milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Two more weeks...
Are you a bouger?
- Thread starter Random User
- Start date
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Here is a Pink Pixie that had been about a year and a half in a cut down 5 gal and "mostly" 8822. This was done on July 21st.
The DE seems to really encourage fine roots in bougs as a side note. When I did this one, I had not yet begun the practice of savage root reduction in the summer and as you can see way too many long roots were left. This will cost me a couple of years of development. However do note the fine growth were cuts were made. I won't make that mistake this time around
Here is how much of the roots that I left this time:
Here it will sit till at least next year potted in my mix of course AXIS DE and .25" scoria. As a side I forgot to defoliate until after it was in the strainer. However, I removed all the leaves just after.:
The DE seems to really encourage fine roots in bougs as a side note. When I did this one, I had not yet begun the practice of savage root reduction in the summer and as you can see way too many long roots were left. This will cost me a couple of years of development. However do note the fine growth were cuts were made. I won't make that mistake this time around
Here is how much of the roots that I left this time:
Here it will sit till at least next year potted in my mix of course AXIS DE and .25" scoria. As a side I forgot to defoliate until after it was in the strainer. However, I removed all the leaves just after.:
atlarsenal
Omono
@milehigh_7 , I thought you defoliate these when you repot?
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
On the last section I said I forgot to do it till after it was in the strainer. It was defoliated at that time. I will go see how it's doing here in a bit and see if it's pushing leaves yet. It should be done prior to root work however. This is really important when the humidity like mine (sub 10%).
atlarsenal
Omono
My bad, I see that now. I have several I need to repot. I’m just having a hard time wrapping my head around summer heat repot and defoliation. Is it ok to cut them back hard at the same time or would you wait until next spring?
Starfox
Masterpiece
I have never bothered with defoliation while repotting, at least intentionally. Sometimes there is no foliage because I have cut them back to a stump though. I have since reading that they should tried it and it's gone well. I find defoliating more useful as tool to help you see the branches for wiring and trimming back so doing that at repot is as good a time as any, if you do it now in the height of summer they will take anything you can do to them.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Just my experience over the past two summers and doing this to a couple hundred of them. The ones I don't defoliate either die or have severe dieback and limp along for the rest of the season. When I defoliate, they are back full speed ahead in 1-2 weeks. Mind you I did this one a week ago and it has been 118F. It may not be as much of an issue for others. Also, you may cut back hard but two things, 1) leave at least one active leaf node on the branches you want to keep. 2) SEAL the cuts! Ignore these things at your own risk.
Here is what it looks like after a week of 118+ it's popping buds everywhere.
sparklemotion
Shohin
Have you ever watched those videos about transplanting landscape bouganvilleas? You know, the ones where they are so paranoid about "disturbing the roots" that they don't even remove the root ball from the nursery can (they just cut vertical slashes!). Here is one example.
And yet, we see lots of bonsai examples of people basically removing the entire root system of a potted bougie, and having it come back strong. But -- they are always either defoliating or essentially trunk chopping.
Personal Anecdote: I screwed up with my bougie and repotted in March (it was indoors, under lights). It showed signs of severe stress and basically defoliated itself (leaves went limp and fell off). It gained strength slowly and now is super happy (outdoors, full sun, full heat).
Here is my theory: Bougies need their feeder roots to support their foliage (this is true of all trees, but especially true with bougies that don't seem to get any kind of waxy cuticle on them, unlike, say, maples). When bougies are given the right conditions (hot sun) for strong growth, they can bounce back from pretty much anything. When you mess with a bougie's roots, it sacrifices its leaves because it would rather put what resources it has into growing more roots and more leaves. When the landscape types see this, they freak out and decide never to touch the roots. We don't have that option.
So -- repot when the tree is getting the most resources (summer heat), but don't ask it to maintain its leaves through that insult.
theone420
Shohin
Great info @milehigh_7 i will try rooting a nd defoliating a bougie or two right now to see how it comes out. since we have the same weather for the most part i think I will try to adopt this practice if it works well.
We have tons of these as landscape trees in the desert here so finding good yardadori isnt an issue either. So i ask you will this work for a Yardadori bougie? So just dig it, cut it, defoliate, and trim the roots short?
We have tons of these as landscape trees in the desert here so finding good yardadori isnt an issue either. So i ask you will this work for a Yardadori bougie? So just dig it, cut it, defoliate, and trim the roots short?
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
What I now do with bougs can be found for the most part on the Phoenix Bonsai Society's website as instructions for digging landscape bougs so yeah. I have modified it for my needs a bit but for the most part it's their info. The important part seems to be that they need to be growing strongly if you are going to mess with the roots. Exactly the opposite of conventional wisdom with many other plants.
theone420
Shohin
good to know... All my bougies are growing out of control right now so I will get on this asap.
I also have a couple landscape bougies that are decent size and wanted to take a cutting. I hear that large cuttings over 2" is no problem to root. So I was curious if you had any experience with large cuttings. I have several branches around 3 or 4 inches thick i wanted to try. would you recommend any sites or a procedure?
I was just gonna cut a piece about 6"-8" long and stick it in a pot of pumice or DE any ideas or thoughts?
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
I would try exactly the same you are suggesting. I would also "tent" it with a plastic bag andI give everything a shot of rooting hormone for good measure.
theone420
Shohin
Worked out great. Cut this as a test and put it in a pumice lava rock mix and in about 11 days I saw some life. That was last Friday. I didn't get any pics till today but this is 2 weeks from it being cut and planted as suggested.(the 3 largest leaves at the top were the only leaves I left)
And here is a small one I cut today to see how short they can be. It's about 3inches long and 2inches at the base
theone420
Shohin
well here is another update on the small one i did and another cutting i did a week after that one.
here is the small one from above
and a new cutting I did from my buddies landscape bougie.
And here is a small one i have had going through the summer
I really like this variety cause it comes out orange and slowly changes to a beautiful light pink color
And this is my fav bougie in semi cascade training right now with its big bright flower puffs
here is the small one from above
and a new cutting I did from my buddies landscape bougie.
And here is a small one i have had going through the summer
I really like this variety cause it comes out orange and slowly changes to a beautiful light pink color
And this is my fav bougie in semi cascade training right now with its big bright flower puffs
TooCoys
Shohin
One little cold front where the temps drop below 70 and every single leaf on my bougies fall off. Either that or they’ve been overwatered with all the rain lately.
I wouldn't think the temperature change would cause that. Mine saw some low 50's and were fine. More likely overwatered.
thumblessprimate1
Masterpiece
Mine had been outside during the 43F°, but I brought it in to keep it happier.
Most of mine were blooming,when I brought them in. Within a few days, they all threw their bracts on the floor. A little temper tantrum, of sorts, for having to come in.
JoeH
Omono
- Messages
- 1,090
- Reaction score
- 990
- USDA Zone
- 9B
I took some large woody cuttings 1-2 inch diameter and used honey for rooting hormone, watered with willow water and they all took. started them in regular soil, will repot into 50/50 Napa stuff/ pine bark fines in the spring.
Starfox
Masterpiece
This one needs a bit better shape to it but hopefully I can address that next year a bit.