Cedrus Lebani pruning

maroun.c

Omono
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Hello, struggling to find good tutorials or YouTube. On how to prune cedrus lebani both for initial shaping and for building ramifications as tree progresses ? I see the branches are mostly alternating so not similar to most pines videos I've seen. Also need to learn more about pinching and decandling (if that's what it's called on cedars as I dont see a candle per se.
Appreciate any tips on schedule what to do and when for the species or any link to tutorials u might have.
Thanks
 

maroun.c

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Not really, still can't find any specific info on nuances they have and how to deal with cedars in general.
 

Rivka

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What frustrates me is out of the 3 type cedars that seem to get used in bonsai, they each have idiosyncrasies that the other two don’t.
Pair that with the tendency for the little info that is out there to be clumping them together and overgeneralize.

The end result is that I can’t really count on the info I find, because I’m often not sure which ceder they are refering to, and boy, in some topics, it really matters!
 

maroun.c

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In my case I'm sure they are cedrus lebani as they are local to us and most of my trees are nursery material.
I haven't been able to focus on specific patterns or nuances as I loose many in transition from nursery soil to bonsai soil and pot....
Agree that there is a lack of info on cedrus compared to other species
 

Rivka

Shohin
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Why do you think you are loosing them? Seems pot to pot does not have to be that bad. Or do they just hate root work that much?
 

maroun.c

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Unfortunately they soil they come in from nursery is a kind of sticky mud that attaches hard tonthe roots. So the amount of root damage is a bit excessive even when working gently with chopsticks. And it could also be that they hate rootwork.
I have tried repot on mtiple trees in early April as well as in late may/ June. Will try again in jan to see if it makes any difference.
 

Esolin

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I've never worked with cedars, but yes, I hear they hate root disturbance, and this is the main difficulty with them.

First web hit I got. Don't know how reliable this info is, or if it's helpful:
 

Forsoothe!

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I know nothing about these trees, but since the first order of business is to get the roots into some media that will allow you to enter the cycle of grow, trim top, trim roots, ad infinitum, and since you have not been successful in getting the roots free of the mother soil in any other way, I'd try to only wash away the clay. It's not easy in any instance and can't be done at one sitting, but might work.

Put the whole ball in a vessel that can be filled with water above the rootball. Every day hose off what will come off and put it back in the vessel overnight. Don't use anything to comb the roots, just wash soil off and keep the ball wet. Don't use a pressure washer, just a garden hose with a tight stream. Almost any tree can stand being soaked for a few days and full sun all day will help. Some roots are fleshy and will take this poorly, but piney roots are usually very fibrous and stringy and tough and should wash just fine. If these roots are the piney type do the whole job at one sitting. If all the clay is off in one day, decide how much root you need to keep and pot up appropriately. I'd err on the side of keeping too many because you're new to this species. If it takes days to do this, or if the roots are fleshy I'd keep them all.

Nothing is ever as easy as it sounds, so expect the worst and just persevere and maybe you'll get lucky.
 
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