Kirk,

Your seedlings look fantastic. So nice and healthy.

Thanks!

Kirk

Well done, 5 month old seedlings while mine are 1 to 2 years old. Yours are great.

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Nice setup you have there! And thanks.

Here's 3 new pics from this morning. I just noticed some branching off the seedling I pinched. Looks like 2 branches forming at top and one lower on the stem at leaf node.
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Seedling I did not pinch top off of but branching at leaf node.
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Kirk

Hi Kirk, those seedlings look ready for pinching out to me, they are growing well. As the one you have already pinched is sprouting, I would definitely do the rest if that's the look you are after. It will also plump up the caudexes to some extent I would think. They look really healthy and that is a good growth rate in 5mths, especially over the winter. I will be very lucky to get mine to that size within a year. I like your see through pots...easy to see if they are wet/dry.
It's at times like this when I see all your plants doing so well in the sun that I get jealous!! We are still stuck with sub zero temps here and it's snowing furiously, it's set to continue for the next 3 days. My youngsters are under the anglepoise lamp next to the radiator, we have the central heating on and the gas fire too. I thought spring had arrived with a sunny spell we had recently, obviously I got it wrong.
Gill from the UK.

Hi, Gill.

I do bring them in at night as the night temps drop do low to mid 60's and we're expecting by Monday night a low of 56f. But as long as the temps outside are low to upper 70's then I take them out for some fresh air and East Texas humidity. LOL

The clear pots are actually plastic drink cups I had left over from a block party our neighborhood had right after hurricane Ike and we were without power for 14 days. I just used a drimel to drill holes in the bottom. But that was my thinking to help see when it's too dry and perhaps when I start seeing roots on the sides then I'll repot once again to prevent them from burning. And I probably will go ahead and pinch off the tops of the others tomorrow.

Kirk

Well, last night I just couldn't fall asleep so I got caught up on a few of my TV shows (FYI Monday Mornings is like the best new medical drama EVER!) until I finally was able to pass out around 5am. I then started having dreams about adeniums. That is proof enough that I'm obsessed with these plants or I need to go see a shrink. LOL
Anyway, I woke up at about 8:30am and couldn't fall back asleep so I made my morning rounds checking all my adeniums. Without a thought I grabbed a razor blade out of the drawer and pinched/sliced the tops off the rest of the seedlings. The deed is done and I'm anxious to see how they now branch and develop.

Kirk

Kirk, you have really got a bad dose of DR fever haven't you? I think you are beyond help sadly! I was reading your post and got to the bit which said 'I grabbed a razor'...... and I'm thinking' nooooooooooooo!' what is this poor guy going to do, slash his wrists?? Good job it was only the tops off the seedlings, phew, sigh of relief there!
I'm sure they will soon branch out for you, in the meantme, put that razor safely away, we don't want any more incidents please :)
Gill from the UK.

Yes, yes I do have a bad case of DR fever! And I really don't think there is a cure. Sorry for the razor scare. The only victims were the seedlings. They never saw it coming! They did cry a little since the liquid was clear but I quickly wiped away their tears and within minutes they toughened up. I know they'll thank me later. LOL

Kirk

Ha ha...you have the DR fever bad Kirk. I can certainly relate. I've walked to the mailbox several times in a day waiting for some seeds I ordered. I've never grown a somalense or socotranum. Thus my impatience to get these seeds started. Hurrrrryyy postman!

Doing my morning rounds checking the seedlings (as if I expect some sort of major 2 inch growth overnight or something) the first seedling I pinched back several days back that's already branching 3 branches...well...I stand corrected.
It now looks like it is putting out 3 branches at the top where I pinched it back and it now looks like I have about 5 different branchings happening on various leaf nodes down the stem. This is definitely going to be one seedling to pay attention to the next couple weeks and note the changes! I'll take a new pic of it in about a week as right now they're way too tiny and will not show up well in a picture.

Kirk

Wow Kirk, your seedlings look great - I hope mine will do that well in only a half-year!

Hello my friends, I am back after long holiday oversea.

Kirk, your seedlings look great, they didn't go dormant?

All my plants now outside, ready to grow....

Marie

Welcome back, Marie! Hope you had a great time.

My seedlings didn't go dormant as they spent time in and east and a west facing window getting tons of sun and the house stays about about 76f degrees.

I see you said you moved your plants outside. Don't know if this will worry you or not but Monday night we're expecting temps down to about 41 and Tuesday night about 46.

Kirk

Oh, and thanks, MRI Guy. It's exciting to see your fresh new seedlings!

Kirk

Wow! Looks like it'll be about a low of 39 tonight. Wish this weather would make up it's mind already.

Kirk

Hi Marie, good to see you again, hope you enjoyed the trip. We seem to have 'lost' some of the regular posters so a few of us have been trying to keep up the interest levels with our various seed posts. I'm sure things will notch up a gear soon as spring will hopefully spur our plants into more active growth.
Gill from the UK.

I pinched the top of a seedling I had in about september last year. It was about 8 months old at the time but quite small at 10cms tall. It didnt branch out though. A leaf node swelled and I thought it was going to branch there but never did. Im wondering if there wasnt a big enough root system for it at the time, if that could have caused it to not to branch? As when i repotted it a few weeks beforehand the roots were quite pitiful. The top kept growing from the side slightly after i pinched and it is still only a one stalk plant. It has grown about 3cm's since then. Should i pinch again? Also I have a ton of new seedlings I planted before christmas. They are still only about 8 or 9cms at the tallest. Is that big enough to try to pinch yet? these ones do have a big healthy root system. Its strange that the seedlings I grew are almost bigger then this older then 1 year seedling I got from a school fete.

If the plant wasn't growing strongly due to it's poor root system at that time, that could well have had a bearing on it's inability to branch out...so yes you may well be correct. I would wait till the pant is showing signs of a better growth rate else the same may well happen. Just my thoughts and hopefully someone else will chime in. . As for the other batch, they sound as if they are growing nicely so perhaps try a few and see what results you get?
Gill from the UK.

Regarding pruning of adeniums ( Tropicanursery)
Pruning:
One of the least common cultural practices for Adeniums must be pruning- most growers will never prune. There is some merit to this when growing species and under conditions that limit growth. Under good conditions however, Adeniums will make progressively longer stems with poor flowering. Adeniums respond to pruning in the following situations:

Pinching Seedlings: Seedling plants are often pinched to get a well branched plant. This must be done during periods of vigorous growth or only one bud will sprout, taking you back to where you started.
Done at the correct time this is a useful technique but can sometimes result in a large number of tiny axillary sprouts which look unnatural.

I agree with the above two posts.

Regarding longaeva's post on tips from Tropicanusery: "Done at the correct time this is a useful technique but can sometimes result in a large number of tiny axillary sprouts which look unnatural."

I think adeniums already look unnatural. LOL And well, looks are subjective to each DR owner so someone might really like all those tiny axillary sprouts. It's all a matter of opinion. I say experiment away but do it while it's in active growing mode. :-)

Kirk

A little update on the first seedling I had pinched a short while back. It has 9 little branches forming all over! See the 3 forming at the top then a few down the main stem. Rest are out of view on other side. Exciting stuff!

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Kirk

Could someone please explain pinching to me. At first I understood it as maybe a light pruning, but is it an actual pinch to the caudex? I am a little ways from doing it to my seedlings, but I have two mature plants as well. Can someone please explain.

Pinching is basically taking off the very tip of a branch. Usually consists of the first couple of leaves that are small leaf buds.

Hope that helps.

Kirk

Thanks, Kirk. So at the ends of a branch, I would pinch or snip off the new growth? This causes the branch to fork into two new branches, correct? Should this be done at the beginning of the growing season?

If you look at the above picture I posted a couple posts back, can see the 3 branches forming at the top tip. When I pinched it the tip was about as big as one of those. But you can actually pinch/snip more. Just depends where you want it to start branching really. And you can do this any time during the growing season.

Kirk

So on March 22nd I had pinched the rest of my seedlings. They are all now showing signs of multiple branching. The one I had pinched a couple weeks prior to those I have counted 10 branches forming. I think that one is going to be my new favorite seedling!

Kirk

Update:

This first couple of pictures is the 1st seedling I'd pinched back. The little branches are growing fast!
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The other picture is just a couple of other seedlings to show how fast the tiny branches have started forming after such a short time of pinching the tops on March 22nd.
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Kirk

Kirk,,,,they look great....full of life

Marie

Thanks Marie!

This has been a fun and exciting process growing from seed. I can't wait until I can leave them outside instead of shuffling them in and out of the house during these little cold snaps we have. I know my older adeniums can take it but I don't want to risk it with the seedlings as of yet.

Kirk

Looking good there Kirk! Between those of us that have started seeds this year, we must have a great collection of new plants coming along, and of several species as everyone seems to be 'at it!'! I hope this season will be good for all of us.
Gill from the UK.

So what do you pinch it with?

Josette

Hi Josette,

It's a juicy plant so you should use some sharp implement or the sap will be all over your fingers (it contains toxins---I read somewhere the sap is used for poison darts!) I used a box cutter which I forgot to sterilze. I sterilized it after lol (didn't want the sap getting onto my washi paper).

Thumbnail and index finger combo!
Gill from the UK.

I pinched a couple of my seedlings about a 3 weeks ago. They havnt shown any sign of branching yet and I am reluctant to pinch the others now. They all dont seem to be growing as fast anymore either. I also pinched my original seedling. It has started a side branch now but no other branches. I am worried this little guy will forever only be a one stem plant :( maybe in a zig zag shape after all my future pruning attempts? I did prune another one of my adeniums and it seems to be branching off good. At least 2 branches from beach pruned stem. I hope it keeps going. It will be a cute little guy and i wish to see the lovely black and red flowers again :)

Hi sbrow156,
I pinched out a few of my seedling also and left the rest to see.
It was mentioned to me by a grower in Thailand, that If you pinch seedlings that you need to do it when they are actively growing in summer, here. They will then produce many new growth points and if done while not actively growing will sometimes only produce one side shoot.
I had extra and tried as experiment.
Rick

Rick, thanks for posting that important fact that they should only be pinched when in active growth otherwise you may well only get one new shoot. Kinda defeats the object of pinching out one in the first place if you only get one back as a replacement!! Suppose it would work if you wanted to get it to grow in a different direction or from a different point altogether?
Gill from the UK.

My seedlings I've pinched have produced a ton of branches. To the point that it's causing me some grief to figure out what branches to get rid of. Almost all the seedlings have produced 10 or more branches each. Crazy! Oh and they are starting to fatten up nicely. Here are a few shots for you to enjoy.

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Original seedling I pinched as a test a couple weeks before I pinched the rest of them.
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Kirk

Oh Kirk, your seedlings are GORGEOUS! With all that branching you will have a ton of blooms. Nice job!

Kirk, they are so cute and so healthy...
You have one double or triple DR in the back ground.
It is beautiful too.
Marie

Thanks everyone!

Marie, that one in the background is either a triple or quad but hard to tell as there's so many petels. Hassadee Red, It had blue edges but just for a day. Then faded into the red the rest of the flower has. Red has gotten a little darker each day.
My sister went to Joseph's without me. She didn't get me the White Angel so I'll have to try to get back soon and grab one if they have any left.

Kirk

This post was edited by kodom087 on Wed, Apr 17, 13 at 23:54