Three Little Bits of Green

[0soyoung]

The bit midway up on the left trunk has disappeared - deer snack?
The other two bits are bigger and still green.
Still, no new green bits - next year?

 

[0soyoung]

The bit on the upper right has turned completely brown.
The green bits down near the ground are all that is left, though strong.

With no foliage to pull cytokinins up the trunk (in the xylem/wood), I think it is pretty certain there will not be any buds popping next spring. But we'll see.

Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion .

... next spring.

 

[Victorim]

lol you know i`m watching this intently.. hang on.. let me find my slippers and grab a pic..

 

[Victorim]

Well that was fun.. phone went low battery, so no lamp, so ok i`ll bring it in.. slipped on my arse, carrying the tree, covered in mud.. Anyway.. so what would you say to go from here? its had a couple of heavy cut backs, but hasn't responded so far with anything below the current level. 2 "bits of green" on the trunk. Im so tempted to go to the trunk and see where it goes.

 

[Handsome John]

Its probably just trying to build up a half decent callous and do damage control before it throws out buds, I've had mine bud on the trunk but I suspect that once upon a time there was branches in those spots. Next spring will be certainly be interesting to see.


@Victorim my two cents is that its tempting but I would just leave it be for now and grow it out then cut it back next year mid-summer to help it throw more buds out. maybe start getting rid of some of the clutter by reducing all the branching down to just two at every fork? I'm not sure when you start getting frost but where I am, I stop pinching or pruning my Cryptomeria around September so I can let the last growth spurt to harden off and not be as frost tender. After it starts snowing I do some heavier pruning but that what I find works lol

 

[Shima]

Although they're everywhere here'bouts I gave up on them. Had a few dwarf cultivars going but they tend to disappoint. No doubt why we hardly ever see them here...or anywhere. The classic Japanese way is that stiff formal upright. Makes my head hurt thinking about maintenance.

 

[Victorim]

Its probably just trying to build up a half decent callous and do damage control before it throws out buds, I've had mine bud on the trunk but I suspect that once upon a time there was branches in those spots. Next spring will be certainly be interesting to see.


@Victorim my two cents is that its tempting but I would just leave it be for now and grow it out then cut it back next year mid-summer to help it throw more buds out. maybe start getting rid of some of the clutter by reducing all the branching down to just two at every fork? I'm not sure when you start getting frost but where I am, I stop pinching or pruning my Cryptomeria around September so I can let the last growth spurt to harden off and not be as frost tender. After it starts snowing I do some heavier pruning but that what I find works lol

Yes it's being left alone now till spring. Last cut back was end of august.

 

[Paulpash]

@0soyoung SitRep : did it die or live?

 

[0soyoung]

@0soyoung SitRep : did it die or live?

There still are two bits of green down near ground level. Everything above has died and dropped.
Spring is just now getting underway, so have a long list of things to justify procrastinating a while longer- maybe some buds will pop.

 

[Victorim]

How's the three bits @0soyoung ?

Heavily cut back two weeks ago, and already bushing. Alot stronger this year. Very tempted to chop and roll the dice now.

 

[0soyoung]

The two little bits of green at the ground level are a little bigger.
But alas, there are no more bits.

So, be patient with chasing the foliage down on your tree, @Victorim.


Have you given any thought to what you might be able to do with some heavy wire?

 

[Victorim]

The two little bits of green at the ground level are a little bigger.
But alas, there are no more bits.

So, be patient with chasing the foliage down on your tree, @Victorim.


Have you given any thought to what you might be able to do with some heavy wire?

Are you referring to cascading the right side?

 

[0soyoung]

Nothing in particular, just noticing that you've only got a few green bits below the tips of those long slender stems AND your expressing some frustration/impatience

Very tempted to chop and roll the dice now.

In addition to wait, wait, wait versus rolling the dice now, there is also the option of bending stems to get the foliage down where one would want it. Pavel Slovak takes similar sabinas and somehow winds them down into a beautiful compact bonsai. ... just worth thinking about, IMHO.

IOW, I'm just pinging you - no particular ideas to offer.

 

[Victorim]

Nothing in particular, just noticing that you've only got a few green bits below the tips of those long slender stems AND your expressing some frustration/impatience

In addition to wait, wait, wait versus rolling the dice now, there is also the option of bending stems to get the foliage down where one would want it. Pavel Slovak takes similar sabinas and somehow winds them down into a beautiful compact bonsai. ... just worth thinking about, IMHO.

IOW, I'm just pinging you - no particular ideas to offer.

Thank you 0so yes I had considered it, but I think decided they were too long, too far out. But I think I just needed to hear it out loud to acknowlege it.

Had some time this afternoon so set upon it. I didn't think I was feeling frustrated with it, but now moving forward with a plan b, waiting for plan a, I suppose I was

First going over then. I daren't bend that right side anymore with out other methods. Can wait until next time.

 

[0soyoung]

It looks hopeful, @Victorim. Good enough to play with for a while longer before maybe resorting to rolling the dice.

I think you can bend it a lot more when and if you want to try. I would put another wrap of wire on those lanky stems you've got - place it midway between the wraps that are there now. You may break one of these in the process, but in my experience it is no big deal if the broken area is promptly wrapped with polyethylene (HDPE) tape or parafilm or self-amalgamating silicone tape (sold in auto parts stores for radiator hose repair) or even saran in a pinch. It probably doesn't matter exactly what it is as long as it functions as a moisture barrier. I favor using stuff that transmits oxygen so I may leave it in place long term, allowing the damage to 'heal in situ'. Of course, this can only work if the break leaves at least a thread of cambium intact and it is stable/supported - this is the point of the extra wire. You can wire a couple pieces of rebar to affect a branch bender (give you more leverage).

Of course there is also cutting a groove (and filling it with wire) to make stiff branches bendable. But you'd need take the wire off, figure out where to cut the grove so it won't be visible in the final tree, and probably wrap with raffia and/or a ton of zip ties and wire. Personally, I don't seriously entertain this yet, because of the uncertainty about just where this is going. But it is another 'something to consider' so as to get your money's worth (so to speak) out of it.

Anyway, you can roll the dice anytime you want. Meanwhile, continue having so fun with it. Back budding will or will not happen just the same.

Have you thought about grafting? ... just kidding

 

[Paulpash]

Cryps are hard work maintenance wise ..

IMG_20180620_173456_DRO by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

 

[Victorim]

Spent more time on it @0soyoung pleased how it's progressing

 

[0soyoung]

woot woot