On 29/07/2013 16:50, Stephen Wolstenholme wrote:
On Mon, 29 Jul 2013 13:55:58 +0100, thescullster
wrote:


There is a gnarled old stem to the left which appears dead and has white
licheny sort of stuff stuck to it.

It does look dead but just to make sure try cutting it down by half at
a time (sort of binary pruning). If you ever see live wood stop. If
you reach the graft point first it's had it.

Steve

Thanks Steve

I was kind of looking for a whole plant type treatment.
The small twigs off the stem with the blooms are also dying back in
parts. Should I be giving this stem the binary treatment (once) to push
all growth into the new shoots?

Phil