Be gentle...

[smilezzz]

I just got into the art, so as the title says...

I just bought one of these bad boys!!!

 

[smilezzz]

Psych!!! Just need some advice on my nursery stock. We're in late summer over here (Johannesburg, South Africa), and I've picked up some indigenous (the bunch of Azaleas not included) stock. What would be the best time to repot them? I feel like I should wait until early spring before I do any root work, repotting, trunk chopping, etc. All of these are evergreen, and quite hardy.

Oh... and can someone help me identify the conifer /pine looking tree? I know most of the others... but I'm stumped with non indigenous trees.

 

[baron]

I'd say yes, wait with repots till spring.
The Azalea's you can prune back after the flowers fade.

Oh... and can someone help me identify the conifer /pine looking tree?

Hinoki I think.

 

[smilezzz]

I'd say yes, wait with repots till spring.
The Azalea's you can prune back after the flowers fade.


Hinoki I think.

Thanks man. Really appreciate it.

 

[Nybonsai12]

doesn't look quite like hinoki to me. I'm guessing some sort of thuja.

 

[coh]

doesn't look quite like hinoki to me. I'm guessing some sort of thuja.

Agree with this. There are so many varieties of thuja almost impossible for most to identify just from that kind of photo.

 

[smilezzz]

Agree with this. There are so many varieties of thuja almost impossible for most to identify just from that kind of photo.

No doubt. Is there other shots that I could provide that might make it easier?

Also, is there much difference between caring for a thuja vs caring for a cypress, or would it be similar for most conifers? I've done some internetting and all I could come up with really is that some people say thuja tend to take root pruning better than most.

 

[jason biggs]

go and visit mikibu bonsai in Midrand. He is extremely knowledgeable and has a wide range of well priced, awesome pots...
never mind the stunning trees.
Why not get a few indigenous trees??
Welcome to the site.

 

[smilezzz]

go and visit mikibu bonsai in Midrand. He is extremely knowledgeable and has a wide range of well priced, awesome pots...
never mind the stunning trees.
Why not get a few indigenous trees??
Welcome to the site.

Thanks J. I've already dragged my wife and kids over there and picked up these little twigs (the sad looking little juniper was thrown in for free)... some are really small or need some training, but it was a decent start for my collection.

As for indigenous trees... including the two I got at Mikibu, I've got 16 Acacias (without a doubt my favourite tree, though only one I'd consider a true bonsai, the rest are still seedlings), 5 little wild olives, 2 Veld Figs, the Natal Fig above in the white pot, a Moepel (Transvaal Milkwood), a Ficus Burkei (baby), and 3 little gardenias.

Most are babies, but I'm really looking forward to watching them grow.

 

[coh]

No doubt. Is there other shots that I could provide that might make it easier?

Also, is there much difference between caring for a thuja vs caring for a cypress, or would it be similar for most conifers? I've done some internetting and all I could come up with really is that some people say thuja tend to take root pruning better than most.

Photo-wise, some close-ups of the foliage/growing tips might help but still, so many varieties!

Thuja in my experience (I have one) are very aggressive at producing roots and seem to handle major root work quite well. I haven't really figured out how
to get the foliage to behave, though. I think Sergio (@MACH5 ) has worked quite a bit with them.

 

[MACH5]

Photo-wise, some close-ups of the foliage/growing tips might help but still, so many varieties!

Thuja in my experience (I have one) are very aggressive at producing roots and seem to handle major root work quite well. I haven't really figured out how
to get the foliage to behave, though. I think Sergio (@MACH5 ) has worked quite a bit with them.

Same here. In my experience they do take root work well. Of course one should always exercise caution if you are dealing with an old collected tree but not the case here. As they get stablished as containerized plants they seem to be quite adept at developing very fine root systems.

 

[smilezzz]

Same here. In my experience they do take root work well. Of course one should always exercise caution if you are dealing with an old collected tree but not the case here. As they get stablished as containerized plants they seem to be quite adept at developing very fine root systems.

Thanks guys. Really appreciate it. One more question, although it was answered above already, but you know us noobs... do I really wait until early spring for ANY root work on ANY plant?

My instincts say yes (as does Barons really helpful reply above, which i place a lot more faith in)... but I've already reported 2 trees this past week or so. The first was a ficus which had some scale (which I somehow fixed with alcohol and blasting water from below the foilage) and ants which made their home in the pot, and a 3 year old Hackberry which I took from my garden (I actually planted it there after it deflated itself 5 months ago) that was being attacked by what looked like mealy bugs (it was terrible awkward trying to kill all of them on a 6 inhaling high tree next to a boundary wall). I kept pruning to an absolute minimum (basically none) but I'm concerned I might have done some unseen damage. Both look okay though, for now.

 

[baron]

do I really wait until early spring for ANY root work on ANY plant?

In all honesty, no. You don't have to wait till spring. I've repotted maples during the summer too...

The problem is that there are so many different species, varieties, sources, climate or age differences etc which cause difference in care.
Thats why people that have been doing this for a while will always ask for as much information as possible to give any advice or give the usual "it depends" answer.

I made a guess on Hinoki and was luckily corrected by more experienced members.
As you mentioned yourself there is quite a difference in repotting a Thuya vs Hinoki.

For new people in bonsai however I feel it makes it easier to start out with general guide lines like "repots are done in spring" or take "1/3 of the roots off".
Does this mean you can't repot trees other times of the year? Or cut off more? No, but you have to know what you are doing. Especially the aftercare.
You learn things like that by reading forums post here and actually experiencing it yourself.
For example by Walter Pall; repotting maples during the summer? Np apparently, as long as you know what you're doing.
So I've tried it this year (emergency repot) and the trees is now pushing a lot of new fresh growth.

A while ago I bought a little Chaenomeles, it came in a little nursery container so I was planning on repotting now.
However when I did some research here everyone said to repot after it flowered, but before the new leaves come out.
At the moment the leaves are already opening and the flower buds seem ready to unfold any day now. So after more research it seems I need to repot during the fall.
Repotting during the fall means different aftercare then during spring because of the coming winter.
For example, it will need a lot more protection against the freezing temperatures. Out of experience I know I won't be able to provide this, so I won't just blindly repot during the fall and see if I can find a solution by repotting it earlier.

Maybe not the best example, but just trying to say; give as much info as possible (and clear visible images) when asking for advice or research as much as you can.
If you're still unsure, just fall back to common sense....

 

[smilezzz]

Hey peeps. I just picked these 3 brush cherries up at reduced cost (5 gallon bags). One of them has a fantastic burn up one side of the tree which I'd like to make my front (it makes it looks old and aged). Any ideas and inspiration on these? I'm struggling to think of anything to do with the multi trunk one.