Hello all, I have a question regarding pruning of a goldfish plant (Nematanthus). Not sure if it helps, but I'm in SW Ontario, Canada and my hardiness zone is 5a. My Goldfish house plant is alive and continues to look okay for the most part, but the leaves seem awfully sparse and when I look at it. I think the leaves are also a little smaller than they could be. I'm wondering if I cut it right back to just above the soil, if that would encourage it to grow back bushier than it is? At the base of the plant are long, bare, woody stems that I'm assuming are the result of previous trimming or soil loss (?). To give you an idea of what it looks like, here's a couple photos of the plant base so you can see the woody stems and the leaf density: http://www.flickr.com/photos/msexton/6346997349/in/photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/msexton/6347748540/in/photostream/ (Sorry they're so blurry, I took them with my iPod touch this morning and the camera isn't the greatest on this thing.) My efforts to encourage this plant to look more like the one I originally bought, I've been pruning the ends off and planting them back into the same pot, but the existing branches continue to remain sparse in leaves and I've only managed 2 blooms in the past few months. I currently have it situated in my bathroom (bright, near a large south-facing window but with sheer curtains drawn to avoid direct sunlight). I mist it occasionally as it receives humidity from the showers in the bathroom, and fertilize it when I water it weekly. So, what say you? Should I cut it right back to the soil? Find a different location for the plant? Advice and expertise would be very much appreciated. Thanks, M
