Bald Cypress Repot and Trim

Mellow Mullet

Masterpiece
Messages
3,967
Reaction score
11,229
Location
Mobile, Alabama-The Heart of Dixie
USDA Zone
8-9
I finally got a break and had time to do some repotting, so I tackled this cypress today. It was really in need because I should have done it last spring. Here is the victim:

DSC00413-1.jpg

DSC00414-1.jpg

When it was repotted last, it was flush with the container. I grew so much last summer that it pushed itself up three inches above the original soil line.

DSC00415-1.jpg

Many roots escaping the pot into the water container below.

DSC00417-1.jpg

Some will say that keeping a bald cypress submerged in water is a bad idea. It works for me, it doubled in size last summer. I keep all of my cypress submerged April through November.

DSC00416-1.jpg

Oh, and I chopped the left hand trunk to build some taper. Unfortunately the right hand trunk died, it had slowly declined over the past two years, the plans now are to do some carving and make a jin out of it.

John
 

Mellow Mullet

Masterpiece
Messages
3,967
Reaction score
11,229
Location
Mobile, Alabama-The Heart of Dixie
USDA Zone
8-9
I don't know, possibly. It was actually the dominant trunk and I was keeping both semi balanced. A couple years ago it just started to decline and finally completely died.
 

Mellow Mullet

Masterpiece
Messages
3,967
Reaction score
11,229
Location
Mobile, Alabama-The Heart of Dixie
USDA Zone
8-9
UPDATE:

Got a chance to do some work on this one yesterday. I thought it would be interesting to show you how much BC can grow in one season. This particular tree was repotted last year, as you can see in the thread, so all of the growth was the result of one season.

Start. The new leader had reached 3 to 4 feet and made a good stab at healing the scar, it will be mostly closed by end of this season.
DSC02723-1.jpg

The trunk had also gained considerable girth.

DSC02724-1.jpg

Roots escaping the "pot", it is just and oil change pan it is growing in.

DSC02725-1.jpg

Lots of nice roots under the hood. If you don't submerge your BC during the growing season, you should try it.

DSC02727-1.jpg
 

Mellow Mullet

Masterpiece
Messages
3,967
Reaction score
11,229
Location
Mobile, Alabama-The Heart of Dixie
USDA Zone
8-9
I then started doing a little work on the dead side. I have a die grinder, but no carving bits yet so I had to resort to using the dremel. It was a lot of work, The wood was really hard and dry, which is a good this I suppose, but the bark did not come off easily.

DSC02734-1.jpg

A little wire and some lime sulfur and we are gonna call it a day. The carving is just a first attempt, I do something else with it later. This actually my first time to do anything like this.

DSC02738-1.jpg
 

ColinFraser

Masterpiece
Messages
2,370
Reaction score
5,698
Location
Central Coast, California
USDA Zone
9b
You need to shorten that jin by 2/3 at least. It is mostly boring and repetitive past the first third and delivers nothing to the tree's image. Break it off and use the splintered remains on the tree as the jin.
Totally agree.
 

Cadillactaste

Neagari Gal
Messages
16,261
Reaction score
20,881
Location
NE Ohio: zone 4 (USA) lake microclimate
USDA Zone
5b
You need to shorten that jin by 2/3 at least. It is mostly boring and repetitive past the first third and delivers nothing to the tree's image. Break it off and use the splintered remains on the tree as the jin.
My assumption was...that other side is going to become a much larger tree. That may have played into its size. You're seeing the now...Where he's seeing the later image in his head? We shall see how he responds...
 

Giga

Masterpiece
Messages
3,813
Reaction score
4,722
Location
Virginia beach, VA
USDA Zone
7-8
You need to shorten that jin by 2/3 at least. It is mostly boring and repetitive past the first third and delivers nothing to the tree's image. Break it off and use the splintered remains on the tree as the jin.

This!
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,181
Reaction score
22,178
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
If the aim is to grow out a larger tree on the other side, the grower is prolonging that process by years by cutting it back and containerizing it. If not the jin is simply too long and the carving isn't making it any more natural looking. Removing most of it (and hollowing out the shattered stump into a weathered old jin) will do wonders for the final image.
 

Mellow Mullet

Masterpiece
Messages
3,967
Reaction score
11,229
Location
Mobile, Alabama-The Heart of Dixie
USDA Zone
8-9
Ok, guys, I said somewhere in there that it needed more work, gotta get some more tools. The Dremel was no match for this. After it gets some more height, which won'the take years, I plan to shorten/ carve, do away with it, or keep it. I am open to all suggestions, that is why I posted it.

Thanks
 

ColinFraser

Masterpiece
Messages
2,370
Reaction score
5,698
Location
Central Coast, California
USDA Zone
9b
. . . gotta get some more tools. The Dremel was no match for this. After it gets some more height, which won'the take years, I plan to shorten/ carve, do away with it, or keep it . . .
I would skip the power tools - just grab it just over halfway up (with your hand or pliers), snap it, and tear it downward. Then peel it a bit with pliers, and you should get a more natural look . . .
 
Top Bottom