Species Study - Taxodium distichum

[Cajunrider]

Making the cuts
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Putting a bit of vaseline into the cuts.
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Bending the trunk until vaseline all oozes out and the gaps close.
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Electrical vinyl tape sticky side out. Tree put in the shade to recover.
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The tree slow down its growth but did not wilt at all. I am sure the operation is successful.
The vaseline in the wedge cut did not seem to hurt it in any way. It was useful to me because it signals to me that the gaps are closed.

 

[Cajunrider]

This one is recovering differently than others. None of the new bud wants to be the apex. They all grow out horizontally.

 

[Cajunrider]

I put this post in the wrong thread. Here are the steps for making a bottom split on a BC.

Post in thread 'Cjr bald cypress work'

Aug 21, 2024

Bottom split of a BC.
1. Leave the tree in tub to keep the tree stable. Make plunge cuts along the grain with a vibrating saw.
2. Use a bush knife and a hammer to finish the cuts through the trunk portion underground.
3. Take tree out of tub so the roots can move freely. Hammer in the wedges. Put tree back in tub and chopstick the soil into to roots.
4. Spray tree with insecticide to discourage them from nesting in the cracks.
5. Wrap the trunk around the crack to prevent drying out while the tree recovers.
6. Keep tree in shade for 2 weeks...

• Cajunrider

• 

 

[doc spring _work]

From some things and experiments that I am working on now, there is one more factor... you need to let the roots R U N! The problem is that when you do that you don't get that many feeder roots close to the tree, so come time to cut them off you are almost creating a huge cutting. I'm waiting for some seedlings I have going on now to harden off so cut the roots and move them into another container. hopefully they will survive. I think a safer move is to do this when they go dormant, but careful protection from freezing would be needed to not kill the new roots.

I will try to get a pic when I get home, kind of a mess right now as I miss the mark for repotting.

Sounds like bc could be optimal for root over rock plantings

 

[Cajunrider]

Me to the BC
This is for the best. If you are still butt-hurt about it when you grow up, I’ll be waiting.
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Tree is alive and growing but a lot slower than others. It goes into the swamp box this evening.

 

[pandacular]

When do you like to prune and wire these trees? I presume it's sometime after leaf drop, but is fall or the late winter/early spring window preferred?

 

[Cajunrider]

When do you like to prune and wire these trees? I presume it's sometime after leaf drop, but is fall or the late winter/early spring window preferred?

Late winter-early spring before bud break. Spring growth will lock in the bends. I find that, without growth, BC branches will spring right back when I remove the wire.

 

[pandacular]

Right, makes sense. My general instinct with these is to treat them more like a deciduous for technique, but maybe more like conifers for styling. I have lots of questions for my deciduous teacher, who has a few of them in his collection.

I'm excited to get to chopping on mine, which is BOOMING as of the last few weeks with the heat breaking + my move providing a better siting for it. Hmmmm I should post an update on that thread.

 

[Cajunrider]

I am sure you have seen BCs with huge chops and big scars. BCs close those chop marks amazingly quick. The pictures below show a 3/4” lip roll in 16 months. It won’t be long before the chop is completely healed.

 

[Cajunrider]

I put this post in the wrong thread. Here are the steps for making a bottom split on a BC.

Post in thread 'Cjr bald cypress work'

Aug 21, 2024

Bottom split of a BC.
1. Leave the tree in tub to keep the tree stable. Make plunge cuts along the grain with a vibrating saw.
2. Use a bush knife and a hammer to finish the cuts through the trunk portion underground.
3. Take tree out of tub so the roots can move freely. Hammer in the wedges. Put tree back in tub and chopstick the soil into to roots.
4. Spray tree with insecticide to discourage them from nesting in the cracks.
5. Wrap the trunk around the crack to prevent drying out while the tree recovers.
6. Keep tree in shade for 2 weeks...

• Cajunrider

• 

Trunk split recovery after 5 months. Tree is doing very well. About 3/4” length of the splits from the top have closed. Note that the top right now is like a broom, which is not what I want, but I am allowing it to grow freely to speed up the heal. Top development is planned for next year.

 

[doc spring _work]

Trunk split recovery after 5 months. Tree is doing very well. About 3/4” length of the splits from the top have closed. Note that the top right now is like a broom, which is not what I want, but I am allowing it to grow freely to speed up the heal. Top development is planned for next year.
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My lord! That red is breath taking! Do all of the wounds heal with that vibrance or is it an effect of moisture on the wound?

 

[Cajunrider]

My lord! That red is breath taking! Do all of the wounds heal with that vibrance or is it an effect of moisture on the wound?

A little bit of both but with time it will dull out when the bark forms over the scar.

 

[Cajunrider]

2024 update.
Combined with a bottom trunk split, the tree looks nice now.
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Oh this tree now has potential to be a very good bc bonsai. The bottom splits gave it a fantastic base. I suspect the roots underneath is forming a great nebari because they were sorted when I did the bottom split. This tree will be styled in the fall.

 

[Cajunrider]

It's about time for me to collect BC cones. My target this year is one 5 gal bucket.

 

[Joe Dupre']

It's about time for me to collect BC cones. My target this year is one 5 gal bucket.

Starting your own tree farm?

 

[Cajunrider]

Starting your own tree farm?

Not really. Most likely to give to friends who want seeds.

 

[Cajunrider]

If you are going for a formal upright, when the apex gets to about 3/4”-1”, bend it. The tree will respond an throw new buds right at the bend. Select one for the new apex and rub out the rest.

 

[crab apple]

Not really. Most likely to give to friends who want seeds.

Can you tell the differance from a BC and a pond cypress by the cones. I know that some species of pines are hard to distinguish untill you see the cones.
I have a few i been calling BCs that are probably pond cypress, they got cones so just wondering if there's a difference.

 

[Cajunrider]

Can you tell the differance from a BC and a pond cypress by the cones. I know that some species of pines are hard to distinguish untill you see the cones.
I have a few i been calling BCs that are probably pond cypress, they got cones so just wondering if there's a difference.

I cannot reliably tell the difference. When I collect, I have to label the containers as BC or PC.

 

[Cajunrider]

Can you tell the differance from a BC and a pond cypress by the cones. I know that some species of pines are hard to distinguish untill you see the cones.
I have a few i been calling BCs that are probably pond cypress, they got cones so just wondering if there's a difference.

Your situation in Florida is tough because BC and PC cross breed so much that there are trees with mixed variations. It is hard to tell.