My favorite magazines are Fine Gardening and (for local info) Chicagoland Gardening. Here's a picture of my side yard from last year...A shady area. Side yard... href="http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i233/coloru2/?action=view&current=DSCF1041.jpg" target="_blank">

Ultimately, how happy your tree CAN be depends on your ability to identify and eliminate those conditions that carry with them the ability to limit the plant. Unfortunately, specific advise requires equally specific input, so we'll need to know what the plant actually IS. There IS more to tending woody material in containers over the long haul than just watering regularly and an annual up-potting. While we wait for an ID and pics, you can look over the link I provided below. Take care - good luck. Al Here is a link that might be useful: Long term care of woody material in containers .....

No trimming !! :-) Unless being grown for bonsai, hold off on any pruning until the tree develops some reasonable height and age - usually not before its around 5 years old. Affording it some protection this winter - like capping with a larger container - is not a bad idea. It will protect against excessive cold to some degree but certainly help with any critter and/or snow damage. Seedling JM's tend to be rather hardy plants - often quite a bit more so than named forms.

Looking younger is a state of mind, not a physical, body. Good food, exercixe, sleep all help, not a specific "beauty product" you buy to rub into your skin. My cousin Marge has beautiful skin, all she uses on it is Ivory soap. She is 75. My Grandmother used to rub Crisco on her face. She's been gone a long time. I'm 55. last year I went into the hospital for some tests. The nurse looked at5 my chart, started freaking out. She said "I must have the wtrong patient. You look 45, not 55". The best compliment I ever got, another woman told me I looked younger than my true age. My husband and my favorite aunt think I'm "pretty". Yeah, both of them!