Sonny: You are investing your time in a worthwhile project that many have also done. Rather than whacking off the immature new shoots from your grafts in hopes of starting additional new grafts, I think that the better plan would be to acquire quality graftwood from another tree wherein the twigs have already become stiff/wooden on the inside and mature buds are well formed below the leaf stems. I would quickly clip them off, break off the leaves, wrap all but the bottom 2" in stretched Parafilm, and stand them up in a cup with an inch or so of water, where they would stay for a few hours hydrating while in cool shade. I happen to add a few drops of Superthrive in the water, but most do not. The rootstock tree would have been enjoying a l o n g water soaking the day before. If the rootstock tree had new leaves growing now, I would do either bark or cleft grafts. If no new leaves are growing, I would do the cleft grafts. To further protect the sticks from drying up, I also would cover them with a very loose enclosure of white, thin plastic grocery bag plastic for a Sun shield, keeping it unsealed at the bottom.......I am topworking a similar project pear tree for a neighbor this week, since the record-setting 107 degrees yesterday is being replaced with steady, "cool' 93 degrees for the next week. ....Don't let 'em run dry.

Like you, I recently bought a potted,grafted Shenandoah 'tiny' plant and transpotted it into a bigger pot, where it has grown OK with 2 small branches developing full-sized healthy leaves. An identicle-looking tiny grafted KSU Atwood from the same seller that was packaged the same, growing in the same kind of nursery pot, repotted by me the same into the same kind of tall pot on the same day in the same soil mix with the same fertilizing and the same watering and the same Sunlight....never had one bud on the tiny scion grow out. It's rootstock sent out a couple shoots, but even these declined and died. I have used Miracle Grow, Super Thrive, and some granular fertilizer to nourish both. My conclusion is that the tiny root system is not reliable to support the tiny grafted scion. I have more confidence in clipping off the scion and regrafting it to a mature paw paw with a developed root system. I do not know what the patent restrictions dictate, but if I am going to invest $$ on a valued scion that is only being kept alive by an immature, very vulnerable rootstock, that is not a safe bet to make again. It would be a whole lot better taken care of if it was grafted onto a "Mango paw paw that has been in the ground for several years and is 8 or 9 feet tall". I wish that paw paw roots on tiny plants were as eager to grow and hardy as,.. say,...mulberries. Maybe that would be the best focus of additional paw paw research. Vigorous hardy rootstocks.

I am not certain which kind of plant it is exactly, it is either Elaeagnus à ebbingei, either some bread of Prunus Laurocerasus (looks more like the later, but I can't remember it flowering). In any case it is rather common hedge plant around here - and everywhere a-mess-looking kind of plant. It easily can grow up to 20 feet up if left unpruned and 10'wide... For where it is planted it is overkill and the logical thing would be just to dig it out for good, but since it is not ours and neighbors do not mind it...have to figure what to do with it . I was also planning to plant some bushes in front of it, but there still is the same issue with the maintenance, also to effectively cover it I practically need trees more than bushes, since not many bushes grow that high. Maintenance wise fence probably would be easiest solution, since then I just would have to cut whatever sticks out, also maybe if I go for the proper fence (or some vigorous and dense foliage climber) the shrubs just won't send shots our way due to the lack of sun. :/ Here is a link that might be useful:

WOW Lynn!! The rootball looks wonderful!! Good Luck.. Please post pics when it blooms.. Fred, It still looks looks good, however did you contact the seller? Maybe send a pic with your concerns? I would do this.. He is a very nice man and im sure he will make you feel better.. Give it a try? Let us know.. Take care, Laura