Hi Micojack...and welcome to GoY :)
I think the reason you've been advised to prune your eucalyptus, is because it's recently planted, and will tend to rock in high winds, until it's roots are firmly anchored in the pot. So keeping it small for it's first winter, may help. On the other hand, if it's in a sheltered part of your garden, it might be OK to leave it be.
Don't worry though...however hard you prune it, it will soon grow back :))

Hi crazydi thankyou for your info on my tree,I have just joined this site as it was highly recomended by a friend skillen,looking forward to many garden tips and lovely photos. thankyou

You're welcome :) Have fun, and enjoy...:))

I will thanks hope to chat soon x

If the tree you have is Eucalyptus gunni, you've been told to prune it back because it won't survive in the pot - its the deepest rooting tree in the world, and when it can't put down those roots deep enough, it won't survive. If you keep it stooled by hacking it down, it might. I'd suggest taking a little off the top now, maybe a couple of feet if you can bear to, and then chopping it back to a foot in the spring. I know that sounds drastic but this tree, even in the ground, can be grown as a shrub by cutting it to the ground in March/April - it will put on 8 feet of growth in one season, its a rapid grower. And if left , it will get 50 feet in no time (but not in a pot!)

Hi thanks for the message it does sound drastic but will try to cut a bit off it, is it ok to do it now before the weather gets really bad? thanks

you will also keep the juvenile foliage too. if it gets too big you will get adult foliage which some feel is less attractive.

I agree with "topping" it now Micojack...and if you look on my photos - the last one I put on - you will see what CAN happen if you don't keep it pruned...LOL
My one is a monster of some 60 feet or so after just 30 years. If you keep yours in a pot - I would think you are safe enough!!

I ended up putting my eucalyptus in the ground at the bottom of the garden after being in a pot for years and Wow! Did it grow big, so big we had to have it cut down as it was causing damage to my neighbours brickbuilt workshop, shame as they are a lovely tree for big open gardens.

I bought a Eucalyptus in a plastic coffee cup at charity stall for 30p many years ago. Initially I kept it in a pot but eventually planted it out after about 10 years. Then it grew quite a lot and we decided to cut it right down to a few inches last year. Now it is multi-stemmed and 6 feet already. Another Eucalyptus pauciflora was also cut down but didn't resprout. So, if you have got E gunnii then it will be OK to prune it as you wish.

In my experience, not the best tree for a small garden.