milehigh_7

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Got this tree in March of 2016 I took the sawzall to it and put it in a large strainer. and let it grow for a year.


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milehigh_7

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Naturally, I have been chomping at the bit to get the dirt off this and see what has been going on. True to form for growing 2 years in a strainer, it was completely solid with fine feeder roots. My plan was to let one long leader grow but I changed my mind mid-summer and picked this other one so it's not as big as it would have been. So I'll keep doing this every year, chopping really low and letting a leader go for a year.

During the repot, I dug down a bit and found that the tree sits on a REALLY neat burl. You can't see it too good yet but I did uncover some more base. From 2 1/4 in the pre-repot pic to 3 1/8 now it will be a bit bigger after the next repot.



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AZbonsai

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I have to get the intestinal fortitude to start chopping some of my stuff...just too many good things can happen when you chop them. Have been concentrating on how to grow them in bonsai soil the past 1.5 years. Time to take the next step.
 

milehigh_7

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Looking at pics is good... I just took off that annoying root at the lower right that goes sideways on the trunk. Much better.
 

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Man that thing is gnarly! I love it! Can’t wait to see it in leaf but more importantly flower! Definitely gotta make it a shohin semi cascade like thumbless said.

Mine would not go dormant this year. It still had green leaves through hard frosts. Hopefully my ignorance didn’t kill it, I don’t think they’re very cold hardy in the first place. It didn’t grow well all year either, no idea with this species. It grew like a weed after the hard chop and repot but nothing after being settled in the pot a year.
 

milehigh_7

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What plans do you have for it? Shohin semi cascade?

Actually, the plan is longer term. I'll cut at one of the lowest buds and grow a new leader then keep doing that for the next five years or so. I really want some wicked movement and taper. The coolest part is when folks see how good these ramify and that you can get the leaves down to less than 1/4". I have a new variety that I found that I am trying to propagate. It has seriously crazy bark. We will see how that goes.

I had no idea that the base was that much bigger under the soil.
 

milehigh_7

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Mine would not go dormant this year. .

If you want to force dormancy just set it in the shade for a few days. This even works in the summer. They will completely drop all leaves when not in full sun. That's what I had to do this year. It won't wake up until nights are over 50F at least. It's one of the last to wake up in fact.
 

Anthony

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Clyde,

the East Indians have a different variety that is as far as I know,
very Tropical.

The Agnus Castus tends to die from the same ailment as the Maple.
Needs some rest.

We grew from seed and after some years they died off.
Have another type, still going.
Good Day
Anthony
 

JoeR

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If you want to force dormancy just set it in the shade for a few days. This even works in the summer. They will completely drop all leaves when not in full sun. That's what I had to do this year. It won't wake up until nights are over 50F at least. It's one of the last to wake up in fact.
But will that allow them to prepare for cold temperatures and survive hard frosts?
 

milehigh_7

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But will that allow them to prepare for cold temperatures and survive hard frosts?

Don't know, I don't get hard frosts. This year we only got 2 very light frosts. In the past we have had weeks in the 20's and even down in the teens with zero damage to any Vitex. It's my understanding that up north in landscape they freeze and die back nearly to the ground each year kind of like an annual flower.
 

milehigh_7

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Clyde,

the East Indians have a different variety that is as far as I know,
very Tropical.

The Agnus Castus tends to die from the same ailment as the Maple.
Needs some rest.

We grew from seed and after some years they died off.
Have another type, still going.
Good Day
Anthony

I'm in Vegas were we very seldom have any winter to speak of.
 

JoeR

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Don't know, I don't get hard frosts. This year we only got 2 very light frosts. In the past we have had weeks in the 20's and even down in the teens with zero damage to any Vitex. It's my understanding that up north in landscape they freeze and die back nearly to the ground each year kind of like an annual flower.
Someone on one of your threads said they die back like that I think. There’s some planted at the local library that are huge, and they don’t die back so I’m probably good. Then again, they are in the ground so who knows. Oh well I’m only out $15 and a year plus soil if it doesn’t make it lol.
 
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