tarev said:I want to try and prune some of the smaller roots of my older Adenium. It is still dormant right now. So I will not have to increase its container size this year, just want to lift the caudex a bit. But I have never tried pruning roots. Usually I just change some of the soil, and put it back to its old container. And I like its present container, got some funky character on it.

This is how the roots looked like last Apr 2014, when I checked the root condition and changed some of the soil...so is it safe just to trim off the smaller ones let it callus and dry, and leave alone the fatter ones below right? I feel like the plant might sulk! But knowing it is dormant..can't sulk yet heheh. Still cooler here, thinking I may have to start tackling this in late March yet, but just want to start studying how to approach it. I want to make some nice space in the container, the root mass then was so thick already. I have yet to check its actual condition right now.

• Desert Rose (Adenium obesum)
• Uploaded by tarev

Rainbow said:Hi Tarev! Decisions...decisions...

Okay, I've read so much literature on the topic that I feel safe to say...trim the roots...thick and small. You're wanting to keep it in the same container, but need to reduce the root mass so you could refresh/add more media which would also rejuvenate the plant. Don't wash off old soil. Brush some old soil off the base of the caudex and trim off roots there too if you'd like. Hang up somewhere for several weeks to allow the cuts to callous over. I'm not fond of cinnamon dusting, but I know you use it.

tarev said:Oh thanks KD! I only use cinnamon on the open wounds of a plant, not on the roots, it will dry them up too much. Got to think where to hang this one safely.

Yesterday afternoon I transplanted 13 obesums from their crib. I cut the tap root and snipped the terminal tip. Only one of those had ramified...it even had branch budding at the cotyledons...first time I have ever seen this happen.

So how do you treat the old media..do you reuse, top-up, set aside and use new batch?

The media in the crib is only 2 months old...so after transferring out the seedlings, I incorporate it into fresh media for transplants. Old media from up-pots are accumulated and saved to be mixed with fresh media for older adeniums that need up-potting into large containers.

That's good to know..similar to what I do, just checking if you do the same.

By the time the adenium outgrows its pot, there is very little organic matter left since the plant had essentially used it up...leaving behind perlite.

Thankfully my Adeniums grow slow, they take their nap time here during the cold season. Fingers crossed really this year, I am inspired by Karen's pruning and trimming, so as you know I did my version as well to my older Adenium too, hope my timing is okay. I just usually raise the caudex and mix in new soil mix to the old media.

You adeniums sound like they're very happy, KD!

I think you'll be very happy with yours, T. It takes a long time. Mine is just now blooming well and it was done in the beginning of July. You need to just pretty much ignore it except for watering when it wakes up and starts putting out the leaves again.

Tarev, when you can, please post a picture of your newly trimmed and repotted adenium...would like to see it.

Seed-grown Adeniums will grow large quickly (when allowed to) up to 5 years old...then growth slows down. Around 65% of my adeniums are 1.5 years old...so I am having to up-pot the trees often.

Yes, I have to wait for the leaves. That is why I was asking too about the timing when to do the trimming and pruning. KD's location is so ideal for it..mine is just dry area in summer and cold and rainiy in winter at times, though rain is missing in action again right now.

I'm sure as soon as you can get your tree outdoors, it will take off, T. Yes, please show us a pic of it now.

Okay here is what I did for it: I intend to return it to the same container after pruning
Before unpotting and pruning: 10Feb2016 - thankfully conditions have warmed up nicely:



Removed the soil, to reveal the roots:



After pruning some of the branches and roots:


In a corner to dry, those fat roots left really reminds me of ginger: plus I have some errands the next day, so it stayed there one day and two nights


12Feb2016, repotting time! My media mix is cactus soil, some compost, pumice, perlite, akadama and kanuma. I just eyeball it, and mix in some of the new media to the old one.


the old container: it has its nice character that blends so well with the shape of my Adenium, so I intend to reuse it as long as it can:


And here it is repotted..fingers crossed! It is going back upstairs by our south facing window. Have not watered it yet, will wait a week before I attempt to give it some water. Just to let the roots recover a little more. I may have to wait till end of March before I try to bring this out, our overnights still hover in the mid 40's.

That's a great looking adenium, Tarev. I can only hope that mine will be half so nice.

Thanks Ken! Give your babies time. I got this one already full grown in 2010, just happy it has survived here nicely.

I thought it was perhaps much younger, Tarev. I keep seeing large caudices, fat roots on what's described as year-old plants and mine just don't look anything like those. I have talked to them, but they just seem to want to take their time growing "fat".

It does look good, T. I might have cut it even more. Mine was down to about 3 inch branches. They will branch where you cut them, so if that's where you want the branches to be, leave it alone. I'm sure it's all a matter of preference as to the shape you want. Mine will be cut down again as soon as it finishes blooming because the shape still isn't what I'm envisioning.

Mine are just test cuts for now, I want to see first how it will grow back.

That is one great looking plant. I can only hope mine will get that nice one day. For now they are still tiny babies, but they do grow nice.

Willeke, you will see quite a difference in growth this summer on them once you are able to give them full sun and heat. They really take off.
Rick