I might need some help.....

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

You mentioned bald cypress. If they haven't started putting out new growth you need to get on them right now. Once they start pushing leaves any tampering with roots may endanger the trees.

Quite a project. You have care of some mighty valuable pots also and all the temporary supports need to be made permanent. I hope you have a budget for new benches. In that area I would forgo wood and go with terracotta chimney flues for legs, those sitting on concrete pads.

 

[NewWorldBonsai]

Some job you've got yourself! I'll be checking back. There are some fantastic trunks in those pictures. Overwhelming and exciting all at the same time. If you're getting paid to work on bonsai you really can't complain though

 

[Don Blackmond]

If you're getting paid to work on bonsai you really can't complain though

You can say that again....

 

[marcosolo]

Another crazy day over with...

I've been working with Bald Cypress for years, nothing's coming out of pots this year, too much weeding to be done...Anyway, more pics of today and yesterday coming soon......Hope everybody likes scary looking dead trees......and a plethora of pots you wouldn't believe....

 

[Emrys]

Scary is good but dead is going to make some of us weep.

 

[rockm]

Bring out yer dead and the living....and the pots. Love to see what's lying around.

What do you plan to do with the boxwoods this year? From their sheer size, they're going to be a pain to repot...

 

[Don Blackmond]

nothing's coming out of pots this year....

I would prioritize what needs to be accomplished. Judging by what I see in the photos, you may need to rethink the decision to not repot. Even if you only clean up and conduct minimal root work the trees will be better off and improve their health and vigor.

Also, consider chemical weed control. You can use products like Ortho Weed B Gone to get rid of weeds. Pulling weeds only works if you are taking all of the roots. Repotting allows you to remove weeds (roots and all) and bad soil. Chemical control will kill the weeds and will not harm the trees unless the trees are dying and/or nearly dead.

 

[bonsaibp]

Don's advice is right on the money.
Definitely prioritize what needs doing. It may not be a bad idea to do some repotting now especially on things that haven't leafed out and broadleaf evergreens. Restoring a collection like this will take lots of time. Normally I wouldn't advice chemical weed killer but in your case I don't see you have much choice. You can add a colorant so it's easier to see what you're spraying and avoid getting it on the foliage of the trees. You'll never get even half by pulling them by hand. Even repotting won't be a total answer because it's probably going to take several repots to get some of these back into good shape. You will lose some trees so be prepared for that but you'll save many more. You may want to see if you can get some local bonsai people to have a repotting party asap. Even if you do a minimal repotting it'll help.I know you won't get to everything but it'll be a start Waiting until next season would be a mistake in my opion.
Good luck.

 

[Poink88]

What rockm, Bob, and Don said.

Buy some time by doing minimal work now on some of them but check which ones need root work the most. If you have extra bigger pots...maybe up pot some at least?

Also consider building grow boxes or even putting some of them in the ground...not as pretty as the bonsai pots but if they survive another season until you can get to them properly, it sure is worth it.

Live tree beats any dead bonsai in my book.

Good luck!

 

[marcosolo]

sorry about not posting pics from yesterday...I was exhausted.....And to everyone suggesting repotting, my employer doesn't think its the right move...He says that the trees being in weakened states already is enough of a tax on their systems, repotting would just over stress.....But I have been sneaking in the pots and removing a lot of the circling roots and clearing drainage holes as need be...SHHHH, don't tell anyone...lol.....Pics in a few

 

[marcosolo]

And priority has been set since day one......and it's not by my own design...My employer is only allowing me to do so much...It's a strange situation, but they are his trees and it is his property....So weeding , for some reason, is first and foremost in his mind....Although , while I am weeding, I have been setting aside weaker trees.....In regards to the weeding, I apprenticed underneath Guy Guidry for a number of years...I know how to weed..lol..I'm just taking the top layer of soil off and getting down to the tree's roots and then re applying a top dressing to prevent drying out the roots I have exposed......A round of diluted round-up will be applied once I see new growth pushing from the trees I think may be heading south.....I appreciate all the responses and all the advice.....No real problems have been encountered, except for my employer's barriers on what can be done...

 

[marcosolo]

This big girl was fun....Great nebari on this girl ad a killer hollow in the back....One of her seedlings hiding in the hollow...I'm pretty impressed with this before after....

 

[marcosolo]

More pics when I get home this evening..I have to be at the collection for 10..When I do get a day off I'll unload as many as I can...I just wish uploading wasn't slow on the threads..Maybe its just my file's sizes....Oh well...Hope y'all can wait for more photos....

 

[rockm]

"He says that the trees being in weakened states already is enough of a tax on their systems, repotting would just over stress"

Head in hands :-(...So, leaving them in a situation in which they're slowly dieing won't stress them? Can't understand it... I know those boxwoods would probably explode with new growth after a good root clease and new soil, same for the BC...

 

[Poink88]

...and would be very appreciative for any input towards any facet of any of the trees I post...

ie; wether or not the tree is worth saving, best plan of action towards recovery, eventual styling options whenever I get these guys back to consistently putting out new growth, or anything else that may cross your mind as constructive....

I really hope this post doesn't get ignored like some of these do....Me being able to pick the brain of some more experienced people could really give some of these trees, that may be too far gone, the edge on survival...

And priority has been set since day one......and it's not by my own design...My employer is only allowing me to do so much...It's a strange situation, but they are his trees and it is his property....
.....I appreciate all the responses and all the advice.....No real problems have been encountered, except for my employer's barriers on what can be done...

In this case, why ask us for input/advise then?

I love the fact that you are sharing the wonderful (sometimes stressful) pics but input seems useless given your limitations.

I do hope your employer wise up and consider some of the input here be done/implemented though. Good luck!

 

[NewWorldBonsai]

This big girl was fun....Great nebari on this girl ad a killer hollow in the back....One of her seedlings hiding in the hollow...I'm pretty impressed with this before after....

If you ever need help I'll drive up from Tampa and work for trees

 

[marcosolo]

Sorry Guys

I asked for input when I thought he was going to let me run everything...Now it seems as though I'm just a glorified gardner.......Sorry everyone........Any input, even from me it seems, is wasted on deaf ears....I will still be posting pics though......hope everybody enjoys them....My tan line sure isn't....And to the repotting comments, yes some good root pruning and fresh substrate would do wonders and would almost certainly stimulate growth, he's just not listening...and to make matters worse, it is only getting hotter here.....terminal buds are starting open and at this point I don't think I could even risk a root pruning on some of these trees.....I mean the guy has been doing this for 20 plus years, so maybe he knows what he's doing...I was taught differently though......by one of his piers....which seems odd since what Guy taught me should be the same as what Vaughn taught him, which would be the same as what Vaughn taught my employer....very confused...plenty of pics tonight, and for any of you pot addicts, there will be drool on your keyboards.....

 

[Beng]

I asked for input when I thought he was going to let me run everything...Now it seems as though I'm just a glorified gardner.......Sorry everyone........Any input, even from me it seems, is wasted on deaf ears....I will still be posting pics though......hope everybody enjoys them....My tan line sure isn't....And to the repotting comments, yes some good root pruning and fresh substrate would do wonders and would almost certainly stimulate growth, he's just not listening...and to make matters worse, it is only getting hotter here.....terminal buds are starting open and at this point I don't think I could even risk a root pruning on some of these trees.....I mean the guy has been doing this for 20 plus years, so maybe he knows what he's doing...I was taught differently though......by one of his piers....which seems odd since what Guy taught me should be the same as what Vaughn taught him, which would be the same as what Vaughn taught my employer....very confused...plenty of pics tonight, and for any of you pot addicts, there will be drool on your keyboards.....

Maybe he's just too stubborn to listen, it's probably a pride thing. How old is he, I'm kind of shocked at the condition of the trees. They must have been left to their own devices for 5-10 years? Is he going to sell them? I hope so, cause he's not qualified to care for them if he can let them get that far gone. If It was me and things turned for the worse medically i'd instruct my wife to auction my trees off or donate them to one of the clubs I take part in. What a pity.

 

[marcosolo]

Maybe he's just too stubborn to listen, it's probably a pride thing. How old is he, I'm kind of shocked at the condition of the trees. They must have been left to their own devices for 5-10 years? Is he going to sell them? I hope so, cause he's not qualified to care for them if he can let them get that far gone. If It was me and things turned for the worse medically i'd instruct my wife to auction my trees off or donate them to one of the clubs I take part in. What a pity.

I think stubbornness is one facet of this....I mean I'm the one who offered to help....If it wasn't for my intervention it is very likely everything would have died....So, in my eyes, I'm getting paid to keep some of these magnificent trees alive....I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity...And he let them slide for 4 years.....What he has planned for the trees is unknown to me....All I know is he plans to downsize once I've gotten everything cleaned up...Which may take me another week or two...When exactly he plans to get rid of some of these trees is also an unknown...I've got first dibs obviously..lol..The first notice I have that he is selling trees, I will let everyone know.....Anyone interested can PM me contact information....Pics later on tonight....

 

[marcosolo]

Pots and pots and pots and pots....and then some more pots.....oh look, a pot....pot pandemonium...and that's only a quarter of the pots my employer has loose....and these are the smallest ones.....its nuts....This boxwood was disgusting, but a little TLC and some termite killer may yet save that beautiful deadwood and life vein....