Brazilian raintree flat top

c54fun

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I decided to take advantage of one of the long shoots growing upward for a new upper branch. Decided to remove the 2nd main branch from the bottom. After removing it there was a big bare spot but I was able to use one of the shoots to fill in the spot. It will grow out fast. Also pulled each branch towards the gap. I will let it fill in then get some better pictures after a good cleaning and a final trim. Will grind the nub off at a later date. Also will be moving the main pad to the left some. Wanting to fill in the lower pad more to cover some ugly spots.
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janaiya

Yamadori
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Hi, I am new to BRT and love yours, they look strong and healthy and you have a fantastic eye of pruning and layering. I am in S Florida so I think you can help me out how best to get over the first weeks with my big BRT tree. Going quite through some trouble with what I guess is normal, its a learning process.
However since you are in Texas, do you wait for re pot and pruning until early summer or you don't?
Do you use organic fertilizer (looks like it and if what's the name?) and do you think I can use fertilizer right now to help getting his strength back?
 

c54fun

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Hi, I am new to BRT and love yours, they look strong and healthy and you have a fantastic eye of pruning and layering. I am in S Florida so I think you can help me out how best to get over the first weeks with my big BRT tree. Going quite through some trouble with what I guess is normal, its a learning process.
However since you are in Texas, do you wait for re pot and pruning until early summer or you don't?
Do you use organic fertilizer (looks like it and if what's the name?) and do you think I can use fertilizer right now to help getting his strength back?
I re pot in the summer. A healthy tree will produce lots and lots of roots. Mine can fill a pot in a year.

I use many different kinds of fertilizers. Both chemical and organic. When I use organic I start with just a couple of piles and then increase the amounts when I feel the time is right. The organic I like is Biogold. Its expensive but the cridders don't steel it from the pots like some of the others I've used.

For me at this time of the year i don't give it to much fertilizer. When I do its usually fish and kelp mix. With you being in South Florida you could use organics year around. Do be careful with the chemical fertilizer.

Tons of info on this site. Ask lots and lots of questions.
 

janaiya

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Awesome, thx for fast reply. I will try fish and sea kelp mix just to give a little help to get him back on track
 

janaiya

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I was going to put this tree in a grow box but decided to re pot it into a large pot that I was going to use for another tree. Will keep it in this pot for a couple of years then put it back into a smaller pot that fits the tree well. Hopping it will like the bigger pot and get some good growth the next couple of years. After it settles into this pot I will do some needed trimming and some wiring.
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What is the top layer you used here? It looks better than the mix. Is it for looks or has a further meaning?
 

Sthlmbonsai

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Beautiful trees! I’ve just ordered seeds from eBay that should be here any day now. Any advices on propagating and managing these beauties?
As far as growing inside during winter, will grow lights be sufficient or do I need more rigging? Humidifier?
 

c54fun

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What is the top layer you used here? It looks better than the mix. Is it for looks or has a further meaning?
That's a layer of red lava rock. More for looks than anything.
 
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c54fun

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Beautiful trees! I’ve just ordered seeds from eBay that should be here any day now. Any advices on propagating and managing these beauties?
As far as growing inside during winter, will grow lights be sufficient or do I need more rigging? Humidifier?
I've never worked with seads so I would be just guessing. Maybe someone else will jump in with the answers.
 

janaiya

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What is the top layer you used here? It looks better than the mix. Is it for looks or has a further meaning?

I would like to know how
stunning BRT and awesome color

So how do you maintain your BRT to
I would recommend NOT to defoliate Raintrees if you want them to be thick and lush - like this one.
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So how do you maintain your BRT to look like yours. So you never defoliate but you only prune it quite often because the leaves are small and it looks awesome. I would really like to know how I need to prune it to become thick and lush like yours. Would you mind? Also do you use a certain fertilizer to have such a wonderful green color? Wish I can get mine to have such a rich healthy green.
 

janaiya

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That's a layer of red lava rock. More for looks than anything.

I need to know what wire to use for my smaller BRT . What is the best wire to use and should I consider different sizes depending on the thickness of branches or is there a basic size what works best for the more younger ones? Any specific link online where I can order?
What about guy wire? I have seen the nursery where I bought mine using it on BRT's, but forgot to ask them what to buy
 

choppychoppy

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I would like to know how


So how do you maintain your BRT to


So how do you maintain your BRT to look like yours. So you never defoliate but you only prune it quite often because the leaves are small and it looks awesome. I would really like to know how I need to prune it to become thick and lush like yours. Would you mind? Also do you use a certain fertilizer to have such a wonderful green color? Wish I can get mine to have such a rich healthy green.

I use sumo cakes and I only use guy wires and pruning. I let grow then cut back hard. I let the leaves yellow and then hose them off as the new buds form.
 

janaiya

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I use sumo cakes and I only use guy wires and pruning. I let grow then cut back hard. I let the leaves yellow and then hose them off as the new buds form.

I am just learning, what are sumo cakes? I just found it. That's organic? If organic, that's exactly what I was looking for. Will wildlife eat them and should I get those baskets to avoid that?
What kind should I order? Thank you for your info. Sorry for all those questions. :)
 
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choppychoppy

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I am just learning, what are sumo cakes? I just found it. That's organic? If organic, that's exactly what I was looking for. Will wildlife eat them and should I get those baskets to avoid that?
What kind should I order? Thank you for your info. Sorry for all those questions. :)

I use the standard sumo cake - cakes and granulated - and I don't have any problems with wildlife.
 

janaiya

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awesome, appreciated, just ordered them. I did a research on mushrooms (mycelium) and their benefits for trees,plants, oceans, soil,wildlife and for us as well. Figure bees are feeding
on the mycelium and are able to heal their toxic bodies from pesticides.
Its quite amazing. It is able to safe our planet if people would know about it. Its real interesting stuff.
https://fungi.com/blogs/articles/mushrooms-and-mycelium-help-the-microbiome
 

janaiya

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OMG so cute. I have a little Gecco hanging out in mine. Today he watched me watering and came to drink. So cool. But was not able to catch a shot from him because this always happens when you don't have your phone on you.
 

Forsoothe!

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I respectfully disagree that "letting it grow out" is anything but a loss of ramification opportunity and waste of potential wood. BR, et al grow long "bull canes" that don't contribute to the ramification because you wind up cutting almost all of it off, -and starting all over. A better strategy is to stand there with your scissors and snip the leader when the new stem has reached 3 parts: the first set of leaflets out and flat, second set straight out at the tip and mostly, but not entirely unfolded, and the leader mid-way between the two looking like a tiny ball of green. The tiny ball should be pinched or snipped off at that time. That will do two things: the two sets of leaflets will pretty much stop getting bigger, and a secondary bud somewhere else will begin growing that would not have grown at that time.

Of course, you will have to do this, everyday, until there are as many new growth points/amount of leaf surface as the plant wants. When that point is reached, all the leaflets will be smaller than normal with shorter internodes, and there will be many more of them making the canopy more dense with smaller leaves. The mass of the lost material that you removed will be a very small fraction compared to the mass you remove after a "let grow" cycle. The plant will get bigger by the same factor as the smaller amount of its growth that was not removed. And, you get ramification, the mother of taper.
 
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