Bald Cypress Q&A

[Cajunrider]

I am finally having a tiny bit of time to get back into bonsai so in here I go.
I'm sorry to hear about your daughter Bill. May she rest in heavenly peace.
I planted a bunch of bald cypress on my land and germinated dozens more. After Laura and Delta hurricanes, I am now speeding up the timeline for getting rid of my land. So I now have a couple dozen bald cypress seedlings in pots to develop into bonsai. I don't have any questions on BC right now but I am sure I will soon enough.

It is good to see your posts.

Best to you Bill.

 

[John P.]

I have a question for Bill or others ...

This is my first conifer, which will become apparent with my question. I picked it up at a nursery last week.

In any event, if I trunk chopped under the branches, would the the lower needles extend into branches?

 

[Mellow Mullet]

I have a question for Bill or others ...

This is my first conifer, which will become apparent with my question. I picked it up at a nursery last week.

In any event, if I trunk chopped under the branches, would the the lower needles extend into branches?

View attachment 365918
View attachment 365919

View attachment 365920

No, they won't, those are just leaves. If you do chop it, it will sprout many branches all over what is left, some from where the leaves originate. I would not chop it yet, but would let it grow out some more and thicken the trunk.

John

 

[John P.]

No, they won't, those are just leaves. If you do chop it, it will sprout many branches all over what is left, some from where the leaves originate. I would not chop it yet, but would let it grow out some more and thicken the trunk.

John

Got it, thanks. What do you suggest for fertilizer?

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Osmocoat extended release, and occasionally miracle grow. I grow my bald cypress with the roots completely submerged in a tub of water the whole growing season, it really helps the trunk in buling up.

 

[Sekibonsai]

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

My condolences. Burying your children is a shit club no one wants to be in. I lost my 14 year old on in 2010. It left me dead inside and I walked away (literally) from my bonsai collection for several years. A friend took me collecting and helped with the healing and renewed my passion. It never truly heals but it does get better.

 

[Carol 83]

Burying your children is a shit club no one wants to be in.

No, the membership dues are heartbreakingly steep. Lost my daughter in 2010 also. Seems like a long time ago and like yesterday at the same time....

 

[Maiden69]

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.

Well, there will be no update to this. We had a hail storm a few weeks ago and 2 of the seedlings died, one of the ones in water and the one on a regular pot. Sucks because within a few weeks of planting them there was a clear evidence that the ones in water were taking off way faster than the one in the regular pot. I think I have some picture of that, I will try to upload later.

I ordered a 1 gal tree from a nursery, I was looking at buying some flowering quince and they had the 1 gal BC trees for $25 so I decided to get it as most sellers online want around $40 for them. I hope it is not root bound because it is too late to repot, but if not I think I will take the bottom of the container off, or make a few bigger holes and place it in a small water tub.

 

[BonsaiGnome]

Bummer.
But if you gotta die; die with your roots on!

 

[Bonsai Turtle]

Hi,

I recently acquired 3 BCs that were at one time in 50 gal pots, where removed but the person’s landlord didn’t allow to plant. I got them without pots with rootball exposed. The trees have leafed out and our temps can flirt with the 90s already. Central Florida (9b).

Is it appropriate for them to right now to:
1-root prune?
2-trunk chop?
3-just place in a bigger pot and wait until a better time?

 

[Sekibonsai]

Hi,

I recently acquired 3 BCs that were at one time in 50 gal pots, where removed but the person’s landlord didn’t allow to plant. I got them without pots with rootball exposed. The trees have leafed out and our temps can flirt with the 90s already. Central Florida (9b).

Is it appropriate for them to right now to:
1-root prune?
2-trunk chop?
3-just place in a bigger pot and wait until a better time?

Just go with the bigger pot. All the rest you can do when they begin to wake up from dormancy.

 

[Bonsai Turtle]

Just go with the bigger pot. All the rest you can do when they begin to wake up from dormancy.

Thanks...they are no longer dormant, what I meant by “leafed out” is that they have full leaves not even buds.

 

[Sekibonsai]

Thanks...they are no longer dormant, what I meant by “leafed out” is that they have full leaves not even buds.

I got what you meant. I meant like next dormant season. I'll defoliate and wire out an established tree in May or June here in SE TX but won't touch the roots except early spring. There are folks that collect in mid summer but I've never been brave enough to do that or repot.

 

[Bonsai Turtle]

I got what you meant. I meant like next dormant season. I'll defoliate and wire out an established tree in May or June here in SE TX but won't touch the roots except early spring. There are folks that collect in mid summer but I've never been brave enough to do that or repot.

Gotcha, thanks

 

[Lawnsai]

I'm so glad I found your thread Bill! I have my first Bald Cypress, my wife and I bought it pre-potted from a bonsai nursery. Its slightly bigger than the above picture. I would like to develop it into a formal upright with a wide trunk and some knees. Since it is already potted and "bonsai'd" and because of what we want to do, I am considering taking it out of the pot and putting it in the ground in a holed tub that keeps the rootball intact, but allows for root growth peripherally. That way I can get a nice big trunk and then cut it down to size.

Do you have any hard fast rules for Bald Cypress care or timing of care?

 

[just.wing.it]

@BillsBayou!
I hope you're doing well my man.... come back to us Bill!

 

[Elknok]

A few quick questions:
When submerging a BC in water how high should the water line be? Should it be above the soil line?
Can BCs develop root rot?

Thanks,
Chase