Clumpy Gets A Repot

[Mellow Mullet]

Took a break from working on the shed Sunday afternoon and I decided it was time to repot my bald cypress clump. It had been several years since a repot and as you can see, it had completely filled the pot with roots. It took an hour or so to comb it out and get the root mass reduced. Anyway, here it is.

John

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Clumpy Continued:

Here is the carnage, some shots of the base, and final product.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Didn't have room for the finished product, so here it is. Also, I didn't like the lump it was making at the top of one of the trunks, so I decided to cut it out. It won't take long to regrow.

 

[sorce]

Love that base!

Isn't your thickest trunk the shortest now after the chop?
(Hard rule to break imo)

I'd like to see a bit more separation in the left 2.

But I don't care! I like this one!

Sorce

 

[Mellow Mullet]

It depends on the angle as to which one is the thickest and when I regrow the top, it will be taller. I should be able to regrow it in a couple of seasons. The separation between the left two is more apparent from other angles too. I should have photographed it from other angles but I was running out of time and this thing is heavy----it has almost a wheel barrow of soil in it and I am still nursing that torn bicep. I know, excuses, excuses, excuses..... Not much I an do about it anyway, every thing is fused and the trunks will not move. It also has several knees starting to form, it should do well with the repot and as soon as we are out of the freezing weather it gets submerged it water for the summer.

Thanks,

John

 

[Appliance Guy]

Good update!

 

[nite_owl_studios]

So the knees that you have forming.....is this from the prior years of not repotting? Just allow it to become a root bound? And do you anchor your BC's in their pots?

 

[sorce]

I'd love to see those other angles!

Not whole tree moving, I was thinking more like this.....
At like 4 minutes..

Sorce

 

[Mellow Mullet]

I don't think the knees have anything to do with being root bound, it is a subject of much debate as to why BC grow knees.

Yes, I tie all of my trees into their pots.

Sorce,

I will see if I can get some shots today.

 

[nite_owl_studios]

I don't think the knees have anything to do with being root bound, it is a subject of much debate as to why BC grow knees.

Yes, I tie all of my trees into their pots.

My mentor and I have yet to have any of our cypress produce knees while in pots....I've heard from several others that BC will not produce them in pots. Guess you've proved that theory wrong. Mine stay submerged the majority of the year, in solid training pots. The only difference I'm seeing is that you secure the tree in the pot, while we do not on BCs. Our's have a tendency to lift themselves out of their pots on a yearly basis filling the pots with a healthy amount of roots. I'm wondering if I were to secure them to the pots of they would be more prone to knee production, forcing them into the water/pot to make knees rather than getting air to the roots when lifting themselves out of the pot.

 

[LanceMac10]

Wow Mullet...you have a unique tree here with some great character. Yea....it did seem to root pretty vigorously!!!

 

[Mellow Mullet]

My mentor and I have yet to have any of our cypress produce knees while in pots....I've heard from several others that BC will not produce them in pots. Guess you've proved that theory wrong. Mine stay submerged the majority of the year, in solid training pots. The only difference I'm seeing is that you secure the tree in the pot, while we do not on BCs. Our's have a tendency to lift themselves out of their pots on a yearly basis filling the pots with a healthy amount of roots. I'm wondering if I were to secure them to the pots of they would be more prone to knee production, forcing them into the water/pot to make knees rather than getting air to the roots when lifting themselves out of the pot.

I don't know, it might be worth a try, mine push up out of the pot too, this one about two inches, it actually broke one on the tie wires. I also keep mind submerged it water most of the year, as soon as we get past the last freeze, I put it in a tub of water and it stays in until winter. My dad has a BC that has many knees in the pot, we are supposed to repot it next week, I'll take a few pictures.

John

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Wow Mullet...you have a unique tree here with some great character. Yea....it did seem to root pretty vigorously!!!

Thanks Lance, it only take a short time it to fill the pot, I could probable repot it every year, that would cut down on the time it would take to do it.

John

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Here is a picture of the knees on my Dad's tree:

 

[nite_owl_studios]

Oh wow!!! And all of those were formed in the pot? That's pretty impressive! I would love to get some knees started on mine. I'm about to reply this week....I'm going to secure them down this time and see if I can get a response.

John

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Update:

Since we are heading into mid November, I decided that it was time to take it out of the tub that I had it immersed in. It seems to have grown well, look at all the roots that it grew out the bottom of the pot. Take a look at the pic in the opening post and see how much the roots were cut off in the spring repot.

John

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Almost an update. Gonna start on wiring the new growth tomorrow.

CLUMPS Gone WILD:

 

[Giga]

That base is very awesome - when it gets a final pot I would def expose it more. Also have to chose a front, because the one trunk is growing at a strange angle almost crossing the other trunk. You may want to use a turnbuckle and attach to the bigger trunk and bring it over a bit. I really like this tree for how unique it is!

 

[Mellow Mullet]

That base is very awesome - when it gets a final pot I would def expose it more. Also have to chose a front, because the one trunk is growing at a strange angle almost crossing the other trunk. You may want to use a turnbuckle and attach to the bigger trunk and bring it over a bit. I really like this tree for how unique it is!

Thanks! I may look into trying to move it this winter, it is pretty thick so I don't know if it will.

 

[GrimLore]

Thanks! I may look into trying to move it this winter, it is pretty thick so I don't know if it will.

Having seen this tree in person I would highly recommend an Engineering team and "off the hook" methods Looks darn healthy - me likes

Grimmy