Manzanita Thread

[PiñonJ]

Good point about nursery stock having more roots. I assumed all manzanitas were equally sensitive to root disturbance.

Do you know if certain parts of the root mass are more sensitive than others? For example, when repotting, is it better to just chop the bottom straight off or take some off the sides?

I reduced mine as I would any other tree, but to remove soil, @Arcto gave me the tip of poking a fine chopstick through the root mass from above, so as to minimize tearing the fine roots.

 

[Potawatomi13]

-Don’t water or apply very little water in the summer

Like other potted plants H2O as needed. Arctostaphylos not cactus! No or too little H2O is death sentence for sure. One suggestion was if collecting do shortly after rains happen. Rains guarantee whole root system is watered/soil dampened and not just area near tree as people might do. If memory serves a Manzanita guru ( Greg Brenden) told me big(thick/heavy)roots of Manzanita hold much of trees strength/resilience and removing same likely guarantees death of collected tree. If big roots possible to be wound around in container should always be kept along with finer roots at their ends. Otherwise please leave tree to live in native spot.

 

[PiñonJ]

Like other potted plants H2O as needed.

+1

 

[Cruiser]

Like other potted plants H2O as needed. Arctostaphylos not cactus! No or too little H2O is death sentence for sure. One suggestion was if collecting do shortly after rains happen. Rains guarantee whole root system is watered/soil dampened and not just area near tree as people might do. If memory serves a Manzanita guru ( Greg Brenden) told me big(thick/heavy)roots of Manzanita hold much of trees strength/resilience and removing same likely guarantees death of collected tree. If big roots possible to be wound around in container should always be kept along with finer roots at their ends. Otherwise please leave tree to live in native spot.

Thanks for clarifying this. Someone at a nursery had said they don’t water their manzanitas in summer except during prolonged droughts. They probably meant for established ground plants.

 

[rollwithak]

Good point about nursery stock having more roots. I assumed all manzanitas were equally sensitive to root disturbance.

Do you know if certain parts of the root mass are more sensitive than others? For example, when repotting, is it better to just chop the bottom straight off or take some off the sides?

Take his advice with a very large grain of salt. I had two, in nursery containers, was very careful and reduced the root mass and put it in a trainer pot, both died. You’re doing the right thing by researching, I just hear more bad stories than good with manzanita…. Good luck dude

 

[Shankapotomus]

Any updates on these trees and techniques? I recently just repotted a 5gal nursery green leaf in a 2:1:1 mix.

 

[Cruiser]

Any updates on these trees and techniques? I recently just repotted a 5gal nursery green leaf in a 2:1:1 mix.

My tree did not survive last winter. Too much atmospheric moisture and a freak cold snap did it in.

 

[rollwithak]

Any updates on these trees and techniques? I recently just repotted a 5gal nursery green leaf in a 2:1:1 mix.

How much did you reduce the root mass? Pics?

 

[Shankapotomus]

How much did you reduce the root mass? Pics?

After reading through the posts on here, it may or may not survive the operation. Luckily I'm in native range, so there might be a chance. If not, it was $30 and I can try again. I reduced the big roots to fit in the pot I had. There were lots of feeder roots left in the mass that went into the pot and I left half with what nursery soil would stay around the inner portion of the roots. Styling and structure is still TBD if it survives.

 

[manzanita]

Hi! Sorry to revive an old thread but you guys have been a great well of knowledge for me so I made an acct to say thanks
I recently dug a young manzanita near Idyllwild, in an area that was about to be cleared.
After reading how picky they are about soil, I dug about a foot and a half deep and took as much of the undisturbed soil as I could, including the original duff layer. I didn't trim the roots at all outside of anything I may have done accidentally when digging.
That was in April, here she is today

Each branch has had about an inch of growth so it seems to be ok for now.
It's been thirstier than expected, and its leaves will droop after 4 or 5 days without water. I've only let that happen a couple times and I think I've found my rhythm, at least for summer.

Will post updates as I begin to style - but honestly I love the way it looks right now and will probably just try to maintain this general structure.

 

[Cruiser]

Are there any new developments regarding mature manzanita collection?

I have located a few beauties growing on bedrock. They feel loose and wiggle when trunks are gently tugged.