thanks for the info, but what I was planning to do was use my garage and keep the plants right next to the door to the outside(which will be open) to the outside A. for good circulation (I will also use a negative ion blower blowing on them slightly). So it will definitely feel the chill of sacramentos winter and get the required chill hours. So when you say defoliate the plant, does that mean I take off all leaves? or which ones would I leav? thanks

I have a few cherry laurel in our yard also. Have 2 in pots that I am going to play with....one is 5 yrs. old and the other is 3 yr. Does not cost anything to experiment on them, since they seed freely. I am going to try to make a tree and see what happens. I hope you know that the seeds are very poisonous to children and pets. Now if only the crows would eat them! Darlene

I've planted the surplus iris around the root system. I have no fears since I'd have to give them away anyway. If they grow, great. If not, no loss. I now have 4 iris beds. Still gave some away....

I agree with georgez5il, may we call you George, that cherry is best propagated by grafting but....it is the time of the year for an interesting experiment. When I had a greenhouse and was doing propagation experiments I found easily propagated woody cuttings like Poplar species were best rooted, in my opinion, at mid-winter in the dark. Should I have wanted to try cherry I would have taken cuttings as George suggested now to mid-December and put them in clear rooting containers like plastic cups so I could easily check for roots and covered them with Glad Press and Seal and put them in the dark and checked for roots after several weeks or a few months.