My brazilian rain tree and I have a question for you...

Paradox

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I have 3 of them and some seedlings. One of my big ones decided to lose it leaves this winter. The one right next to it under the lights was fine all winter. It started growing new leaves when the temps on the basement started getting a bit warmer for longer during the day when their lights are on. It doesn't get below 60 all winter though.

This was this tree's first northern winter so I think that's why it lost all its leaves.

I have them under 6 four foot 6700K t8 bulbs in the basement. When it gets warmer outside, they will be moved.
 

Alain

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Eu acho que a gente pode decir do que o meu arvol de chuvia Brasileiro esta indo muito bem e passo o seu primero inverno em Chicago sem nigun problemo
:)


DSC04122.JPG

;)

DSC04120.JPG DSC04121.JPG DSC04123.JPG DSC04124.JPG

Time for its first hair cut, the weak branches that I want to go anyway to give the energy to all the little buds of the strong branches I want to keep, for now.
:D
 
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Alain

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I so need a BRT!

Then go to Dragon Tree Bonsai in Palm city (less than 100 miles N from you on the I95) I got this one there for $25 and he had tons of them! :)

(and I'm pretty sure it will be much easier to grow in Ft Lauderdale than junipers ;))
 

LanceMac10

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Eu acho que a gente pode decir do que o meu arvol de chuvia Brasileiro esta indo muito bem e passo o seu primero inverno em Chicago sem nigun problemo
:)


View attachment 104438

;)

View attachment 104439 View attachment 104440 View attachment 104441 View attachment 104442

Time for its first hair cut, the weak branches that I want to go anyway to give the energy to all the little buds of the strong branches I want to keep, for now.
:D

Photos or it didn't happen!!:p You should cut back all that top growth.
Nice little raintree.:)
 

Alain

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Photos or it didn't happen!!:p You should cut back all that top growth.
Nice little raintree.:)

Photo of what?o_O

For the cutting of the top growths: done since yesterday (photos pending). :)
I was just waiting my tree to sprout (if you looked at the 1st picture, beginning of this thread, he needed that) and the weather here to try to look like spring :mad:
 

LanceMac10

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Where's the haircut?
Did you cut the lower branches and leave the top long?
 

Lobaeux

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Then go to Dragon Tree Bonsai in Palm city (less than 100 miles N from you on the I95) I got this one there for $25 and he had tons of them! :)

(and I'm pretty sure it will be much easier to grow in Ft Lauderdale than junipers ;))

I'll have to go look. I'm going to the Gold Coast Society meet this weekend, so it'll have to wait until next week.

I've got plenty of young pre bonsai, time to get some more trees that are a little more polished.
 

Alain

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Where's the haircut?
Did you cut the lower branches and leave the top long?

Ah Ok!
So you are right: the haircut actually didn't happen when I took the picture above ;), as I said it happened yesterday (pictures this evening, I'm at my job right now).
And for the moment I mainly removed the long new shots. I let it recover a little bit more and then I'll start removing the older branches I don't want (during the summer I guess if it keeps getting well).

I'll have to go look. I'm going to the Gold Coast Society meet this weekend, so it'll have to wait until next week.

I've got plenty of young pre bonsai, time to get some more trees that are a little more polished.

I really can't recommend it enough.
On top of the BRT he also has a bunch of ficus and other stuffs (but I was there for a BRT so I mainly looked at them and also my wife was there too, so you know, that's not that she doesn't like spending the day before Thanksgiving looking at trees in nurseries but...wait...yes it is!!!!! ;))

He also has pots for really cheap. So no Tokoname or other potter artist's pots but for sure very nice pots for trees in training for really cheap.
I don't remember the prices for other supplies but really I found everything very affordable. For instance I was sure that for $25 I will never get a BRT this size! :)
 

Cadillactaste

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If I could find one of these that was small...with some crazy movement. I might be tempted to try one in my grow cart next to the bougainvillea. Love their compound leaves. Glad yours has come awake...looks good trimmed back.
 

sorce

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Great structure on that.

I gotta get 4 too.

My basement is going to look like Leo's soon!

Sorce
 

LanceMac10

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Fertilize, fertilize, fertilize.....these things love to eat!!

If'n it 'twas mine, I would take a few more thick branches off the top.
You did get a good deal, $75-$100 up here all day.:(

:D:D
 

Alain

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Fertilize, fertilize, fertilize.....these things love to eat!!

If'n it 'twas mine, I would take a few more thick branches off the top.
You did get a good deal, $75-$100 up here all day.:(

:D:D

I fertilized (and the nursery did fertilize too so it should be eating like crazy) and I will remove some of the older branches but later on in the season, for the moment it is resting.

Remember that this tree comes from very far!
It was born and raised in Fl and moved in November (ie just for the beginning of a cold it never experienced before)
It did the trip Miami International - Chicago O'Hare in a bag as a hand luggage (in the airport in Miami the cleaning woman came to see it in its bag at least 3 times: 'Oh povrecito que parece esta moriendo de sed!' :))
It took its first (and hopefully last) X-Ray at the Airport Security.
It passed in a couple of hours from 80 something to 50 something with a brief moment at 15 something the time to climb in the cab at the arrival
And it spent all winter loosing all its leaves...
:D

And also: for the moment I let some length on the branches I pruned from the top because it's my first time pruning it so I want to see if there is some die back before pruning flush...;)
 
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LanceMac10

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Don't prune anything flush on a Raintree. They have a tendency to die-back. I don't use concave cutters, just scissors. If your pruning a branch to the trunk, leave a stump. Once that has died off you can clean up the stump. There will be a little bump there, it will add to the character of the trunk. When pruning a branch along it's length, leave a substantial amount of space between your cut and the lower bud. If you don't, it will die-back down to the next bud. Trust me, your not feeding enough. Looks like you have some Osmocote on there, I would double what you have on there!! I use Miracle-grow tomato food in addition to granular feed and fish and seaweed emulsion. Since you have it outside already, I would start feeding weekly or every two weeks.

Full sun, loves to eat and drink. These are really resilient trees so don't worry too much about it's travels. They adapt very quickly to their environment. Yours looks fine, leaves are a little pale but looks healthy. You should have some long shoots before you know it!! Just stay on the top growth hard or your lower branches will get shaded out and lose vigor . They can back bud on a branch, but you will have a tough time with getting new buds on the trunk.

One more thing. I don't do the "spring two-step" with tropicals, particularly Raintrees. Not a lot of benefits, too much environmental changes. I stage tropicals where I house my cold-hardy plants in the winter to acclimate to the light and outdoor conditions One time out in spring and then when it's time to go indoors, late summer, early fall, that's it. My Raintree will drop leaves coming outdoors in spring and again when it goes back indoors. Wait until you see plump green buds at the base of each set of leaves from the previous growing cycle. That way, when it sheds leaves, you have new buds ready to take over.

:cool::D
 
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Lobaeux

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This is same great info on BRTs, I'm excited to get one.

I'll need to look around the Broward area before heading up to Palm City.
 

Alain

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Don't prune anything flush on a Raintree. They have a tendency to die-back. I don't use concave cutters, just scissors. If your pruning a branch to the trunk, leave a stump. Once that has died off you can clean up the stump. There will be a little bump there, it will add to the character of the trunk. When pruning a branch along it's length, leave a substantial amount of space between your cut and the lower bud. If you don't, it will die-back down to the next bud. Trust me, your not feeding enough. Looks like you have some Osmocote on there, I would double what you have on there!! I use Miracle-grow tomato food in addition to granular feed and fish and seaweed emulsion. Since you have it outside already, I would start feeding weekly or every two weeks.

Full sun, loves to eat and drink. These are really resilient trees so don't worry too much about it's travels. They adapt very quickly to their environment. Yours looks fine, leaves are a little pale but looks healthy. You should have some long shoots before you know it!! Just stay on the top growth hard or your lower branches will get shaded out and lose vigor . They can back bud on a branch, but you will have a tough time with getting new buds on the trunk.

One more thing. I don't do the "spring two-step with tropicals, particularly Raintrees. Not a lot of benefits, too much environmental changes. I stage tropicals where I house my cold-hardy plants in the winter to acclimate to the light and outdoor conditions One time out in spring and then when it's time to go indoors, late summer, early fall, that's it. My Raintree will drop leaves coming outdoors in spring and again when it goes back indoors. Wait until you see plump green buds at the base of each set of leaves from the previous growing cycle. That way, when it sheds leaves, you have new buds ready to take over.

:cool::D

I meant 'cut flush' once the first cut has finished to die back.

OK I'll fertilize more.

"Just stay on the top growth hard or your lower branches will get shaded out and lose vigor" I don't understand this part...:(
 

LanceMac10

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Don't let shoots extend up top. Cut back new growth in the crown often, twice as much as your lower branches.
A very apically dominate tree. The tree will send most of it's energy to the crown, letting the crown swell will shade out your lower branches. Let the bottom branches run. If you cut the bottom branches as much as the top, the tree will just abandon the lower branches. I've seen it happen.
Unless of course, that's what you want!;)
 

Alain

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Don't let shoots extend up top. Cut back new growth in the crown often, twice as much as your lower branches.
A very apically dominate tree. The tree will send most of it's energy to the crown, letting the crown swell will shade out your lower branches. Let the bottom branches run. If you cut the bottom branches as much as the top, the tree will just abandon the lower branches. I've seen it happen.
Unless of course, that's what you want!;)

Ah ok! I get it now :)
I'm use to prune this way with my trumpet vine actually so that shouldn't be a problem, thanks!
 
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