These are my last three plants that were in 4" pots and they need up-potting. I decided to rinse everything off, take photos of both sides of the plants, and get some feedback on what I should do next. Do I just repot as is, do some trimming, or what?

Also, just to peer a little into the future, if I sell something like this, what do I do to these plants before packing for shipping?

Really, as to what you do, I think it mainly depends on what your plans for them are. Most of my seedlings when I potted them to 6" pots, I just potted up "as is" - no pruning whatsoever. I only have a couple that I have tried root pruning and one of those I also snipped the main growth tip all the way back to where it had several small side branches just above the swelling of the caudex.

I don't think there is anything you necessarily *need* to do, it mainly depends on what you *want* to do.

Hey, Carter, I haven't heard from you in quite a while. Thanks for the info. Since I have never grown adenium before, I don't know what I "want to do". I see so many really neat plants displayed by those who have a lot more experience than I, I just need to be nudged in the right directions.

I'm here fairly often - nearly everyday, I just lurk a lot. lol!

Well, if I remember correctly, you have quite a few different seedlings. From reading up on different training techniques for the different "finished" adenium styles, you can maybe try several different things. Honestly, that is what I've done. For any that you have earmarked already to just sell, I'd just pot them up as is and let them grow.

OK, perhaps you know I love to experiment! That being said, with over 1000 tropical plants on hand, I really can't afford the room for these 17 adenium when everything has to be brought inside. Maybe I will end up with seed-pods and then will always have a source for plants. But if not, @Ursula seems to have a knack for growing these and getting her plants to produce pods. She grows huge plants (all kinds) which I simply cannot afford to do. My seedlings all were produced from Ursula's seed-donating generosity.

I like the roots. Those are Arabicum right? Do they leave the roots under ground and raise them later? I have seen very large O.A. but mostly with decorated roots. Your roots seem to have gotten gnarly. I wonder if that would continue if you just up-potted them but left them at the same depth.
As Carter said experiment

These are obesum, grown from seed donated by @Ursula. They are 13.5 months old.

IMHO I would then replant some of them so they can get really gnarly. Or are you not into that? When I look at the caudex I guess I have to study shapes. My Obesum are not that wide and conical with big roots below. Maybe, since I am new at this that seed grown produce a different caudex. They are older then my young grafted Obesum's 9 months old. KD talked about the quick grow root stock they are using on grafted trees. So I bet this is why I am not use to the seed grown tree at this age. with virgin roots. oh well more to study up on.

The gnarliness is what I am after (is that a word?). But the flowers are nice too. I just can't hang onto many of these 17 plants, perhaps 2-3. Finding the space for all my plants to overwinter is a real challenge.

I'm just as new as you are, Ken, and don't have any advice to add, but am liking the input from others, as I am looking for the same information. I just wanted to drop in and say, 1. Your seedings are looking great! 2. Thanks for the info everyone, us lurkers appreciate it!

Thanks, James. I learn by asking and am never shy about doing so.

I know your roots Ken would be great in a year or so underground. I would then hang them up for a while to soften them and see how they can be shaped. The more twisted ( better description for most of you) Everybody is doing the decorated so I want something odd shaped.
How may do are you keeping? Do you plan on playing with those maybe grafting and shaping?

I can't answer those questions yet, Marica. I know I will sell the majority of them because of the lack of space to over-winter them. That's about as far as I have planned. I don't have a clue otherwise, not even what I might price them for.

I hate pricing my plants. I am doing that now on a Epi and a Dino Arabicum. You have been pricing things for a while now at least.

Five years, Marica.

crystalview said:I know your roots Ken would be great in a year or so underground. I would then hang them up for a while to soften them and see how they can be shaped. The more twisted ( better description for most of you)

Marica -- as a newbie owner of a couple of Ken's plants, I'm now trying to figure out what to do with them... what do you mean by "hang them up for a while to soften them" ??

Also, do you think I can prune them back a bit now, to get more branching? Or do I need to wait until spring? My plants will be in a south-facing window (or possibly under my grow lights), in a room that stays around 60F during the winter.

And, another also... when I potted the plants I didn't see anything like those nice big roots in Ken's photo... just kind of a root mass ball. ??

I do really love the gnarly, odd-shaped plants (but, at this point I'll be pretty happy to just keep the plants alive )

your plants are still young. Obesums left under ground will change into bigger roots in time. The root mass you have now will grow. I have plants that have been underground for 3 years. I am leaving them till Spring. They look so gnarly now. Almost ready to raise.
I would not be able to prune now because I live in the mountains which cool off faster in early fall. I will be cold in a month and 1/2. Where you live you do have some time before you cool. You would not see much growth above but might have more below. It is up to you. Did your plants come bare root? This can put them in shock for a bit and slow things down. I have even had plants I got shipped in pots go into shock. You have similar weather to Kens so this may not happen. My tree came from the south with high humidity to my 15% humidity. All plant action depends on your weather. This things are tough. You won't have super fast growth like you would in Spring. But you can try it. The heat and lights will help keep things growing. but you may still not see a lot till Spring. Do you know where you want to cut? You need to have a few old leaf nodes below the cut. You can seal the cuts with cuts with Elmers waterproof wood glue. It help the would look better.
If you do plant on Trimming. We can help if you give us a close up pic of how low you want it. Get it back in the sun as soon as the glue dries. The heat and sun will help push it to grow for as long as it is there. I have my smaller plants on a heat pad.during the winter because it is not as warm as the plant loves. So winter window light, solar light bulb. heat pad are some of your options. Let us know if you prune or not.

Thank you -- lots of useful information there! I think I'll let them have this fall and winter to acclimate and get into a good growing mode; or, to put it another way, to make sure they will actually live before I stress them any further. The plants were "semi bare root" when I received them.

Thanks again for your help!

What I meant by branch or root softening is an advanced procedure. It is done to slightly move branches or roots to wire or brace the for a shape you would like