Is there any way that you could take a picture or two and let us see these plants? Mine is planted in unamended red clay soil and has grown about 6 feet in three (maybe four) years. It was given to us as a small but healthy three gallon plant. We don't have an irrigation system, so all new plantings are hand watered for a period of time. We fertilize sparingly and infrequently. It has always bloomed prolifically off and on during the years. Please don't add phosphorus to your soil without having a soil test that determines a severe deficiency. In most cases, adding phosphorus to the soil is not just unnecessary, but harmful...to the plant, the soil ecosystem, and even the environment. It's a myth that won't die. One thing you can do to improve the root/soil system for your Osmanthus fragrans is to maintain a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch in a large area around the trunk BUT NEVER PILED UP ON THE TRUNK. If you improve the soil environment, the roots respond by increased growth and development. Once that happens....the top growth will respond the way you want it to. Avoid excess Nitrogen, too. I mentioned that we didn't not amend the soil when we planted. That's an important factor, even in clay soil. Also, plants should probably be placed a bit higher than the natural soil grade. You said you were sure that you've done something wrong. How about telling us just what you've been doing (and not doing) and we can be in a better position to help you. You can see from my own experience that you sure don't have to do much, even in red clay soil! If I can, you can.

Couple of questions. I recently bought a house with two tea olives in the front and 8 planted along the back deck. The previous owners evidently underestimated how tall these things can grow and they have become much to large for their areas. The two in the front have been there the longest, right now they are about 10 feet tall with and the top has been flattened out to keep it from growing taller than the start of the rooftop. They probably have a diameter of 4-5 feet. I need to prune the 2 in the front and want to do it right since they are more seen being in the front of the house. How should I do it, should I cut the real (45 degrees to the main trunk or so) lateral branches out and maybe take a few of the tall upright branches out and make this about a 3 year process so I don't hurt the plant or can these be rejuvenated but cutting them directly off at the ground? I would really like to cut them off at the ground, so I can control them over the next few years until it is needed again. Just need some suggestions before I go butcher things up. THanks

Lavenderlace: I tested the below research: https://stumptuous.com/fat-sugar-metabolic-derangement "High-fat (HF) and high-fat/high-sugar (HFHS) diets both raised blood lipids. However: only rats on HFHS (fat plus sugar) diet developed hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, glucose intolerance and a diminished insulin response to a glucose load. " When I'm busy, I gulped one glass of juice for energy (100% juice with natural sugar) .. that kept my blood-sugar stabilized to finish a task for 1 hour longer. And a glass of soy milk (7 g. protein) & brewer's yeast & honey lasts me 4 hours without eating. Recently I did something different: finish the last bar of Klondite ice-cream (230 calories, 14 g of fat, 20 g white sugar) & sweet & greasy. Right after that, my blood sugar crashed, I was unbearably hungry and had to eat a meal immediately. I checked the ingredients: it has sugar & corn syrup (high fructose corn syrup). A little of fat plus protein is useful to keep one full. But fat plus sugar induce more hunger. I tested blueberry-smoothie made with 0% fat Greek yogurt versus 2% fat yogurt, and the 2% fat yogurt is more filling & last longer. CONCLUSION: Fat & protein & veggies is a good combo. Fat is needed to absorb the nutrients in veggies better. We have a friend who's a vegetarian and he ALWAYS USE full-fat salad-dressing, plus full-fat cheese on his salads, and he's just as skinny as husband in their late 50's. I used coconut oil to make banana muffin, and olive oil in my cooking. Here's what the Dean of Nutrition, Harvard Medical School said about coconut oil: http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/coconut-oil "Coconut oil is about 90% saturated fat, which is a higher percentage than butter (about 64% saturated fat), beef fat (40%), or even lard (also 40%). Too much saturated fat in the diet is unhealthy because it raises "bad" LDL cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of heart disease. So it would seem that coconut oil would be bad news for our hearts. But what's interesting about coconut oil is that it also gives "good" HDL cholesterol a boost. But, for now, I'd use coconut oil sparingly. Most of the research so far has consisted of short-term studies to examine its effect on cholesterol levels. We don't really know how coconut oil affects heart disease. And I don't think coconut oil is as healthful as vegetable oils like olive oil and soybean oil, which are mainly unsaturated fat and therefore both lower LDL and increase HDL. Coconut oil's special HDL-boosting effect may make it "less bad" than the high saturated fat content would indicate, but it's still probably not the best choice among the many available oils to reduce the risk of heart disease. — Walter C. Willett, M.D. Harvard School of Public Health Department of Nutrition Harvard Health Letter Editorial Board" *** From Straw: Just tested Solgar Brewer's yeast (made from beets). It's less tasty than NOW brand (sold out at local health food store). Solgar BY has a "plastic" & artificial taste to it, and less acidic than NOW. So I'll use Solgar BY for my roses, and still need to buy NOW brewer's yeast when they stock up.

Im happy - that doesn't mean it's something serious. I had that happen a few yrs back when I had a new battery put in at W. (it was just next to my bank where I took out $s for it and I was afraid to attempt driving/turning it off again to make it to Auto Zone or somewhere.) W charged to do it (AZ doesn't) and they didn't connect it tight enough. I had a local guy (tire shop) come here to jump it again and he saw the problem. that was another 60.00$s. He tightened it and it's been fine for 2 yrs now. Batteries don't last much more than that here because of the heat. I always appreciated having them come to me. they don't do that anymore, that was the last time for me. too many people moved out here now I guess and not enough guys there to send out to people. my regular mechanic has jumped in to help me this way tho. last 2 times, he even came to get my car to fix and returned it to me. God bless him! I know my car is in for a few more trips to him before summer. I also do plan to look for a newer one. a Honda crv I think. gonna limit myself on make/model to keep from so many decisions, options in cars to look at. and maybe 5-8 yrs old. mine now is 20 yrs old. plan to keep both at least for a time. the old one will be fixed up and usable - until it's next major life support needed. my mechanic is also on the 'look out' for me - cause he too will be the one working on it. I don't want to be out there looking too soon because of eye problems. hard enough with all the traffic out there and trying to drive a new fangled vehicle you're not used to. I have cataract surgery coming up this spring on the left eye and will wait til after that to look for the newer car. I have asked my mechanic if he could put the big front end of my buick onto a Honda crv... ha! every time I think of not having that big front end of it in front of me when on the crazy roads here, I get a pit in my gut... and every time I get into a newer car with no front end, I get a sickening feeling in that mid section. even in my sister's truck! I did drive a corolla for 10 yrs back when but I've had this one maybe 7 yrs now and am used to seeing that big front end (and hood ornament) in front of me. in my younger yrs I had a vw and a pinto. what was I thinking? have someone check your battery connections.