Bald Cypress Q&A

[BillsBayou]

I'm feeling chatty.

After a few sputtering starts and misfires over the past three years, I really need to be pulled back in. It's nearly Spring (we start early in Southeast Louisiana). Buds are already starting to swell on a few trees. 2020 went by in a blink. 2021 threatens to do the same. "February??? I thought it was still March!"

Taxodium distichum is my love. Someone noticed this and wants to pick my brain. Let's to it out in the open for everyone to join in.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Love them! Their root base is a lot more aggressively growing than any other tree on my bench. Had a commissioned pot made for this. Which won't work now. Never even slipped its roots inside it.

 

[BillsBayou]

Love them! Their root base is a lot more aggressively growing than any other tree on my bench. Had a commissioned pot made for this. Which won't work now. Never even slipped its roots inside it.
View attachment 351986

That has a sweet base! It reminds me a little of a black pine. That would be a good style for me because I kill black pines.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thanks...this one came from Mike Lane. Developed from a cutting.

 

[Zach Smith]

I'm feeling chatty.

After a few sputtering starts and misfires over the past three years, I really need to be pulled back in. It's nearly Spring (we start early in Southeast Louisiana). Buds are already starting to swell on a few trees. 2020 went by in a blink. 2021 threatens to do the same. "February??? I thought it was still March!"

Taxodium distichum is my love. Someone noticed this and wants to pick my brain. Let's to it out in the open for everyone to join in.

View attachment 351985

Nice to see you posting, Bill. Hope you and yours are well.

 

[BillsBayou]

Nice to see you posting, Bill. Hope you and yours are well.

Lost my oldest daughter in 2018. Taking me a while to straighten out my head. We're getting there. Thank you.

 

[Zach Smith]

Lost my oldest daughter in 2018. Taking me a while to straighten out my head.

I'm so sorry to hear that, Bill. I didn't know. My prayers are with you.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Lost my oldest daughter in 2018. Taking me a while to straighten out my head. We're getting there. Thank you.

Deepest heartfelt condolences...to you and yours. My prayers cover you all.

 

[Bonsai Kendo]

I'm feeling chatty.

After a few sputtering starts and misfires over the past three years, I really need to be pulled back in. It's nearly Spring (we start early in Southeast Louisiana). Buds are already starting to swell on a few trees. 2020 went by in a blink. 2021 threatens to do the same. "February??? I thought it was still March!"

Taxodium distichum is my love. Someone noticed this and wants to pick my brain. Let's to it out in the open for everyone to join in.

View attachment 351985

Good morning Bill! Im brand new to the art of bonsai and what I’ve seen so far is quite interesting and I’m fascinated with what can be done to so many varieties of trees. I’m mostly interested in bald cypress bonsai. I have a few questions. Being I’m brand new to this please forgive me if my questions have simple answers.
1. Once I’ve chosen and pulled my tree out of its original place, do I wash all of the natural soil off the roots or do I leave it all together at first?
2. When potting my tree, what do you recommend using as soil? If it’s more than one type, what ratio?
3. Preferred fertilizer for bald When? How often and how much?
4. Let’s say I get this far... next winter, do I need to bring my bald cypress bonsai inside? I don’t have a greenhouse.

Theres a few questions I have for now. Thank you, BillsBayou for your time and hope to hear from you soon!

 

[Lars Grimm]

I'm terribly sorry to hear that Bill. Let's hope 2021 brings you some happiness.

One major question for you. Can you share you approach to improving ramifications on bald cypress? So often I get growths that extend but then completely die off and fall away in the winter.

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Had any success with air layers? I have a 3 year old seedling I'm considering air layering the top off of.

 

[andrewiles]

Here's a question for those in the know: what triggers bald cypress exit from dormancy?

I have my first bald cypress and it isn't budging yet, even though my dawn redwoods are showing green. Day length, temperature, other?

 

[HENDO]

Here's a question for those in the know: what triggers bald cypress exit from dormancy?

I have my first bald cypress and it isn't budging yet, even though my dawn redwoods are showing green. Day length, temperature, other?

I've seen a direct correlation between several factors and breaking dormancy such as:

1. Recently Collected VS Previously Potted: the BC potted the previous year or earlier bud out as much as a month earlier. The collected, especially chopped BC take longer to "re-program" to figure out where to pop buds lower down on the trunk.
2. Root Mass: my BC that get minimal or no root pruning that winter bud out sooner than the ones that are root pruned.
3. Watering: the wetter, the better! BUT, flushing-out/frequent-watering bud out faster rather than submerged. Others here may have had different experience with their submerged BC.
4. Sunlight: full sun all the way. Get that sap flowing.

Just my personal observations, based on experience with some nursery material and a lot of collected material.

 

[andrewiles]

Thanks @HENDO. In your experience is it ok to submerge a BC, including one just repotted and heavily root pruned, in spring before it leafs out?

Reason I asked is I just placed a nursery tree in a training tub that doesn't have drainage, since I wanted to try submerging it, but I'm hesitant to leave it in the rain outside to fill up before it starts showing growth. I suppose most folks plant it in a training tray with drainage and then put that in a tub when they want to submerge... oh well.

 

[HENDO]

Thanks @HENDO. In your experience is it ok to submerge a BC, including one just repotted and heavily root pruned, in spring before it leafs out?

Reason I asked is I just placed a nursery tree in a training tub that doesn't have drainage, since I wanted to try submerging it, but I'm hesitant to leave it in the rain outside to fill up before it starts showing growth. I suppose most folks plant it in a training tray with drainage and then put that in a tub when they want to submerge... oh well.

Honestly, I've never had one submerged before it leafed-out so can't say it's OK. I'm sure it would be fine but not sure of any advantages/disadvantages - one of the others here @BillsBayou @Mellow Mullet @Zach Smith may be able to add more input.

Me, for developing BC, I've potted both A) into a tub and drilled drain holes on the side ~1" from bottom and B) into a tub with drain holes on the bottom - submerge during growing season after leafing-out if desired. I like to simulate flood/draught cycles a bit more frequently. You could still drill holes into your tub it's not too late!

Moving a tub with no drain holes can be challenging, I had one last year like this and the tub cracked a couple of time. The soil stayed extremely mucky and I noticed poor root development likely due to a lack of oxygen, water not being fleshed-out properly.

 

[Maiden69]

Here's a question for those in the know: what triggers bald cypress exit from dormancy?

I think temperature may be a factor on them. I have 5 one year old seedlings that I planted mid a little over a week ago that the buds just started to swell, and I am in TX with 70-80 degree afternoons. I was watching Mirai live yesterday and Ryan said that he was working on the bald cypresses this week as they were barely starting to bud.

I am experimenting with them, I have 4 in shallow terracotta pots in kiryu/pumice/lava with the pots with water half way on the side of the pots, and one in akadama/kiryu/pumice not in water to see how they develop. They all came from Matt at Kaede-en, so they should be close in genetics.

 

[andrewiles]

Be great if you can update on what you find after this summer. I've read here and elsewhere that growing in water helps encourage trunk growth and knees, and as a plus it's less daily care in the summer.

I'm going to leave one of mine in the garage, where it's slightly warmer this time of year, and one outside. If they are temperature dependent that will be good to know for next year, since in my northern climate I should be able to get them started early by keeping inside until the end of dormancy.

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Thanks @HENDO. In your experience is it ok to submerge a BC, including one just repotted and heavily root pruned, in spring before it leafs out?

Reason I asked is I just placed a nursery tree in a training tub that doesn't have drainage, since I wanted to try submerging it, but I'm hesitant to leave it in the rain outside to fill up before it starts showing growth. I suppose most folks plant it in a training tray with drainage and then put that in a tub when they want to submerge... oh well.

Honestly for me I drill holes in a container for my bc and I stack that in another container without holes so if I feel my tree could use some dry time I can easily eliminate the standing water. I repotted one of my seedlings from last year maybe 3 weeks ago. It's mostly been in standing water but I drain it at least once a week so new roots don't dampen off. It's budding out on schedule with my others that didn't get repotted. I also ordered a bunch of bare root seedlings which are just now showing slight bud swelling while the others have just begun pushing. From my experience submerging definitely helps with trunk girth and root flare but my trees are too young to speak about knees

 

[BonsaiNaga13]

Honestly, I've never had one submerged before it leafed-out so can't say it's OK. I'm sure it would be fine but not sure of any advantages/disadvantages - one of the others here @BillsBayou @Mellow Mullet @Zach Smith may be able to add more input.

Me, for developing BC, I've potted both A) into a tub and drilled drain holes on the side ~1" from bottom and B) into a tub with drain holes on the bottom - submerge during growing season after leafing-out if desired. I like to simulate flood/draught cycles a bit more frequently. You could still drill holes into your tub it's not too late!

Moving a tub with no drain holes can be challenging, I had one last year like this and the tub cracked a couple of time. The soil stayed extremely mucky and I noticed poor root development likely due to a lack of oxygen, water not being fleshed-out properly.

Although they do love being submerged I prefer using mostly inorganic soil to promote root development. Like you mentioned I'll simulate flood\drought situations. Sometimes they grow better after drying out for a while. All my experience is with seedlings so I can't speak on mature trees but my seedlings look significantly larger than all the ones I've seen that aren't submerged. I ordered 25 bare root seedlings this spring and all my 1 year old seedlings were much thicker. A few of the bare root were still thin enough to wire. I never really have a chance to wire the seedlings I've started and submerged cuz they thicken too fast.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Bill I really miss your YouTube videos, you did some really good work and maybe you could ease back in by showing off some results.