WTBuy Bald Cypress starter @ $50

[Underdog]

I know many of you have them. Think I killed mine and want to try again.
Been looking eBay ect and found some. That's where I bought my little one last year for 15 shipped.
Like to get a little more tree this year to start on. Found a couple on there in my price range but, thought I would try to give a fellow BNutter my money instead.
Either PM or post what you got. Shipped to 43812
Thanks, Mark

 

[rockm]

By far, the best source of quality collected bald cypress I've found is fellow B'nutter Zach Smith at Bonsai South. Although his trees are just above your price point, I'd think about stretching it a bit. A $150 tree from Zach goes a very long way. He has an eye for great root bases, which is what you're after. I bought my first from him 25 years ago. I got another last month. This is the new one, collected in Feb.

 

[Underdog]

Thanks for the tip. Looks like a great tree! I'm still pouting over killing my $15 dollar one. LOL Imagine how I would feel... I fear my skills aren't yet up to that level yet.

All on his site are sold. I looked at it again and remember looking there before now. Great looking stuff though.

 

[mcpesq817]

I'd echo Rockm's suggestion. You can always reach out to him directly to see if he has any less expensive stock. I'd guess too that these larger, more established trees will be much hardier than a $15 tree. I have two BCs that I'm working on right now, and the trees are pretty much bulletproof.

 

[GrimLore]

Think I killed mine and want to try again.

It still has time to bud if the weather has been normal this year for you. Either way if you are looking to get more I would suggest doing it soon and ordering them from TYTY. They ship different sizes bare root the same day and we never received a bad tree from them. https://www.tytyga.com/

Grimmy

 

[rockm]

FWIW, I bought my first BC from Zach when I had very little bonsai experience. I splurged on a $50 stump back then and 20 years later I'm glad I did. Not only has that tree developed into a relatively good bonsai in that time, it was the most durable, forgiving tree I've worked with.

Bigger stock isn't only more satisfying, it also (in my experience) tends to have more momentum and vigor than seedling and small stock.

 

[GGB]

Mother F'n house finch defoliated mine yesterday! Makes me wonder if it'll be an ongoing problem.

 

[music~maker]

FWIW, I bought my first BC from Zach when I had very little bonsai experience. I splurged on a $50 stump back then and 20 years later I'm glad I did. Not only has that tree developed into a relatively good bonsai in that time, it was the most durable, forgiving tree I've worked with.

Bigger stock isn't only more satisfying, it also (in my experience) tends to have more momentum and vigor than seedling and small stock.

I would definitely agree with this. It's usually the younger/immature trees that die on me. The more established stuff has already been through those phases and proven itself.

 

[rockm]

Mother F'n house finch defoliated mine yesterday! Makes me wonder if it'll be an ongoing problem.

Bigger stock also isn't bothered much by small animals. ;-)

 

[rockm]

Thanks for the tip. Looks like a great tree! I'm still pouting over killing my $15 dollar one. LOL Imagine how I would feel... I fear my skills aren't yet up to that level yet.

All on his site are sold. I looked at it again and remember looking there before now. Great looking stuff though.

All the trees on the site may be sold, but email him. I'd bet he's got some. FWIW, late winter/early spring is when he collects. The stuff sells out quickly.

 

[GGB]

Bigger stock also isn't bothered much by small animals. ;-)

My 13" larch was also beat up pretty hard. I came to the conclusion today that I need to up my scale. I'm hoping 3 feet is big enough. Not trying to drop a nut picking up 90 pound trees

 

[rockm]

My 13" larch was also beat up pretty hard. I came to the conclusion today that I need to up my scale. I'm hoping 3 feet is big enough. Not trying to drop a nut picking up 90 pound trees

Height has nothing to do with it really. Trunk diameter is the way to measure this. Trunks with more maturity have heftier trunk diameter at soil level. Sapling BC also won't develop any measure of buttressing or flare in a container. That buttressing is, arguably, the thing you're growing BC for...

 

[rockm]

My 13" larch was also beat up pretty hard. I came to the conclusion today that I need to up my scale. I'm hoping 3 feet is big enough. Not trying to drop a nut picking up 90 pound trees

Sorry missed your meaning. I guess the bigger the tree, the more leaves it has. I've got a BC that's four feet tall. Have never had birds mess with it. They land on the branches, etc. but they don't pull leaves off.

 

[GGB]

@rockm Buttressing is great, but I'd be lying if I said that was the main attraction for me.

And @Underdog sorry to hijack your thread there. I'd happily sell you one of mine but they are extremely young, better off buying a collected stump

 

[GrimLore]

Makes me wonder if it'll be an ongoing problem.

Odd, makes me wonder - we have both and never had a problem not far from you...

Grimmy

 

[aml1014]

Sapling BC also won't develop any measure of buttressing or flare in a container

Not totally true, this BC was given to me by a good friend and she's grown it in its current pot since 1987 when she got it as a 14"tall sapling. It's not super a intense flare, but it's noticeable.
Pics just after hard cut back this spring to redevelop branching.
Though, I do know what you mean by the bigger the better with these trees

Aaron

 

[rockm]

Not totally true, this BC was given to me by a good friend and she's grown it in its current pot since 1987 when she got it as a 14"tall sapling. It's not super a intense flare, but it's noticeable.
Pics just after hard cut back this spring to redevelop branching.View attachment 147000 View attachment 147001
Though, I do know what you mean by the bigger the better with these trees

Aaron

Well, like I said, container grown saplings don't develop a lot of buttressing ;-) Not saying this doesn't have it, but if it's been in container for 30 years, that's pretty slow development of root flare. A sapling in the ground would have that, or much more in five. The more room BC roots have to "run" the quicker the buttress develops.

 

[rockm]

By far, the best source of quality collected bald cypress I've found is fellow B'nutter Zach Smith at Bonsai South. Although his trees are just above your price point, I'd think about stretching it a bit. A $150 tree from Zach goes a very long way. He has an eye for great root bases, which is what you're after. I bought my first from him 25 years ago. I got another last month. This is the new one, collected in Feb.

View attachment 146976

FWIW, knowledgeable BC collectors bury the root buttress on newly-collected trees intentionally to keep it wet and protect it from drying out in the first year or two. The most dramatic portion on this tree is under three inches of soil...

 

[augustine]

Did you reach out to John G on this forum? (You'll need to put aside some extra money for the shipping charge.)

 

[Underdog]

No I didn't. Thanks for the tip @johng Got anything?