ATTACK the MONSTER CRAPE!

[R_F]

Today was a momentous day for this crape! I collected it from the ground about 4 years ago this month and after 4 years in a large nursery can I decided to attack and drastically reduce the root ball.

(The "Pot" is the bottom of the old nursery can. Were in a recession, what can I say )

 

[R_F]

The Weapons

I went through 2 Chain Saws and one broken chain to reduce that root ball!

 

[agraham]

Absolutely incredible!!!!

Beautiful material.I hope it survives.

 

[R_F]

After the dust settled....

This is the remains of the root ball. Finally vanquished.

The severed root ball alone stood about 20" tall and about 25" in diameter.

 

[R_F]

For those interested in the technical stuff...

When the tree was collected 4 ears ago I planted it in pure perlite and pine bark. Nothing else.

Fast forward 4 years to today...


The roots remaining on the tree after the attack were small feeder roots that had sprouted from the trunk itself and the major roots of the Nebari. I planted the tree in a mix of pine bark, Haydite and various organics. I then covered the top (not seen in the photo) with a thick layer of sphagnum moss. I'm hoping this will keep the tree evenly moist and allow the roots to establish quickly. The tree now sits in the shade where it will stay for a few months and then I will move it into partial sun/shade.

 

[R_F]

Absolutely incredible!!!!

Beautiful material.I hope it survives.

Thanks agraham. I'm pretty sure it will survive. When I collected it 4 years ago it had only thick roots and maybe a handfull (literally maybe 10 to the count) of small feeder roots. I rapped it in a plastic tarp and filled it in with the soil it came from (mostly Florida Sand). At that time I couldn't find a nursery can large enough for it.

It sprouted out and grew about 8 sets of leaves...and then I repotted it again about a month later into a nursery can I found. I washed all the original soil out and put it in the perlite/pine bark mix that it grew in for the next 4 years. So, it was collected and repotted all in one month!

This is one tough tree!

I wouldn't advise this as regular treatment, of course. But it was happend. And mostly because I was ignorant with a strong back and didn't care if it lived or died. It would have died if I left it in the ground. The people who owned the land it was in were going to have it pulled out of the ground and disposed of.

I have heard from other growers of crapes who have said that as long as they have a few feeder roots they will recover just fine. Given they are healthy to begin with.

 

[Martin Sweeney]

RyanFrye,

I do not know what your plans are for this tree, but this will be one of the few crape myrtle bonsai that I have seen that has the size to allow the growth that might be necessary to get a good show of flowers with out growing out of the design.

I look forward to seeing it in a bonsai pot (good luck finding the right one, that should be an adventure in itself) and flowering someday!

Do you know flower color or variety?

Regards,
Martin

 

[Dale Cochoy]

That is a fantastic piece of stock!!
I'm so jealous of what you Florida guys can get away with in collecting and repotting and how fast those trees develope down there.
I never get over the thigh-sized to waist-sized trees I see cut/collected without a single root and how they look in a few years!

D.

 

[milehigh_7]

Ryan,


Wow!



Please keep us updated on the progression. This is one exciting Crape.

 

[pjkatich]

Ryan,

Outstanding!

I've eyed a few of those monsters myself. Never had enough fortitude to take one of them on.

Did you get my e-mail?

Best wishes,
Paul

 

[Bonsai Nut]

That is an insane trunk. Good luck and post more updates!

 

[R_F]

Do you know flower color or variety?

Regards,
Martin

Hi Martin,

I think it is white. I've only let it flower a few times.

Ryan

 

[R_F]

That is a fantastic piece of stock!!
I'm so jealous of what you Florida guys can get away with in collecting and repotting and how fast those trees develope down there.
I never get over the thigh-sized to waist-sized trees I see cut/collected without a single root and how they look in a few years!

D.

Hi Dale,

Thank you.

Just deminsions: It has a diameter of about 25"-26" and about 20"-24" tall

Ryan

 

[R_F]

Ryan,

Outstanding!

I've eyed a few of those monsters myself. Never had enough fortitude to take one of them of them on.

Hi Paul,

Well, if you do take one on make sure you have a team with you. Believe it or not I actually collected this monster by myself. Looking back I don't know how I did it...all I remember is it took all day and I threw my back out and may have done permanent damage to it.

When I repotted it yesterday I had help from my dad and a friend. I don't think I could have done it without them. Who knew bonsai could be a team event!

Even though it's now half of what it was in the big nursery can I still need help lifting it.

Ryan

 

[R_F]

Ryan,

Did you get my e-mail?

I did. I'll have to re-send my reply. I guess it didn't go through.

 

[R_F]

RyanFrye,

I do not know what your plans are for this tree, but this will be one of the few crape myrtle bonsai that I have seen that has the size to allow the growth that might be necessary to get a good show of flowers with out growing out of the design.

Regards,
Martin

Martin,

This variety of crape flowers at the very tip of looooooong growth. Even with the tree as big as it is it wouldn't allow for flowers in the design. Atleast not it's own flowers. I plan to graft a dwarf variety onto the branches to have some flowers. Now I have to decide what Color I want

Ryan

 

[TheSteve]

Great tree. You hot climate guys may miss out on pines but this stuff can definately take the sting out of that.

 

[R_F]

Great tree. You hot climate guys may miss out on pines but this stuff can definately take the sting out of that.

Who says we miss out on pines? Don't let Graydon hear you say that!

Thank you for the Compliment.

 

[R_F]

Good News!

It's budding out all over. I'll post an update pic when it has filled in.

 

[FourMileMarc]

I am on the edge of my seat! Beutiful trunk.

I almost wrecked my back again trying to solo out some boxwoods. Be careful, it's hard to convince someone they need to help you. Dinner and a movie?