I keep reading different "signs" for when to pot plantlets. I think the best one was as article I found called Don Geiss' Babies to Adult Plants. In it, he said, "Often the question is asked on the Internet, when do you remove the babies from the mother leaf? The answer is when the individual cluster of leaves indicate that they have formed a plant." Hmmm, interesting. Then he wrote, "Having said that, let me elaborate a little so that the term individual cluster of leaves is more understandable. When the baby leaves begin to emerge from the soil they simply look like a hodgepodge of greenery. As they enlarge over a period of days and weeks the leaves begin to shape into better defined clusters. When one picks up the pot and spreads the clusters it should begin to look like a number of tiny leaves are formed from a single stem. If it does not look that way it is too early to cut them apart because cutting into the mass may result in a gob of soil with more than one plant. In most cases some baby plants are cut through the middle because the individual plants have not yet been well defined." This finally made sense to me. I'd read dime size, or nickel size or 2 months or 6 months...but that was predicated on something else that wasn't defined. But, this is simply saying, look at the plant and see if you can tell that it's its own plant.

It is common for newly planted plants to grow stunted leaves at first. I thinkk this is correlated with poorly developed roots. As the roots become more established in the new location, you should begin to see full-sized leaves emerging from the shrubs. I take this as an indication that the shrubs are actually growing in the new location. I seee the same thing with cuttings. Cuttings will often produce small leaves before roots appear; it is only when large leaves appear that I know roots are growing.

you are a patient man joe ... i would have given up last july or so ... ken ps: bendable branches means the wood is bendable ... not alive ... what you are supposed to do.. is snip off a branch.. and see if there is a green cambian layer.. just under the bark ... that is the vascular system of the plant ...

Everyone-- Thank you so much for all your comments and suggestions! They've been really helpful to start my new journey of...well, wondering what to do with this peach tree, lol! Since the last time I was here, there have been some...interesting developments with my Dr. Davis peach tree. Unfortunately, no bizarre midspring appearance of flowers, but leaves are coming in! As well as.... well, baby peach trees that are now pretty big. O.O See attached photo. I believe these little trees coming off the main tree are called 'suckers'? And are probably no good? This photo was taken a month or so ago. And now, these tiny suckers are nearly my height now, probably a good four feet! What should I do, guys? Should I cut down these suckers, take out this tree, give up? The funniest part of this is that these only grew from the weirdest trigger: my mom dumping all the ice from our freezer onto the peach tree. Maybe it was tricked into thinking it had a few more chill hours? LOL! Any suggestions would be appreciated, as always! miss hibiss