I'd suggest thinning now- just go in and remove everything that points downward or upward from the laterals (scaffold branches that are attached to the trunk). That will help limit regrowth in the spring. You'll be amazed at how much green you'll have lying on the ground when you're done! If the scaffolds have developed branches that are growing into competition for the branch from which they are growing -that's more than about 1/3 the diameter of the scaffold- cut those competitive branches off where they attach. Leave the pencil-sized branches that grow horizontally off of your main scaffolds- those should become fruiting wood. Expect to continue thinning for the next few weeks as new growth tries to replace what you removed. It takes a while to develop a clear picture of how it all works (I'm certainly still figuring it out) but the tree will forgive a good number of mistakes.

I guess Photobucket is the popular choice with that in mind you'll need to set up a free account to upload pics at Photobucket.com After you set up and log in to a free account (or some other online photo place)You'll see some step by step help tool bars, screens & menus where you can edit uploaded photos (as an option for size and such) To post from Photo bucket go to album where pic is scroll to the pic you want to post See the drop down menu ? scroll down to the HTML line and clickon HTML it should turn blue on the right side line . Right mouse click and scroll copy the BLUE HIGH LIGHTED HTML CODE Bring GW forum oage back into the screen right click on the page where you type and click on PASTE You should see the code line you just copied inside of things hit enter at GW for line spaces to add typed words then repeat steps for muti pic posting The best part is........ last but not least GW's preview where one can always cheeck fer cerrect spillings

You want to take 2-4 eye cuttings of firm NEW growth (The green stems) apply 0.8% IBA (rooting hormone) stick in well drained soil & mist taking about 80 days to root. Butterfly bush same treatment but takes 70-100 days to root

If you want the threshold flush with the tile but can't figure the thickness of the SLC, then screw down a 2x4 in place of the threshold. Put a slip sheet on the edge of the 2x4 that the SLC will touch. You can simply wrap the 2x4 in plastic, then screw it on place. The plastic will be the slip sheet. Pour the SLC. Do the Ditra. Tile. Then unscrew the 2x4, the plastic will act as a release to prevent and SLC or thinset from sticking to it. You're total thickness, SLC-to-slate, will probably be around 1" to 1-1/8" or so. To get the 3/4" threshold even, you'd need to bed it in 1/4" thick to 3/8" thickness of thinset. That'll work. If you need to go thicker, then you can move away from thinset to another setting material, as thinset shrinks a bit when it cures. That's why it's called "thin" set. It's used in "thin" layers, so to speak. There are other bedding materials for thicker applications. Or you could do two thicknesses of thinset. Do a 1/4" layer. Let it cure. The next day set the threshold. I'd caulk the seam between the threshold and the tile since they are on different substrates, so to speak. But you could grout it if needed. You might get some cracking, but it shouldn't be significant.