Persephone wrote:
My front porch (or patio as we say in So. Cal) has some beautiful
big plants that I got from a neighbor who moved.

When I got them, they were more "rounded", but now they have
put out long branches. I am afraid to cut back, so I would appreciate
you input.

See "front porch plants.jpg" on alt.binaries.pictures.garden.

Thanks

Persephone


PS - Is there a better way to direct people to the binary site?

Those are schefflera. Here in Hawaii, when planted in the ground,
they can grow to tree size (I have one in my backyard that is
HUGE. Towers over our two story townhouse.) You can cut them
back, cut them down, do just about anything to them and they'll
survive. I found one in a thrift store a few months ago covered
in scale and cut it off to the top of the dirt and it's three
feet tall now. I wouldn't recommend that normally but in this
case it needed to be done.

Don't worry. They're pretty hardy and forgiving of mistakes.
If you cut one of the woody stems, then more of the little
growth will poke out at the bottoms like your one is doing.

Tracey