Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Yes
Species Study - Taxodium distichum
- Thread starter Cajunrider
- Start date
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
My experiments on bottom splits are doing very well.
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
At the rate of recovery you are seeing, how long do you think it will take them to heal over the splits? On another note, have you ever thought about hollowing a shorter stump all the way through? Like take chunky spade bit or Forstner bit and drill top down and go clean through the bottom? I know there are plenty of completely hollow trees in nature but I’ve never seen anyone in bonsai completely hollow one all the way through. Seeing how well the BC tolerate the abuse, I would think it’s a good candidate species to experiment on.
Maybe end up with something like this.
Maybe end up with something like this.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
My estimate is 3 years to heal but I also have plans to hollow some out as well.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Nip it in the buds!
Here is a prime pictorial example of one huge vertical shoot and an under branch off of a wired branch. I should have rubbed them off when they were just budding and force the growth on the wired branch instead.
Barbells and bonsai
Mame
If they were on their own and not connected to the wired branch would you choose the stronger of the two and remove the other or allow them both to grow?
Currently dealing with that issue at the chop point and have been wondering how to handle it
Attachments
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
I will only keep one. I choose the one with better placement, angle, then size.
Last edited:
pandacular
Omono
I wired a few of the leader branches on mine, as they were wired down for shipping safety. While wiring them, I noticed a much greater amount of "cracking" noises while manipulating the branch than on most species--certainly more in-line with a broadleaf deciduous than a conifer in that regard.
Do you notice any issues with this sort of cracking noise? None of the branches split or snapped, and they seem to be growing just fine afterwards (which makes me wonder if I could've pushed them harder!) How far do you generally push them while wiring? These were a mix of newly woody shoots as well as some green shoots from this season.
Do you notice any issues with this sort of cracking noise? None of the branches split or snapped, and they seem to be growing just fine afterwards (which makes me wonder if I could've pushed them harder!) How far do you generally push them while wiring? These were a mix of newly woody shoots as well as some green shoots from this season.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Newly bent branches make popping cracking noise for sure. You can even feel the break with your fingers. I generally only wire newly lignified branches, not green ones.
pandacular
Omono
Perfect, that is a really good description of my experience. I took a second look while fertilizing just now, and I actually didn’t wrap wire any green branches, just used some hacky guy wiring (which is quickly becoming my favorite method for early branch repositioning)
namnhi
Masterpiece
I like the cracking sound when I bend the branch.... because I know that some cells are dying but not the entire branch... so the branch will hold the shape once they healed. I did this to Hulk two weekends ago. I will most likely cut back to top growth in favor of letting the bottom branches thicken a bit more. @Cajunrider mentioned it and it makes a lot of sense.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
The tree you posted will be hard to emulate. My plan for the split trunk BCs is more like this one. With some of my split trunk BCs, this is very much within my reach.
I plan to do this to one later this year, the first split trunk that shows good health and recovers by early summer will undergo this carving transformation.
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
That’s going to be killer, I can’t wait to see your process
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Barbells and bonsai
Mame
I’m going to do this tomorrow morning, guessing the branch I cut off will eventually be grown over by cambium?
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Unwrapped and sprayed to kill fire ants in the gaps. Pruned and wedges driven in further.
Michigan Tree Murderer
Masterpiece
Love the Frankenstein stuff. You are the taxodium technician.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
I have buds in 3 out 4 sections so far. I examine the trunk tissue. It is so close to death. I think I will wait a few months for the tree to recover before twisting some more. I predict trunk adhesion will not take place in at least a year. Only when the rolled edges of the splits run into one another and fuse would that happen. Until then I can keep twisting.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
This year I have 3 collected BCs that are in danger of failing to bud. I have been pushing the boundaries of BC collection practice. I have shaved the root ball much thinner than I did in the past to better prepare my BCs to be bonsai. That put a lot of stress on the chopped roots and they struggle to provide the moisture to the trunk. The 3 BCs that are failing to buds were in the sun more than they should have been. I usually keep the collected BC in shade but those were left in sunnier spota. It appears the trunks were dried out. I've taken them back under my porch and hope that they revive.
I have checked with other BC practitioners such as @johng, all indicate that they keep their collected BCs in shade as well.
I have checked with other BC practitioners such as @johng, all indicate that they keep their collected BCs in shade as well.
