I bought it last summer and protected it over the winter. Although it lost some leaves it didn't die back. This spring I repotted it in a 1/2 whiskey barrel and it has put on tons of leaves but the buds drop before maturing. I fertalize and water frequently. There is also a sprout that has grown up at the base that recently formed the "Y". Should I remove it from the big plant? How do I do that?
If you want to root the sprout, I would wait until the older part (the bottom section) matures and turns from a bright green to a brownish green. These cuttings are easier to root. If don't plan to keep that new sprout, you can cut it flush with the ground if it's growing out of the ground or almost flush with the trunk if coming from the trunk. Dropping buds can happen with some of the flushes. It's difficult to say what causes the drop. It could be temperature related, stress due to being repotted while in bud or your cultural practices. As it gets used to its environment, it will probably stop dropping buds and give you some good flushes this year.
