Bonsai Nut
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This would be a great time to repot - particularly given all the rain in the forecast. Cool temps and lots of humidity at least through the middle of the month.
Giant Sequoia Bonsai Discussions and Advice
- Thread starter linina
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This would be a great time to repot - particularly given all the rain in the forecast. Cool temps and lots of humidity at least through the middle of the month.
Boerboel313
Yamadori
Great. What soil mix should I use. A little PM, pumice, D- granite, and sand?
barguy8194
Yamadori
@coh posted this link in an older discussion from 2014:
https://www.bonsaiempire.com/inspiration/progressions/giant-sequoia
Craig Coussins used 40% Akadama, 45% kiryu (pumice), and 15% peat moss.
https://www.bonsaiempire.com/inspiration/progressions/giant-sequoia
Craig Coussins used 40% Akadama, 45% kiryu (pumice), and 15% peat moss.
linina
Sapling
Quick update on my little Sequoias: Before the winter (in Nov), I put them into a bigger pot to settle them and been carefully supplied enough water and spray the water on the foliages. They're living good. I did see the little "feeders" roots that people keep warning me not to mess with. Happy to see them live well.
Thank you, everyone, so much on information. They are certainly so helpful. I am a bit nervous for them because here in Socal they don't get the cold that they need. But so far so good... crossing my fingers.
And FYI, I use Bonsai Soil from Super Fly Bonsai that I purchased on Amazon. The Sequoias like it.
Muchas_Plantas
Sapling
most of the redwood forests here in CA are pretty much at sea level... idk if this sequoiadendron is a seperate species or what...
barguy8194
Yamadori
“Sequoiadendron” is the genus name for Giant Sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum), which grow high up in the Sierra Nevada, while “Sequoia” is the genus name for Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens). It’s definitely confusing, I see a lot of people mixing up the two because of it.
Muchas_Plantas
Sapling
Ah
thanks for clearing that up i feel ashamed as a northern Californian now
I recently purchased a 6 year old Giant Sequoia from Welkers Nursery. It arrived yesterday. It was well packaged but did take 4 days to get to me. This is one that Mr. Welker listed as a pre-bonsai and came in a one gallon container that it has always been in. More than half of the foliage was brown with some of the lower branches crispy. The new tips on all of the greener branches are yellow or browning.
I immediately repotted the tree into a wider and slightly shallower bonsai training pot with a cactus mix soil that I amended with additional bonsai aggregates. I sliced off about one inch from the bottom of the root ball, as suggested on Welkers site, to get it into the new pot. No other root work or pruning done. I've kept it somewhat shaded for today but still can get pretty direct sun in the afternoon. I am thinking of putting a shade canopy over it tomorrow.
Anywho, I feel it's already on the path to dying. I'm taking into account it's just come out of winter dormancy and been packed up and shipped for 4 days. Perhaps I am being overly paranoid too soon but I'm concerned about all the browning. Peter Chan is an advocate for potting poorly bonsai trees, of any kind, in straight sphagnum moss (not peat) to facilitate their recovery; would there be any harm in doing that here? (Location: Dallas, TX, Zone 8)
I immediately repotted the tree into a wider and slightly shallower bonsai training pot with a cactus mix soil that I amended with additional bonsai aggregates. I sliced off about one inch from the bottom of the root ball, as suggested on Welkers site, to get it into the new pot. No other root work or pruning done. I've kept it somewhat shaded for today but still can get pretty direct sun in the afternoon. I am thinking of putting a shade canopy over it tomorrow.
Anywho, I feel it's already on the path to dying. I'm taking into account it's just come out of winter dormancy and been packed up and shipped for 4 days. Perhaps I am being overly paranoid too soon but I'm concerned about all the browning. Peter Chan is an advocate for potting poorly bonsai trees, of any kind, in straight sphagnum moss (not peat) to facilitate their recovery; would there be any harm in doing that here? (Location: Dallas, TX, Zone 8)
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barguy8194
Yamadori
I have had trees recover from that level of browning, but only about 1/4 once it goes that far. Keep the foliage moist with a spray bottle, couple times a day, and keep the soil damp. It has a chance to recover.
Giant Sequoias do like acidic soil so they may like a little peat, but potting it up in that soil now will make it more difficult to repot or change out the soil later on. Sequoias roots are fragile, so any added stress during repotting is something you generally want to avoid.
Giant Sequoias do like acidic soil so they may like a little peat, but potting it up in that soil now will make it more difficult to repot or change out the soil later on. Sequoias roots are fragile, so any added stress during repotting is something you generally want to avoid.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
Hmmm, that doesn't look very good! If the tree doesn't make it I'd ask for them to send a replacement (or get a refund). Looks like it was unhealthy before they ever put it in the box. It might
pull through. However, sequoia has a reputation for not liking root work so I probably would have just left it in the container it came in and tried to nurse it back to health for this season.
It's not unusual for these to shed lower/interior foliage and branches (they go yellow to brown/dry/crispy) but not a good sign when that spreads into the upper parts of the tree.
pull through. However, sequoia has a reputation for not liking root work so I probably would have just left it in the container it came in and tried to nurse it back to health for this season.
It's not unusual for these to shed lower/interior foliage and branches (they go yellow to brown/dry/crispy) but not a good sign when that spreads into the upper parts of the tree.
AlainK
Imperial Masterpiece
Today, I saw this Sequoiadendron giganteum 'Glaucum', first time I'd seen one and didn't even know they existed. But what is obvious is that it retains the "quality" of the plain species : when potted, especially out of their natural climate range, they lose low branches :
A nice, unusual tree.
And I think 44,50€ (about $40) is quite a decent price.
For those who have a big garden of course.
I mean a really, very big garden !
A nice, unusual tree.
And I think 44,50€ (about $40) is quite a decent price.
For those who have a big garden of course.
I mean a really, very big garden !
linina
Sapling
UPDATE on my Sequoias.
As of April 10th, after an unusual cold here in Southern California (no, no snow!!) my sequoias are out of dormant phase and starting to look green with more little buds coming out. They’re living happily in bonsai soil with deeper pot than traditional bonsai pot; little fertilizer at times. Everything looks great.
As of April 10th, after an unusual cold here in Southern California (no, no snow!!) my sequoias are out of dormant phase and starting to look green with more little buds coming out. They’re living happily in bonsai soil with deeper pot than traditional bonsai pot; little fertilizer at times. Everything looks great.
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Bonds Guy
Mame
From my first year of growing a giant sequoia, I learned as long there’s drainage holes, they can be grown in common organic soil without worry of soil becoming too wet. I also learned they’ll turn have a purpleish tinit on their foliage if not buried in snow and coastal seqouias are not toleratant of the cold winter here
This passed year I tried to see how much sun they can tolerate during dormancy so I left them in the sunniest area of my property and indeed they can tolerate it, but instead of the purplish tint, they turned bronze and now that growing season has returned, they’re still bronze on the tips. Now I’m waiting to see how long it will take to turn back completely green
This passed year I tried to see how much sun they can tolerate during dormancy so I left them in the sunniest area of my property and indeed they can tolerate it, but instead of the purplish tint, they turned bronze and now that growing season has returned, they’re still bronze on the tips. Now I’m waiting to see how long it will take to turn back completely green
linina
Sapling
That is interesting, thank you for sharing. I haven’t noticed any odd color foliages due to the weather as we don’t have snow here in Southern California, perhaps it’s because they’re still seedlings!? But if it happens, at least I won’t be too freaked out about it.
linina
Sapling
So I went back to see my first post of the sequoias when I just got them that June/2018. And here’s a side by side picture of them currently. They went through 2 times root pruned and 2 winters in SoCal already. This fall I plan to move them into a bigger pot and let them grow taller.
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Slippery Pete
Sapling
Hi, thanks for posting the update. Couple of questions for ya. 1. Any thoughts on why some of the foliage has browned and showing yellow tips? 2. When was the last root pruning performed? And what was your general method in doing it? I know this species has a finicky root system so I am trying to understand how to avoid endangering my own sequoia when it comes time to repot. I put mine in a deep pot before I knew very much about the tree, so I expect a lengthy period of downsizing pots because it seems this species would not survive a drastic root prune. Obviously the goal is to reduce pots safely... and I'm already losing sleep over it
linina
Sapling
Hi, thanks for posting the update. Couple of questions for ya. 1. Any thoughts on why some of the foliage has browned and showing yellow tips? 2. When was the last root pruning performed? And what was your general method in doing it? I know this species has a finicky root system so I am trying to understand how to avoid endangering my own sequoia when it comes time to repot. I put mine in a deep pot before I knew very much about the tree, so I expect a lengthy period of downsizing pots because it seems this species would not survive a drastic root prune. Obviously the goal is to reduce pots safely... and I'm already losing sleep over it
Hi, thanks for your questions
I am still learning about Giant Sequoia myself and some responses here on this thread had helped me tremendously to decide what to do with mine. So here‘s to answer your questions base on my experience:I noticed yellow/brown tips about late winter/early spring this year, plus slow growth of sudden. So I pulled them up and obviously to the look, they had root bounce (well, I was happy that they grown well). Wanted to keep them in the same pot, I trimmed back the lengthy roots and left (probably) 50% of roots that had feeders (white tips) alone. So I put them back into the same pots, watered and fertilized them as normal (I generally dilute my fertilizer already). About maybe 6 weeks after root prunning was when I first saw buds burst out and they keep growing until now. The brown tips are there and staying, I didn’t cut back (maybe I should). But what I care most is that new buds and branches come out everywhere and continue to grow well. So I take it that the roots grown back out now.
I would probably wait to the pruning season next year to work on your Sequoia’s root. Perhaps play safe and reduce them gradually, choose the longest ones and cut back, let the shorter ones with feeders help the tree! And till the next pruning season, repeat the method. To me, leaving the feeders there ensure the tree to recover and it seems to work well for me both times I performed root pruning.
linina
Sapling
Quick update:
I moved them into a bigger pot and put them in the same place. Cut off the dead brands (left them to cover the ground for more water retain; even though they're not covering much lol). They've been growing beautifully. Very safe to say that I trimmed the root right and they're responding well.
I moved them into a bigger pot and put them in the same place. Cut off the dead brands (left them to cover the ground for more water retain; even though they're not covering much lol). They've been growing beautifully. Very safe to say that I trimmed the root right and they're responding well.
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sorce
Nonsense Rascal
TF!
Sorce
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
You want to make a believable Giant Sequoia Bonsai? Stop trying to grow a small uninteresting tree into this image, start out with a larger nursery grown tree cut it down by at least half leaving you a large trunk to regrow the growth at the base as the original tree. I have seen this done effectively since 1962 when I saw the first example of this tree as bonsai in San Francisco.
