BELOW YOU WILL SEE PHOTOS OF A 2 YEAR OLD MINIATURE STELLAR AND A MINIATURE ZONAL, WHICH HAVE BECOME POT BOUND.
THIS IS HOW I GIVE THEM A NEW LEASE OF LIFE. I REMOVE ABOUT AN INCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE OLD ROOT BALL, TO DO THIS I USE A BENT FORK, GENTLY TEASING AWAY THE OLD COMPOST. I FIND THIS WORKS BETTER FOR ME, THAN USING A KNIFE TO CUT IT OFF.
I DO MY PLANTS FROM THE LAST WEEK OF FEBRUARY, AND SPREAD IT THROUGH MARCH GIVING ALL MY OLDER PLANTS THE SAME TREATMENT IF NEEDED. THIS ALSO GIVES ME THE CHANCE TO DROP THE PLANT DOWN IN THE POT, AS THIS HELPS COVER ANY OLD WOOD. THEN ANY SPACE AT TOP OF POT IS FILLED WITH FRESH COMPOST.
IT WORKS FOR ME
THIS IS THE 2ND YEAR MINIATURE STELLAR THAT I DID THE LAST WEEK IN FEBRUARY. I TOOK THE PHOTO 3 WEEKS LATER TO SHOW THAT THERE ARE NOW NEW ROOTS SHOWING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POT.
DWARF & MINIATURE
THE LEAVES ON DWARFS AND MINIATURES HAVE TO BE IN KEEPING WITH THE SIZE OF PLANT. IN THIS PHOTO YOU CAN SEE A BIG LEAF ON A PLANT OF BOLD CARMINE, THIS IS BEST REMOVED SO THAT POINTS ARE NOT LOST ON THE SHOW BENCH.
YOU CAN SEE JUST HOW MUCH BIGGER THESE LEAVES THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED ARE, THE LEAVES THAT ARE LEFT WILL SOON FILL ANY GAPS. JUST REMEMBER THAT THE FOLIAGE ON ANY DWARF MUST NOT EXCEED 7" IN HEIGHT FROM THE RIM OF POT, AND MINIATURES 5".
THIS LEAF SHOWS SIGNS OF THE CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE, CAUSED BY THE WINTER AND EARLY SPRING SUNSHINE.
I FIND THE WORST AFFECTED ARE SOME OF THE DWARFS SUCH AS CLATTERBRIDGE, BRACKENWOOD AND DIBBINSDALE. THE DARK LEAFED STELLARS CAN ALSO SUFFER, AS DO SOME MINIATURES. I TRY TO AVOID THIS BY MOVING AFFECTED PLANTS TO A PART OF THE GREENHOUSE THAT DOES NOT GET SO MUCH SUN.
ANOTHER THING I DO, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE BUBBLE INSULATION IN AT THE MOMENT, IS TO SHADE THE GREENHOUSE WHEN IT IS REALLY SUNNY. THIS DOES HELP A LOT IN KEEPING TEMPERATURE DOWN, WHICH IN TURN GOES A LONG WAY IN PREVENTING MORE RED LEAVES. YOU WILL FIND THAT REDNESS DOES NOT GROW OUT, SO ANY AFFECTED LEAVES HAVE TO BE REMOVED.
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