Bouganvillea - UPDATE

 Below entry is an exerpt from the Photo/History page for the Bouganvillea. Click-on link to access

One of the reasons I started this blog was to be able to keep track of what & when & how.Yesterday, I  wanted to see when the last time the Bouganvillea had been potted & went to the Photo/History page & discovered I had not made an entry here since February.

I didn't recognize the connection between then & now, but after thinking about it overnight, I realized that this was when the first of multiple potting soil issues started, leading to the present, when I am in process of re-potting all or most of the collection into a "no dirt" soil mix.

Laurel Sumac (Malosma Laurina) - UPDATE

 exerpt from most recent entry to the Photo/History page for this tree; to access the Photo/History page, click here.

Well, I was dead-wrong in July when I didn't re-pot the Sumac..the potting soil became compacted, even with the top dressing, water ran-off instead of soaking-in..time for a change. 

This was one of the first "no dirt" re-pots, after I made the decision to go with an inorganic potting mix.

I know now why some specimens are wired into their pots..I used to think that wiring a plant was overkill..that if it were transplanted properly & had a good root system, it shouldn't have to be wired..now I know better.

The potting mix I'm using is much lighter & less dense than soil-based mixes & the pot I've had the Sumac in is not very deep. Our regular afternoon winds almost immediately blew the newly-re-potted tree onto it's side,exposing roots to sun & air & I did not notice for some time. The damage is done..I have been able to repot & I think he's going to live, but he has lost some foliage & may lose more..he is more stable now after a couple of days, but I am keeping him out of the wind. From now on, top-heavy plants will be wired when re-potted.

"No Dirt" Allowed !

Maybe it was inevitable, but I have decided to go "dirt less" in favor of a largely inorganic potting mix for all or most of my "little trees".

From the start of this adventure, 'dirt' has played a pivotal role; First, just plain old generic potting soil seemed to work..then chlorosis (caused by overwatering) entered the fray & it was determined that I needed a mix that drained  freely, with a "grittier" content & feel...enter Cactus & Succulent Mix, But as the collection grew & the number of species & cultivars multiplied, I found myself amending this "ideal" mix in order to neutralize pH, to add chelated iron to the soil, adding worm castings for a higher organic mix, adding perlite to lighten the soil, pine bark to lower pH.

The final straw, for me was soil compaction..we had about 6 weeks of unusually hot temperatures, this summer, which in itself presents unique problems for the container gardener. Plants in small containers, particularly plastic, can overheat in the direct sun & cook the roots; too much sun can wilt foliage, while at the same time promoting stellar growth in some candidates, but soil compaction can turn potting soil hard & impervious..water does not penetrate, but runs off before absorbtion, small feeder roots die first, making it even harder for the plant to feed itself.

An inorganic potting mix comprised of inert compounds found in lava rock, pumice, fired-clay, decomposed granite, charcoal is used by bonsai growers in place of organic potting mix, made with composted peat, Pine Bark, leaf mold, manure or sometimes Coco coir. 

When compaction occurs, there is no choice but to repot, which is traumatic for the tree & exposes the plant to damage from handling, possible contaminants on gloves, tools, buckets & for most of us, something of a "crap shoot" as to whether the repot will be successful or lead to the loss of the specimens.

The use of an inorganic mix will reduce the need to repot so often & allow re-use of the mix, which could actually save money in the long run.

Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) - UPDATE

 this is an exerpt from the latest entry to the Photo/History page for Creeping Fig.

 In spite of a relatively short time in development, I decided to give the Creeping Fig a more permanent home. He's not finished..no LIVING specimen is ever finished as they continue to grow & evolve.

However, I think we can make a call on this project as successful & completed..besides being fun, we were able to rehabilitate an unwanted & unattractive plant & add an inexpensive specimen 'on the cheap'.

This is one of the first of our little trees to be planted in a 'soil-less' potting mix..there is no top dressing, what you see is the actual planting medium, made up of lava rock, Akadama clay, Perlite & Coco Coir(coconut shell). 

I'm looking forward to seeing where this little guy is going from here..as the canopy grows, it will change the profile & appearance, but my plan is to let this tree show me what he wants to do..then I'll decide what I want to do with him. 

Olive (Olea europaea) - UPDATE

 this is an exerpt from the Photo/History page for the European Olive (Olea europaea). Click-on to access the full history of this tree.

 This summer has been kind to the Olive tree, as it has for many of the 'little trees' in the collection. He has really started to fill out now..the trunk is thickening, lower branches as well & the canopy is becoming denser with adult leaves.

The color of the leaves is a dark, healthy green and with no more than minimal pruning has taken on the classic "pom-pom" shape of the classic Olive under cultivation.

He is due for a repot & fresh potting mix, & maybe a more permanent home than the training tray. I am anxious to see how his root structure has progressed.

Fremont Cottonwood (Populis Fremontii) - UPDATE

 Note: this is an exerpt from the Photo/History page for the Fremont Cottonwood; click to see the full history of this plant.

I didn't know Cottonwoods trees even grew in California & I don't think I've ever seen one growing in a pot, but I'm a believer now.

In July, I reported on how the old adage, location, location, location applies to this little tree, at least. He is continuing to add foliage & is slowly building what I think is going to be an impressive canopy.

I do credit finding a more suitable location for him, but also, I think I've learned how to style & prune him in order to stimulate more branching & back-budding.

Now it is time to "grow some wood".. that will be the priority over the next few months..in the meantime, a repot before the solstice & a transition to an inorganic Potting mix are the main priorities for this tree.

Coprosma 'Karo Red' (aka Mirror Plant) - UPDATE

 this excerpt is the latest entry to the Photo/History page for Karo Red; click to visit or use the menus on the r-hand side of every page.

 2 or 3 days ago, I noticed that the Coprosma's foliage was looking dull, dingy, not the usual evergreen "shiny" leaves & looking closer, saw that foliage was wilting & dying.

We have had unusually hot weather this summer, in fact, the last 6 weeks have constituted one of the hottest summers ever recorded. On further inspection, it seemed that the potting mix was unusually wet, as if the plant was not using any water..I have had this plant (as well as my entire collection) in a Cactus & Succulent mix for the past 18 months or so, but I have not previously encountered anything like this.

I aerated the soil with a chopstick, removed the top dressing & let the soil dry out for 24 hours..the soil appeared "dusty" after drying out..watered deeply, but after another 24 hours, observed that the tree was not taking-up water & that the potting mix had largely become muddy.

This is one of my older plants & other than some leaf burn from an accidental liquid ferilizer spill, has been among the best behaved..he survived the chemical spill & regrew the burned foliage; he survived "bonsai-fication" without a whimper..root pruning & potting in a 3" deep Bonsai tray did not faze him & in spite of the heat this summer, I thought the plant was doing well

This morning, I will de-pot the Karo Red & take a look a the roots..he MAY just be root bound, but that would be too easy. I suspect a complete breakdown & failure of the potting mix & have already made the decision to repot this little tree in an inorganic mix. (my intention is to completely do-away with the old potting mix..no more dirt).

Looking at the Coprosma after de-pot, & he sure isn't "root-bound", so we can eliminate that theory. After rinsing-off the roots & taking a close look, the roots look & feel OK. They are not mushy, no greasy black areas. although I feel like the lack of more feeder roots after this much time is disapointing..he should have developed more roots just under the base, I think..I wonder if the aggregate top dressing I've been using was too thick &/or too tight around the base of the trunk? 

No evidence of "root rot", so maybe I can save this tree..I am attached to Red..not because he is a particularly good looking specimen or that he is a rare or unique tree, but because he is one of my earliest acquisitions & has survived my bumbling efforts, up till now.

Nothing left to do now but re-pot, using the Bonsai Mix & hope for the best. I have been advised to water him in after the repot, keep him out of the direct sun & leave him alone for a couple of days

Only time will tell..check back in a couple of days.

Pittosporum tenuifolium - 'Beach Ball Kohuhu' - UPDATE

exerpted from the Photo/History page for Beach Ball Kohuhu where you can see the full history for this tree.

Sept 8, 2026

The Kohuhu had a good summer so far, filling out & growing new branches & developing a curved trunk that I think will probably become a permanent feature of this tree. 

Back-budding has restored much of the foliage & is a promise of what is to come. He has thrived in 4-6 hours/day of direct sun & our July-Aug heat has not fazed him.

The foliage is now assuming the classical shape & glossy-green that characterizes the Pittosporum. (compare to Wheeler's Dwarf )

I'm hoping that the leaves do not grow much larger than they are now..one of the problems with dwarf or miniatures trees is that they retain larger leaf sizes which are out of scale with the rest of the plant.

I will continue the same regimen for this plant going forward as he obviously happy here, on the patio.

Dwarf Japanese Juniper (Juniperis procumbens 'Nana") - 2.0

 this is an exerpt from the Photo/History page for Japanese Juniper 'Dwarf' (Juniperis procumbens 'Nana')

I've had an eye out for another juniper, although I wouldn't call it a search, I've been waiting for the cheap, $10., "nana" (another name for dwarf) plants to show up at the nursery. I need more conifers for the collection & winter is coming when my maples, citrus & others will be "napping".

I forgot to take the "before" photo before I started preliminary pruning ..opening-up the tree by clearing the overhanging foliage to reveal the trunk & base. You can see the rim of the nursery pot, which I cut-away to be able to see & get at my task.

Little by little, as we remove foliage, the shape of   a bent-looking trunk, old & twisted, possibly shaped by wind or as the plant reached for sunlight.

As I removed more foliage, I began to realize that the trunk actually bends back on itself, forming a 'U' shape. In addition, the plant was seated at an angle in the pot, suggesting that originally, this 'nana' might have grown perpendicular or on a small incline.

The hard part of style-pruning, or pruning in general, is knowing when to stop, but that is easier said than done. I may well have over-pruned this little tree, already.

And, I've decided to hold-off on a repot until I've had a chance to see how this tree reacts to what we've done so far.

Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) - UPDATE

 excerpt from latest entry to the Photo/History page for Creeping Fig (click to see)

It's hard to see in photos, but our Creeping Fig is looking healthier & happier. The color of his bark, the depth of color of his leaves, particularly new foliage.

I have done almost no pruning this summer, preferring to let the plant show me where he wants go go, now that he's stripped-down to his "fighting weight".

It took a few weeks to see, but now you can see how he's forming a canopy, following the natural curve of his trunk, branches are beginning to line-up in a row, repopulating this little tree from the top down.

Still haven't determined a front side/backside, but again, I'm going to leave it up to him to make the choice. 

This specimen started as a "reclamation project" & now is becoming a full-fledged member in our collection.

Projects don't always work out, but I can't complain about this one.

The plan for this tree now is to continue to observe & intervene only as required. I don't expect him to grow much bigger, although once he has regrown a full canopy, he should "fatten-up" starting at the base. He has the potential for developing a nebari but it is still pretty early in the game to worry about that.

Welcome Meyer Lemon to the Patio

exerpt from the Photo/History page for the Meyer Lemon;

 Please welcome a new addition to the collection, a Meyer Lemon (Citrus x Lemon x 'Meyer').The Meyer lemon is sweeter than other lemons with only a slight tartness, and is said to taste a bit like a tangerine, or a navel orange. It is often used to season fish and seafood.

Aug 2026

 Meyer lemon is a small, broadleaf, evergreen, flowering, woody tree in the Rutaceae (citrus) family. It is most commonly grown as an ornamental, though the fruits are edible. Native to China and introduced into the United States by Frank Meyer in the early 1900s, it is a cross between a citron and a mandarin-pomelo hybrid, distinct from the common or bitter lemon.

This specimen was grown from a cutting & took a little over a year to reach this size. Plants grown from cuttings will exactly reproduce the parent plant,

This plant prefers full sun to partial shade and consistently moist, well-drained soil. It prefers drying out and then receiving a   watering. 

The best performance and fruit production occur in full sun. Fertilize only while growing, spring to fall, and reduce watering during winter months. Prune branches to improve airflow and maintain a smaller size. Fruit clusters can also be pruned to one or two fruits to produce larger, healthier fruit.

Pruning plays a very important role in growing the most successful tree; this keeps the plant in shape and avoids unnecessary overcrowding plants to leave room for the lemons. It allows the plant to receive the proper airflow, which enhances the plant to grow strong and well while also preventing the plant from any potential diseases. 

My Magic Water-Wand

 reprinted from October 2025; from the Archives

My Magic Water-Wand...

 If you consult almost any authority on the basics of growing plants, almost the first thing they will tell you is that "over-watering/under-watering is the No. 1 cause of failure" Most plants, I find are remarkably resilient & can tolerate poor soil, poor water, too much/little shade/sun, but unless they are plants that evolved in the desert, they need water to survive.

I tend to overwater..so when I discovered that cheap, accurate hygrometers are available on Amazon, I didn't hesitate..now that I've used a hygrometer, I wouldn't be without it. Much as a meat thermometer is to a  gourmet cook, the hygrometer is to a container gardener. I call it my Magic Water Wand, the wand reaching down nearly 7"; that means that instead of measuring the water content of the first inch or so, my magic wand reaches down into the root ball to tell me whether it's wet or dry.

Why is this important? Recently, I acquired a new plant from one of the major Home & Garden Supply co.'s, & as is my routine, gave him a good drink of water as soon as we got home. But the water seemed to run right through the plant & a while later, when I was watering my other trees, I checked the new plant & got a DRY reading?? I took multiple readings at various depths & discovered that while the very top & the very bottom of the plant were moist, the middle 3-4 inches were bone-dry.

The middle is where the rootball lives..and the rootball IS the plant..so this led to the whole ordeal (for the plant, not me) of de-potting, root-comb-out & prune & re-potting, as documented in the Blue Point Juniper Photo Album 

Since I started using the hygrometer, I have not lost a plant to overwatering..because my plants are being properly watered, skipping a day does no harm & because my plants are properly hydrated, they are happy & that makes me happy.

Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum) 'Monrovia' - 2.0 -UPDATE

 below exerpt from most recent entry to the Photo/History for Monrovia 2.0. Click on link to access or use the menu on the r-hand side of every page.

In spite of the heat wave, Monrovia 2.0 is continuing to develop..foliage color & leaf size, and I'm wondering if he will take on fall colors, this year. 

I am still amazed at the technique of basically "chopping-down" a tree, in order to save it. However, I have not de-potted yet to take a look at the roots & see if his rejuvenation extended to the root system. I pruned the roots on Monrovia 1.0 a couple of times, trying to cure whatever it was that ailed him, but that seemed to have little effect.

My plan for this specimen now is to watch & learn. At the very least, this plant can teach us about resilience..so far, the gamble is paying off.

Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata) - UPDATE

 Excerpt from the latest entry to Photos/History page for Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata) 

This summer has been uneventful for the Dragon Tree, until...me! I tripped & fell against the plant stand, knocking the Dragon off & of course, shattering his ceramic pot that was supposed to be his "forever home" when I potted him in July '25.

Luckily, I had a spare & here he is, Re-potted & "back to work". I could have taken the opportunity to do some root pruning , but the root ball was intact, I could see no obvious need to cause any further trauma to this plant.

He fit into this low-cut tray easily & I planted him "proud" to show-off his base & lower-trunk. He has
shown good growth this year..enough that I could tell the difference when I re-potted him.

1st Bloom on Pomegranate

 this copy exerpted from the Photo/History page of Dwarf Pomegranate (Punica Granatum 'Nana')

I did not expect this! The Pomegranate has produced it's first flower, which I did not expect to see, this year. When I received this plant 4 months ago, he was little more than a cutting..or possibly an air-layered branch & I did not expect to see blooms &/or fruit this year.

However, a bloom does not guarantee fruit, which would be REALLY unexpected, we'll just have to wait & see if he produces more blooms or if this is an anomaly.

Considering that he was up-potted just a couple of weeks ago may partially explain why a bloom, but we'll have to give it a few more days & see if any more appear.. he continues to grow, well beyond my expectations. I don't know whether to credit good stock, a successful transition to our environment, the recent heat wave & consistent direct sunlight or feeding him with a high-nitrogen fertilizer for plants that are considered acid-loving feeders.

News from the Patio

It's been awhile since I posted any pictures of "Jerrys Patio", so thought today I would share some views for anyone interested.

I finally figured out some workspace where I can sit & work on individual specimens..this will also be the new 'potting station'.

Central to the workstation, you can see my new turntable, so I can rotate the plants as I am pruning..don't know why it took me so long to get a turntable, but I'm sure glad I have one now.

Since this is under the overhang of the upstairs apartment, it also makes a ready-made space for my "understory" trees..the Japanese Maples, Flowering Dogwood & any other trees that do not handle full sun well.

Looking West, this is shelving for "sun lovers", the only location on the patio that gets full sun throughout the day..the lower shelves house plants less hungry for full sun, cuttings & young, newly-potted specimens.

 

Looking South, the patio wall gets about 2 hours of sun in the morning & about the same in the afternoon..the rest  of the day, it is shaded by a mature Magnolia tree. I rotate trees between the shelving, wall & floor, according to whether they need more sun, less sun or protection from the afternoon wind.

This photo looks back towards the west & shows the boundaries of the patio..prox 13 X 13 (169 Sq. Ft.)  Small, by some standards, the patio houses & displays my entire collection of "little trees".

That's it for the "mini-tour". If you want to see how the patio looked a year ago, when I started the blog, use this link to see Jerry's Patio: September 2025

Red Bird Azalea (Rhododendron) "Red Bird" - UPDATE

 latest entry to Photo/History page for Red Bird Azalea; to see complete history of this plant, click on link or use the menu on the r-h side of every page

Aug 11, 2026

It's been an un-eventful summer for the Azalea..in fact, there has been nothing to talk about until I discovered some discolored leaves w/ brown/blue-black splotches..that discovery led me to taking a closer look & I discovered some whitish powder-like substance  on the underside of some of the discolored leaves. 

A quick Google search suggested that the brown spots were a fungal infection, possibly caused by the Azalea Lace bug. While the solution for eliminating these insects is pretty easy (spray off with water), the literature calls for the use of potassium bicarbonate to fend-off & heal damage that may have occurred.

Reading further, I discovered that although the Azalea can be considered an "under-story" tree, it is susceptible to fungal diseases if the location of the plant is exclusively in shadow, with little air circulation &, the nemesis of all container plants, overwatering.

Yesterday, I pruned every leaf with discoloration & buds that were encroaching on neighbors in such a way as to block the sun & have re-located him to get some direct sun & increased airflow. Going forward, my strategy will be close observation & finding a spot for him that suits this plants requirements.

Yes, azalea's are finicky & can be difficult to live with, but the rewards are great if you can persuade them to "go with the program'.

Goodbye Japanese Maple 1.0 - Welcome Japanese Maple 2.0

 this is exerpted from the last entry for Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum) 'Monrovia 1.0 & the first entry for Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum) 'Monrovia' 2.0

Throughout May-June, the Acer continued the up-down cycle of leafing-out & then leaf-loss, showing signs of recovery & then regressing. Pruning back seemed to stimulate new growth, but then the damaged roots were just not capable of sustaining the new growth. One side of the "V" seemed dominant, the taller branch & so I reduced the tree to a single trunk, eliminating the competition..it didn't help..

By July, it became obvious to me that he had been exhibiting this cycle over & over during the last year & that it would probably end with the tree slowly withering away, or staging periodic recoveries that failed. The situation called for drastic means & in the case of a deciduous tree, there is no more drastic remedy than to "chop" it. 

A "chop" is a measure of last resort, but is not the same as 'chopping it down'..yes, we're killing the old, diseased or damaged above-ground structure, but giving the roots a chance to recover & because of the miracle of plant regeneration, possibly, grow an entirely new tree.

Aug 1, 2026 

This specimen was saw-cut prox 6" above ground-level; the cut was treated with rooting powder, which helps protect the tree until it heals over. However, I did not expect the tree would survive. Imagine my surprise, a couple of days ago, when I discovered this: 

Whether this"last resort" will be successful, we'll have to wait a couple of years to judge, but for now, the tree survives, in a new incarnation, with our best wishes.

Aug 5, 2026

I am surprised at the speed of re-population & the appearance of foliage..the 'old' plant never generated leaves like these, this quickly.

Aug 7, 2026

The new foliage will soon hide the legacy trunk & at this rate, I think I'm going to have to start thinking about thinning it out. One of the problems with the previous incarnation was that it would initially produce foliage, but could not sustain it; my theory is that the damaged roots could not deliver enough nutrition to feed the foliage.

One of the justifications for "the chop" was to reduce height & span that the root system had to service. All we can do now is to continue to monitor the plant.

Just for Fun - Retrospect/EOL

 If we were counting, this would have been about 15 weeks into our 'Just for Fun' series of articles about an experiment to show 'proof of concept' for the contention that one can successfully grow tomatoes in a container, in limited space (like a patio), without trellises or staking.. & we threw-in a chili pepper plant, just for fun.

Since we wanted to grow full-size tomatoes, not cherry tomatoes, we chose a dwarf tomato named Snakebite. In order to make it more interesting, we decided to grow this demonstration crop in 1 gal. containers. This photo shows the tomatoes, easily taking-up no more than 12" in front of a shelving unit & still allowing for easy access for a person to pass by.

By limiting container size, I hoped to restrict overall height & width, yet provide adequate water/nutrients for the plants. Another consideration was that these plants need to be able to take care of themselves most of the time, allowing for folks that need to go to an office job or away from home, so 1 watering/day except during exceptionally severe (hot)weather.

And, as this photo shows, we did grow tomatoes..but not enough of them. The seed company says that the unseasonable hot spell shut-down the plants, but that they will resume production as soon as the weather cools..we'll see.

The Hatch chili peppers have also produced limited quantities, but what they have produced is good quality, just not as large as commercially grown Hatch's. Is this due to the container sizes or did the "hot spell" slow down the chili's? My opinion is neither of those factors was the contributor, but that they were simply started later that they probably ought to be started..I will propagate chili's heretofore in Jan, rather than March. 

I will continue experimenting with tomato/chili cultivars to find those that fit our criteria for growth in small containers, moderate water requirements & produce good taste & size fruit, but this will be the last installment of our series. I will report on this small diversion from my tree collection, but not on a weekly or regular basis. Happy Gardening!

Hibiscus (Rosa sinensis) 'Brilliant' - UPDATE

 excerpt from Hibiscus (Rosa sinensis) Photo/History where you can access the full history of this plant.

Potted the Hibiscus today,in what I hope will be his semi-permanent home, going forward. This marks the 6th repot this year, including root pruning for this specimen. I am very pleased with how root reduction has progressed, for this plant; the gnarly, woody, tangled mass of old root structure is 80% gone, replaced with new, white, feeder-roots, well distributed around the perimeter.

Now it's time to grow a new canopy & time for me to see what I can do with it. The Hibiscus has taken everything I've thrown at it & come back, seemingly, unfazed & ready for more. He readily started back-budding, as you can see from the photos, after the "chop"..I have been pruning the new growth until I see where he's going & to encourage more back-budding & foliage over letting shoots become too long & leggy.

I've chosen 3 shoots which could become the major lower branches & seem to follow the contours of the older branches that have been removed. It will tax my beginner skills to choose what stays & what goes, but part of the learning curve, I guess.

But for right now, this specimen deserves some time to acclimate to his new home & resume his long, strange trip.

Desert Rose (Adenium Obesum) - UPDATE

 excerpt from latest entry to the Desert Rose Photo/History or access the full history of this plant from the menu on every page. 

July 30, 2026

1st bloom opened today..he has multiple buds, so I expect we will see more over the next few days.

I've never seen one in bloom before & I understand more now why people talk about this plant & regard it so highly. I posted one of the photos (above) to a bulletin board (do they still call them that?) that I frequent & an individual from New Zealand commented that he still remembered seeing his first Desert Rose 35 years ago & never forgot it.

I will post more photos as the blooms progress, over the next few days, I expect. I'm not sure I've ever seen such a vibrant red...

     

2nd bloom: Aug 5, 2026

                      

Fremont Cottonwood (Populis Fremontii) - UPDATE

 this excerpt taken from most recent entry on the Fremont Cottonwood Photo/History page.

Sometimes it's the most basic things that matter..I've had 'the Fremont' for almost 18 months & his development has not been particularly noteworthy. About the time of the last update,in June, looking for a place to get him out of the wind, I found a spot that seems to agree with him.

This photo was taken today after I pruned the 'leggy' shoots & evened-out the two sides, as best I could. In his new spot, he gets morning-sun instead of afternoon & has protection from the hot, dry W winds we get every afternoon, this time of year.

I'm feeling really positive about this little tree, right now & if he starts showing us growth similar to the past month, all the better.