Help-podophylums and caesalpinia

Waco sent me the seedling podophylums [podophyli?] last year and there are about 9 in the pot now. I'm scared stiff to put them outside as a slug got one even in the greenhouse.
The caesalpinia gillesii [sp?] are putting on lots of top growth and Iooking a bit spindly. Is it OK to pinch them out? They are one year old.

 

You need to watch Waco Liz she probably sent you the slug as well :D what I did on some of my rarer plants that I didn't want assaulting with slugs, I cut some 4"long sections of 4" plastic stench pipe I wrapped copper tape round it just short of the top sunk them 2" into the ground planted my young plants inside the protected enclosure works a treat completely reusable,it will not do any harm to pinch out the caesalpina

 

I pinched out my Caesalpinias when about 12ins high and later again when the new branches were the same length to create a bushy (less spindly) plant. The have an open habit so are never really bushy. I still have lots of seed from last year.

 

I'd say dont pinch if you want flowers but in the early stages it does help to form a better shaped plant.

 

Hi chaps, sorry to butt in, but is the Caesalpinia hardy or does it need a conservatory?

 

Blackthorn I have grown a caesalpinia on a west facing wall for about 15yrs now, never had any frost damage, but they do really need the hottest dryest spot you can find.
Dry for the top growth that is because the flowers rot easily in a wet summer, but I find the roots can get a bit too dry without some watering.

 

That is beautiful, pete. I just pinched mine out as despite me doing this before all they seem to do is produce another single shoot to replace the one I pinched out. Do you feed them?

 

Thanks for that Pete, it looks gorgeous.

 

Jungle seeds sell caesalpinia gilliesii, they say its a lot hardier than the more common Pride of Barbados. planted in dry hot sheltered position and when the wood is ripened well enough should withstand -12 c in winter. The Pride of Barbados is caesalpinia pulcherrima which needs a conservatory.

 

I have tried growing it free standing, ie. without wall protection.
Although it survives OK, I found it late into growth, fairly slow and unlikely to flower much if at all.Perhaps someone can prove me wrong, I hope so.

Its a pity as I did see one particular plant while on holiday one year and it was spectacular when grown as a small tree.
Liz, I dont feed mine at all, but in a pot some feeding would I suspect be needed, I'd also use a gritty compost, JI based.
I've tried pulcherrima a couple of times but never got it passed the seedling stage. :rolleyes:

[ 03. May 2007, 07:42 PM: Message edited by: pete ]