Newbie Kosteri

somegeek

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I found a nice little Kosteri at a local mom and pop nursery for $9. I like the trunk line on this and it was very full when I brought it home. Wish I took a pic because it was damn near solid foliage. I repotted it after washing off most of the broken down potting mix/mulch/roots. The material in the lower half of the pot was very decomposed. The root ball made up the top half of the pot after I rinsed off all the broken root structure. Potted this up in a pine mulch / turface mix and have been keeping it moist. Draining very well.

I've been reading up on how you prune these trees. Some hands on cleared up some of the questions I had. Figured I'd start by removing the dead foliage and then apply what I read from there to thin things out. I've probably spent four hours removing the whorls and thinning foliage to try to ensure the branches don't have any more die back on the inner most foliage and keep their lines for the main branches. The lower branches had some die back unfortunately. This has been much fun.

somegeek_hinoki_cypress_kosteri_5.jpg


somegeek_hinoki_cypress_kosteri_2.jpg


somegeek_hinoki_cypress_kosteri_3.jpg


There is a large gap in the branches here on the left side of the trunk unfortunately.

somegeek_hinoki_cypress_kosteri_4.jpg


somegeek_hinoki_cypress_kosteri_1.jpg


somegeek_hinoki_cypress_kosteri_6.jpg


I did remove a large branch off to the right middle that was just too far out to fit into the eventual taper. Thinking I will bend up the branch just below the cut to take that line over. The area just below the apex looks pretty full, but I've thinned out the branches up there pretty well... just a lot of branches up there.

somegeek_hinoki_cypress_kosteri_7.jpg


I might clear out a little more foliage, but at this point, I'm just going to let it grow and stare at it to ponder where I want to take this next over the next few years.

Appreciate any input. :)

somegeek
 

Rick Moquin

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Start considering bending the trunk to fill the 2 large gaps in your foliage you mentioned. Hinokis are extremely flexible (too a point). Foreshortening can be carried out on trunks as well as branches. Think of design characteristics before removing major branches. The growth pattern of Hinokis especially Kosteris do not lend themselves well to formal uprights.
 

somegeek

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is this the one?

No - I picked that one up from a big box store and it's in the same state in my front yard.

The one I took pics of above is from a small mom and pop nursery. The whorls were packed full from top to bottom. After seeing how to start to prune and better what to look for, I may go back and get another to work on. :)
 
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Rick Moquin

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May I suggest you back the "Hinoki" truck up a bit. These are trees that many shy away from because they do not lend themselve readily as bonsai. Learn how to deal with them, then once you have understood how to deal with them, get more. BTW, get a "Nana Gracilis"

Patience is a virtue in bonsai, to dismiss it with Hinokis a sacrilege.
 

Vance Wood

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May I suggest you back the "Hinoki" truck up a bit. These are trees that many shy away from because they do not lend themselve readily as bonsai. Learn how to deal with them, then once you have understood how to deal with them, get more. BTW, get a "Nana Gracilis"

Patience is a virtue in bonsai, to dismiss it with Hinokis a sacrilege.

Rick's right, Hinokis are a Bit$# to work with; The Japanese don't commonly mess with them. Personally I like them but they are difficult and require constant attention to detail or they sneak away from the cage like a guinea pig escape artist.
 

Rick Moquin

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Personally I like them but they are difficult and require constant attention to detail or they sneak away from the cage like a guinea pig escape artist.
... a rewarding tree indeed Vance, but a frustrating and cumbersome one to the average individual.
 

greerhw

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... a rewarding tree indeed Vance, but a frustrating and cumbersome one to the average individual.

They make a hell of a yard tree, if your garden has a Japanese flavor.

keep it green,
Harry
 
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Vance Wood

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They make a hell of a yard tree, if your garden has a Japanese flavor.

keep it green,
Harry

You are correct here. There are so many cultivars of the tree it is mind boggling. I have two in my yard. I have a Obtusa Nana and a Garcilis Nana (I think). I have had the latter for thirty years and it is not yet 12" tall.
 
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