Field Grown Dawn Redwood Next Steps

[jkennedy2316]

Dawn Redwoods are my favorite bonsai cultivar so I was very pleased to have picked up this guy from an online auction.

I still am not entirely sure what my plans are quite yet.

At first, I wanted to make a dawn redwood forest, but after receiving this specimen I am considering a potential solo tree. Regardless, I think this tree could use another growing season to fully recover from the chop and to give me more options for an initial styling. My experience with dawn redwoods so far is that they are extremely vigorous growers so I am happy to do that.

So would next advisable step be to get this into a grow box and bonsai subtrate? Considering the time of year - is that the most I should do to this tree? Or should I take advantage of the fact that it is already unpotted to partial bare root and do some light work to begin process of fitting into a bonsai pot?

 

[jkennedy2316]

There are times on the internet and life where you really dissapoint yourself. I think my head saw the plastic with what appears to be a root graphic on it and just assumed they sent a root ball wrapped in plastic when I snagged a pic before leaving for work.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Can’t fell the diameter of the trunk. Often folks wait until the diameter is at least 3”.

Think one ought to get a bigger nursery pot and matching soil and tie the tree into it for the winter. Then build a box for the repot late winter…. Just when the buds just get ready to push

We’ve got a dawn growing out/repotting in successively larger pots for five years now. It’s just about 3” diameter, so needs another year now. Last year we did top down repot on it. This issue is these critters are thirsty! Even Doubt straight bonsai media will be best for the tree in your area. Might try 3 akadama :1 pumice with 10% biochar… unless someone can be around all day to water during the summer.

Good luck! Please post progress.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[iasnoBtoo]

Dawn Redwoods are my favorite bonsai cultivar so I was very pleased to have picked up this guy from an online auction.

I still am not entirely sure what my plans are quite yet.

At first, I wanted to make a dawn redwood forest, but after receiving this specimen I am considering a potential solo tree. Regardless, I think this tree could use another growing season to fully recover from the chop and to give me more options for an initial styling. My experience with dawn redwoods so far is that they are extremely vigorous growers so I am happy to do that.

So would next advisable step be to get this into a grow box and bonsai subtrate? Considering the time of year - is that the most I should do to this tree? Or should I take advantage of the fact that it is already unpotted to partial bare root and do some light work to begin process of fitting into a bonsai pot?

What time of year did you do your chop?

 

[jkennedy2316]

What time of year did you do your chop?

I can't say. I bought this from an auction as shown.

 

[defra]

thats a decent size trunk you got there !
id wait with repot till spring when buds burst.
for the styling it will shed its leaves in fall so id wait till its done with that to get a clear view of the branching and then in spring when you repot it you will be able to see what side shows the nicest nebari and then decide the front and do branch selection!

 

[jkennedy2316]

Would love some advice from fellow nutters on how to approach some structural pruning decisions.

First - in DC 8a is now the right time to be doing a large chop like this? I hear mixed opinions on waiting for post spring flush or not for this large type of cut.

My main concern with this tree is the 'knuckle' that is forming from the dominant leading branch (labeled red #1) that starts lower than the trunk chop. I worry that if I leave it there will be inverse taper issues down the road. I am inclined to remove it and make #3 the new leader since it has more natural taper. I'd consider using branches labeled #4 and #5 as an interesting first branch, but also considering removing the entire knuckle on that side. Is that too drastic? Do I need to wait until post flush spring or can I do this now?

 

[jkennedy2316]

Decided to trunk chop it instead

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

That is a better idea!

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[jkennedy2316]

Its a problem my cut paste is taking this long to get delivered because I keep going back and forth.

I am thinking now of cutting #1 and #2 , #3 as new leader and carving a shari out of the knuckle.

Do you maintain that is a dumb idea?

 

[jkennedy2316]

Realized that it was heavily potbound and wanted to address that first before considering any major structural chops.

I removed most of the old soil and put it in a 13 inch collander. Maybe its oversized, but I didn't want to remove too many roots because of the structural work I want to do next. The picture shows some of the roots I was considering removing but I decided to work on these in stages. Arguably should have cut the blue circling ones, but I am new and learning and thought less is more here. The red one above the nebari line clearly has to go at some point.

I have it in about 75% inorganic 1:1:1 monto clay/lava rock/pumice 25% organic (compost, fine bark pines). I went heavier on organics because its in a pond basket and we get very hot summers in DC 8a.


We will see how it responds to the repot. If it barely misses a step, may consider a trunk chop this season still. Otherwise I will wait another season.