.

In case anyone is interested here is a photo update on the Giraffe tree. Over the summer I moved her outdoors. I did it over the weekend meaning there wasn't much time to adapt and the plant went dormant and dropped all of its leaves. The caudex was soft and I thought she was a goner but eventually it firmed back up again and even appears to have grown some. This week we had some warmer temps and Giraffe came back to life! She is now pushing out a new set of leaves.

Tracy

I enjoyed the log, although will have to read it all several times for the info to sink in, even then it's a lottery as to wether it does ;)

Oh you bet we're interested. In fact, Trace (do you mind being called that?), I must thank you for posting the update in this original thread. It's much easier to find out the whole story from the beginning for those like me who missed the pilot episode.

Miss Giraffe there is going to be a looker when she's all bedecked with a full head of leaves. So voluptuous already!

Pagan

Thank you Pagan. She was my first Adenium so she is quite special to me. When my Mars Hydro gets here guess who's going indoors for a sunbathe? I do not mind being called Trace.

Tracy

I too am glad you added all the updates on one thread. Giraffe does have quite a nice, large caudex. Love it. I am glad you did not loose her. It is funny how tough Adeniums really are. I find as long as I watch mine closely for softness in caudex or any rot, if found early enough can be remedied quite easily.