A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 Norfolk Pine Rant!

This isn't so much a plant health issue, as the plant will survive, but I just have to vent to frustration to someone who will understand...
As many of you know, I take care of plants in my university's library to earn extra money while I go to school. I had under my care a beautiful seven foot tall norfolk island pine. It was just gorgeous. I would even talk to it while I watered it. Needless to say, I was attached. But one day, when I was off, this wretched woman, who works at the circulation desk, stole my pruning sheers out of the supply room and lopped it down to a puny 12 inches. And when I ask her why she had done it, she said it was dead any way, when I had seen it 12 hours before and it was as perky as ever. Luckily, the tough fellow is pulling through and has sprung a few new baby shoots. Luckily for her, too. Else those pruning sheers might have found alternative uses.

One question though, is there any way I can stimulate faster growth?

Thanks for sticking with the melodramatic spew.

You could cut her head off. Her brain was dead, anyway! Sorry to say that I don't have any advice for the tree, but I just wanted to let you know that someone sympathizes with you.

Dianna

That's a killer! You have my sympathy.

Increased light is the only way to promote faster growth. Fertilizer and soil supplements will not do it, despite advertising claims to that effect.