There is that joke about the ultimate Jewish dilemma
being free ham. With me it’s free plant material
(like I need more).

Tonight, I got a 4’ old nandina with a really good
base. Now I have to figure out how to keep it alive
and how to cut it back. We dug and did get feeder
roots, but the roots are minimal compared to the
foliage. Can I cut it back? Does nandina sprout from
old wood? I have the roots wrapped in soil and a
moist towel. This will have to do until Saturday am
when I can see what I am doing.

The base is about 6” and has many sprouts. I think it
could be stunning if I can get it to survive.

Kitsune Miko


=====
****
"Expectations are resentments under construction."

Anne Lamott

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

On 2 Dec 2004 at 19:37, Kitsune Miko wrote:

There is that joke about the ultimate Jewish dilemma
being free ham. With me it’s free plant material
(like I need more).

Tonight, I got a 4’ old nandina with a really good
base. Now I have to figure out how to keep it alive
and how to cut it back. We dug and did get feeder
roots, but the roots are minimal compared to the
foliage. Can I cut it back? Does nandina sprout from
old wood? I have the roots wrapped in soil and a
moist towel. This will have to do until Saturday am
when I can see what I am doing.

The base is about 6” and has many sprouts. I think it
could be stunning if I can get it to survive.


Wow! A Nandina with a 6-inch base!

The answer to both questions is yes. About the only thing that
kills a Nandina is drought.

I have to qualify the "yes" on cutting back to say I wouldn't do
it at the same time the roots are so badly chopped. Plant it in
a wide, shallow pot in bonsai-type soil and keep it moist (not
wet). They grow in sun or shade, but the compound leaves tend
to get a LOT bigger in the shade. Do your cutting next early
summer.

A word about its budding back. The buds tend to come out a few
inches below the chop and at a rather sudden angle, so it's hard
to get a tree without sudden zags in it. You can get several
sprouts, but they're as likely to all be on the same side as
not.

It root sprouts prolifically! I have an ever-growing nandina
forest.

Unless you want Nandina growing all over your property, I would
not allow the berries to mature, even though they're gorgeous
with the red berries up top. Birds like the flesh and excrete
the seeds -- every one of which will sprout.

I'd love to see a picture of a Nandina this large.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Boon Manakitivipart++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Good advice, Jim. I have found that Nandina tends to grow taller & taller
without shooting out lower growth, unless the top is pruned. Once it is
pruned, the next growth with pop out just below the cut.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Lewis"
To:
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 8:53 AM
Subject: [IBC] collected nandina,


On 2 Dec 2004 at 19:37, Kitsune Miko wrote:

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Kitsune, you and I have the same problem, too much opportunity to "save"
plants. I also have two big nandina. One is in a bonsai pot over at our
club display (this one has a killer base!). The other is home in a cut-down
nursery pot awaiting spring to be put on a slate slab (this one has some
stems over an 1" in diameter, huge!).

In answer to your questions in reverse order, mine are sprouting from the
base but seem reluctant to branch. Here at the University (and further
South) they just whack them back. I'm trying to be a little more systematic
about that but so far do not have the timing figured out to consistently get
the stems to break back.

The nursery pot plant was yanked from the ground and tossed into the trash
last spring. I've taken it home and put it into a mix of perlite and pine
bark/recycled soil. It didn't miss a stroke so I'm planning the planting
for this spring. I have cut back three of the thin stems which are probably
not a part of the final design and they do not appear to have broken back.
Perhaps wrong time, mid-summer.

Looking at the books I have, nandina is usually shown as having long stems
with foliage at the ends. I am going to work with that concept, replacing
tall, thin stems with shorter, new ones as the opportunity presents itself.
The appeal for me seems to be the fall color (not real common here), the
woody forms (base or stems) and the thin, almost grass-like leaves. I'm
looking at them as big companion plants rather than true bonsai but some do
consider them bonsai, so I'll just go with the flow.

Keep us informed as to your results. Maybe you can "trick" it into breaking
back. I'd like to know. Have fun - jay

Jay Beckenbach - Melrose, FL - Zone 8b/9a -
Who is also looking a lot of re-potting this spring



-----Original Message-----
From: Kitsune Miko ]
Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 10:38 PM
Subject: collected nandina, HELP!


There is that joke about the ultimate Jewish dilemma
being free ham. With me it's free plant material
(like I need more).

Tonight, I got a 4' old nandina with a really good
base. Now I have to figure out how to keep it alive
and how to cut it back. We dug and did get feeder
roots, but the roots are minimal compared to the
foliage. Can I cut it back? Does nandina sprout from
old wood? I have the roots wrapped in soil and a
moist towel. This will have to do until Saturday am
when I can see what I am doing.

The base is about 6" and has many sprouts. I think it
could be stunning if I can get it to survive.

Kitsune Miko


=====
****
"Expectations are resentments under construction."

Anne Lamott

************************************************** **************************
****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Boon Manakitivipart++++
************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++


************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Boon Manakitivipart++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Kitsune, you and I have the same problem, too much opportunity
to "save"
plants. I also have two big nandina. One is in a bonsai pot
over at our
club display (this one has a killer base!). The other is home
in a cut-down
nursery pot awaiting spring to be put on a slate slab (this one
has some
stems over an 1" in diameter, huge!).

Later today, I'll post a couple of Nandina pics on the gallery.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Boon Manakitivipart++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Kitsune, you and I have the same problem, too much opportunity
to "save"
plants. I also have two big nandina. One is in a bonsai pot
over at our
club display (this one has a killer base!). The other is home
in a cut-down
nursery pot awaiting spring to be put on a slate slab (this one
has some
stems over an 1" in diameter, huge!).

Later today, I'll post a couple of Nandina pics on the gallery.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Boon Manakitivipart++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++