Progression of One of My Bald Cypress

[SU2]

and the other smaller one is potted up in a Dollar Tree oil drain pan.

Lol this is exactly where I got my oil-drain-pan for the smaller of my two BC's! It seemed too-small though once the tree was growing so I got another, filled it halfway with substrate, and just sat the first one into it so the escaped roots could fill the 2nd pan

Thanks again for this thread and for your site, there is just so much great stuff there, highly recommend it to anybody here interested in BC's!!!

 

[KoA360x]

What have you found to be the best mixture of soils for your BC?

 

[Mellow Mullet]

What have you found to be the best mixture of soils for your BC?

I use a mixture of lava and pine bark, 80/20, mostly.

 

[SpOoNzL]

What an awesome tree u got there @Mellow Mullet .How is it doing now?

 

[just.wing.it]

I really like this tree as well.
Great progression!

 

[Mellow Mullet]

What an awesome tree u got there @Mellow Mullet .How is it doing now?

It is doing well, starting to wind down for Fall, if Fall ever comes, still 90 degrees here

 

[AZbonsai]

It is doing well, starting to wind down for Fall, if Fall ever comes, still 90 degrees here

Fantastic tree. I may have missed it but how tall is your tree? And how did you decide that, personal preference, or bonsai BC rules? 98 degrees here yesterday....still waiting to work on tree.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Fantastic tree. I may have missed it but how tall is your tree? And how did you decide that, personal preference, or bonsai BC rules? 98 degrees here yesterday....still waiting to work on tree.

I haven't measured it in a while, but it is at least 40 inches. I just kinda let the tree pick what it wanted to be. I am not aware of any BC Bonsai rules, where can I get a copy?

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Update:

I ended up chopping about 18 or so inches off the top of this one, I was not happy with the taper. I had not managed the growth up top enough and it thickened too much. So, I started over. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of the chop, Here it is, today, after four months.



Today, I also slope the chop so that it blended in. I like to wait until I get a good amount of growth before I do this, since it was bigger than my thumb, I figured that I would give it a go.

 

[stu929]

Any updates ? I have a badly I'm debating on when and where to chop right now.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

I will post one soon...

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Update: Was out taking a few pictures today and noticed that this one is starting to develop a few knees. Mid to late summer is when I usually get the most trunk and root growth.









Some miniature pitcher plants th

Some miniature pitcher plants that I have planted with the BC for accents.

 

[bendem]

This one has been in the family for quite a while. It was started from seed in 2001 or 2002. My dad later gave it to me around 2006. The first picture is the tree as a 2-3 year tree, the second is from 2006.

Hi MM - I enjoy all the updates you provide on your BCs. Wonder if you wouldn't mind answering a question on this old thread.

I no

This one has been in the family for quite a while. It was started from seed in 2001 or 2002. My dad later gave it to me around 2006. The first picture is the tree as a 2-3 year tree, the second is from 2006.

Hi MM - Really enjoy the progression updates you share. Wonder if you wouldn't mind answering a question on this old thread.

Most of your BC I've seen potted in oil drain pans, but I see this one was initially in what looks to be a 5 gallon bucket. For younger bald cypress, do you like to get them started in deeper containers (e.g., buckets) before switching to shallow containers such as drain pans? If so, when do you usually make that transition? Thanks!

 

[GreatLakesBrad]

Following along now - thanks for sharing this progression. Exciting to see the knees showing up!

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Hi MM - I enjoy all the updates you provide on your BCs. Wonder if you wouldn't mind answering a question on this old thread.

I no
Hi MM - Really enjoy the progression updates you share. Wonder if you wouldn't mind answering a question on this old thread.

Most of your BC I've seen potted in oil drain pans, but I see this one was initially in what looks to be a 5 gallon bucket. For younger bald cypress, do you like to get them started in deeper containers (e.g., buckets) before switching to shallow containers such as drain pans? If so, when do you usually make that transition? Thanks!

It was in the bucket when I got it from my dad. It was growing in mud and the roots had completely filled the bucket and were shaped like the bucket when removed, it had only been two years since it had root work done. It was a mess, there was a brick in the bottom of the bucket to keep the wind from blowing it over. It was part of the mass also. I started using the oil drain pans later as a cheap training pot and to force myself to repot more often on BC. Some of the later ones have spent their entire lives in one until I moved them into a bonsai pot.

The short answer is no, no more buckets. Yes, for the pans, as soon as they sprout (1 to 3 inches), I submerge the pan in water up to the top of the soil by placing the grow pan into another without holes.

 

[DavidBoren]

What a beautiful beast. I like it more after the chop.

Any plans for carving into that massive trunk?

 

[Mellow Mullet]

What a beautiful beast. I like it more after the chop.

Any plans for carving into that massive trunk?

No plans to carve.

 

[bendem]

It was in the bucket when I got it from my dad. It was growing in mud and the roots had completely filled the bucket and were shaped like the bucket when removed, it had only been two years since it had root work done. It was a mess, there was a brick in the bottom of the bucket to keep the wind from blowing it over. It was part of the mass also. I started using the oil drain pans later as a cheap training pot and to force myself to repot more often on BC. Some of the later ones have spent their entire lives in one until I moved them into a bonsai pot.

The short answer is no, no more buckets. Yes, for the pans, as soon as they sprout (1 to 3 inches), I submerge the pan in water up to the top of the soil by placing the grow pan into another without holes.

Great. Appreciate the info!

 

[BillsBayou]

Update: Was out taking a few pictures today and noticed that this one is starting to develop a few knees. Mid to late summer is when I usually get the most trunk and root growth.

The knees are so damned beautiful!

Your submersion level matches the level recommended by Randy Bennett in New Orleans. He has a tree with 23 knees. The pot was submerged to a level about an inch below the top of the soil.

I read this recently on a different web site:
"While you’d never want to let your bald cypress fully dry out, you also don’t want it sopping wet or submerged when in a bonsai container. When containerized, the bald cypress bonsai requires that oxygen be allowed back into the system."

Every time I see instructions like this, I picture trees like yours, mine, and Randy's. We can keep posting our pictures, but somehow, it's still a secret technique.

 

[Mellow Mullet]

The knees are so damned beautiful!

Your submersion level matches the level recommended by Randy Bennett in New Orleans. He has a tree with 23 knees. The pot was submerged to a level about an inch below the top of the soil.

I read this recently on a different web site:
"While you’d never want to let your bald cypress fully dry out, you also don’t want it sopping wet or submerged when in a bonsai container. When containerized, the bald cypress bonsai requires that oxygen be allowed back into the system."

Every time I see instructions like this, I picture trees like yours, mine, and Randy's. We can keep posting our pictures, but somehow, it's still a secret technique.

You are right! No matter how much pictorial evidence we post, it seems to be ignored. I think people who post stuff like that don't actually grow bald cypress.

Keep on dunking them!

John

I was hoping to meet you at the auction, but could not make it. Maybe next time! I live in Mobile, if you are over this way, shoot me a message.