Should I take the wire off newly bought brush cherry?

[smilezzz]

Is this your first or one of your first? In my humble opinion, I'd keep it. You've got some decent movement on the trunk, a strong, fast growing species to play with, and now some experience to know to go to the store itself instead of ordering online. XBesides, that's a masterpiece compared to some of the crap I bought for exorbitant prices when I just started.

I wouldn't fret over the marks. I've had horrible wire bite in my brush cherry that almost disappeared in just over a year. Wounds from cuts take a while to callous over though. You have to be extremely careful with wiring this species, within 2 months I've had to remove wire due to its fast growth (usually I'm always too late).

Also, this tree loves being pruned, it back buds everywhere. It reduces leaf size extremely well, and I've seen some of my clubs members get amazing branching with theirs.

If youre not 100% content with your purchase, just try and make it into something you'll be happy with. You've got the right species to do it with.

 

[smilezzz]

Also, from what I've read (and I stand to be corrected) these trees are mostly endemic to rainforests? In which case, yes, err on the side of wetness rather than dry.

My climate has hot, dry summers with an afternoon shower (with the occasional 2 weeks of constant rain thrown in) , and even drier, mild winters, so my brush cherries do occasionally dry out sometimes, but they tend to handle drought better than most of my trees.

 

[penumbra]

They are tough plants and it will survive, but there is no way these marks will not still be visable in two years. That is unless you pot it in a larger pot and let it go wild for awhile.

 

[smilezzz]

I

They are tough plants and it will survive, but there is no way these marks will not still be visable in two years. That is unless you pot it in a larger pot and let it go wild for awhile.

I shit you not. Mine calloused almost all the way over, and all I'm left with are slight lines. Granted my branches are slightly thinner than that, and I've let some buds grow around it to try and fill it in during that period. And most importantly, I've got it growing out in a 5 gallon bag...

But just goes to show, it's possible in the right conditions.

 

[penumbra]

But just goes to show, it's possible in the right conditions.

This aptly applies to everything.
My comment is based only on my experience. Honestly, its not even a plant I care for and I have several. They are so strongly apical dominant that I find them a challenge.
Oh yeah, and they are one of the few tropicals I have had mealy bugs on. I have bought them a couple times from reputable nurseries and brought the little white fuzzy bastards into my grow room. I do have a good protocol for dealing with this pest and they are all clean now.

 

[smilezzz]

They are so strongly apical dominant that I find them a challenge.

That is true, but for noobs like me, it's one of those bullet proof trees that I can do all my experimenting on. It was the first tree I used my fancy kaneshin tools on, wired, defoliated, propogated... You get the picture

 

[penumbra]

That is true, but for noobs like me, it's one of those bullet proof trees that I can do all my experimenting on. It was the first tree I used my fancy kaneshin tools on, wired, defoliated, propogated... You get the picture

I certainly do and I am not bashing the plant as much as I am my flagging ability to make something of it. However, somewhat bolstered by this thread, I am going to cut at least one of mine back very hard this week.

 

[smilezzz]

I certainly do and I am not bashing the plant as much as I am my flagging ability to make something of it. However, somewhat bolstered by this thread, I am going to cut at least one of mine back very hard this week.

Likewise, I have a branch on one of mine primed for an air layering attempt. It will be my first on this species.

I'm sorry to detail this thread, but I also suffer with mealy bugs on mine. I'm thinking about using a quick fix someone told us about at a workshop where you cover the tree in a bag and spray aerosol bug spray over it, and hose it down thoroughly after half a minute. Apparently its a great quick fix. I'm a bit nervous about trying it out though, not only do I not want to kill off my tree, but I've got a healthy population of centipedes in a lot of my pots and bags, and don't want to take these out as well.

Could you please share how you deal with yours, and would this work with hackberries and liquidamber as well perhaps? I'm currently using systemic granules, but it just seems to be making my money disappear, and not the blasted bugs.

 

[penumbra]

Could you please share how you deal with yours, and would this work with hackberries and liquidamber as well perhaps? I'm currently using systemic granules, but it just seems to be making my money disappear, and not the blasted bugs.

I use systemic granules a few times a year but my go to is a product called Safari. It is on Amazon, somewhere around $120 a bottle which will last for years. I bought it primarily to use inside because it has zero smell and I have a friend with many commercial greenhouses that uses it as well. Now I use it outside and have even had success with such hard to eradicate critters as adelgid on hemlock. You can use it as a soil drench or for foliage applications. Spry late in the day when bees are asleep.
Should work very well foe hackberries and such.

 

[leatherback]

I do have a good protocol for dealing with this pest and they are all clean now

Please share. I have mealy bugs on 2 plants. That is after throwing everything at them in spring, when I noticed all my indoor plants had them. Most are clean after summer outside, but 2 are not, and in a few weeks they need to come inside for winter...

What is the repeat cycle you use?

 

[penumbra]

Please share. I have mealy bugs on 2 plants. That is after throwing everything at them in spring, when I noticed all my indoor plants had them. Most are clean after summer outside, but 2 are not, and in a few weeks they need to come inside for winter...

What is the repeat cycle you use?

Safari is the biggest part of it as I have stated. I spray every week of two until they are gone, usually within a few weeks. A plant that is heavily infested or inclined toward mealy bugs or scale gets Bonide Systemic Granules 2 or 3 times a year. Inside during winter I also use insecticide bombs (foggers) about 2 to 3 times a year but my plants are isolated in the basement and out of daily living area. Understand that I have hundreds of plants from cutting trays to large ficus etc. If I had a few dozen I would be more hands on per plant and much less aggressive.
Also, I have been known to sacrifice plants that are a problem.

 

[smilezzz]

Also, I have been known to sacrifice plants that are a problem.

Painful, but I empathize... Had to burn some celtis with borer beetles this spring. It's like watching an old friend pass on.