Crypomania

[Victorim]

Just wanted to show a new tree, a crypomeria. Found in the forgotten corner of a nursary.

So far I've cleaned out all the dead shaded stuff ,thinned some branches to get light in and start chasing back that foliage, and got it in a grow style container.


About half way through the root work. Was nearly three hours. Yes was pretty much bare rooted.



Before any work and peeking in the bush.


Actually that last one was mid thinning.

 

[daudelus]

I like your training pot... what is it and where did you get it? Have you used them long enough to know if they hold up over time?

 

[Victorim]

I`ts a Curver storage basket. Doing my rounds on the shop floor and thought they would do nicely. Quality plastic but no idea if it will stand the test of time.

Bottom slightly domed so made a drainage hole in each corner. Meshed them and the small handle holes on each side, and cut out small holes on the bottom raised rim.

 

[Victorim]

Better photo in the sunlight.

 

[Victorim]

Sorry for a third post in row (may be sign to let the thread drift away..), but was hoping for any chime ins on proceeding with getting the foliage back down. Maybe I shouldn't have started with "showing a tree". Maybe iv`e got rose tinted googles on for the tree.. maybe i`m not liked..

Not a lot of info out there specific to crypto. So at the moment the plan is standard conifer, but with @grouper52 `s insight in non cutting and response to nutrient flow i didn't want to cut way any more foliage yet. And part of the reasoning for the full on inorganic potting ready for summer.

 

[quietobserver]

Sorry for a third post in row (may be sign to let the thread drift away..), but was hoping for any chime ins on proceeding with getting the foliage back down. Maybe I shouldn't have started with "showing a tree". Maybe iv`e got rose tinted googles on for the tree.. maybe i`m not liked..

Not a lot of info out there specific to crypto. So at the moment the plan is standard conifer, but with @grouper52 `s insight in non cutting and response to nutrient flow i didn't want to cut way any more foliage yet. And part of the reasoning for the full on inorganic potting ready for summer.

Interesting. Any additional pics with the improved lighting?.

 

[Victorim]

Interesting. Any additional pics with the improved lighting?.

Will break out the SLR tomorrow

 

[Shima]

I've not seen such a branchy one. Here and in Japan they're all straight up and huge. (Sugi, or Japanese Temple Cedar) Not a true cedar. )
Try a test branch and see if it back-buds. they love water.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I picked up a Cryptomeria last August, and have done nothing with it, but I've been reading up a little. I wrote a long spew of what I thought I remembered of my reading, then went to one of the articles I saved, and realized my essay was totally wrong.

So, I have one Cryptomeria, have done nothing with it, and really don't know what it needs. It gets watered, was sheltered in my unheated well house for the winter, as I read they were not very winter hardy.

Other than that, I don't know much more than what you will find on Bonsai4me website or on the ABS website. I need to do more research, because this one is on my calendar to do something with this year or sell it this year.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Not familiar with these. General rule for needle trees is repot earlier and one insult per season. Several appear here so survival is job number one and in question? Good luck.

 

[Victorim]

I picked up a Cryptomeria last August, and have done nothing with it, but I've been reading up a little. I wrote a long spew of what I thought I remembered of my reading, then went to one of the articles I saved, and realized my essay was totally wrong.

So, I have one Cryptomeria, have done nothing with it, and really don't know what it needs. It gets watered, was sheltered in my unheated well house for the winter, as I read they were not very winter hardy.

Other than that, I don't know much more than what you will find on Bonsai4me website or on the ABS website. I need to do more research, because this one is on my calendar to do something with this year or sell it this year.

Thanks Leo.

As I say there doesn't seem to be alot more info than basic about them on the web or the books I have.

While it's in recovery, I think I might take a bit of Anthonys standard advise and grab a little one or two from a garden center and test cutting back in different degrees.

Will update on here when (if ) there's some progress.

 

[Sn0W]

Did you ever get round to picking some up for experimenting @Victorim ? I found a little independent garden centre where they've been growing cryptomeria and birds nest spruce for years. The cryptomerias had some nice thick trunks and weren't stick straight. I picked one up with the idea of researching but I'm not bringing up a lot of info. Will post a pic tomorrow if the rain ever stops

 

[Victorim]

No I didn`t. Seamed happy enough through the rest of the season.. Getting the foliage down is going to take time and or risks.

 

[0soyoung]

Getting the foliage down is going to take time and or risks.

Or grafting (maybe).

 

[keri-wms]

I've got 'Vilmoriniana' and 'Yokohama' cultivars from garden centres and both are pretty cool dwarfs if you're looking to do grafting. May as well go for mini foliage?!

Vili is kind of weeping but only at the tops, almost self-styled branches. Yoko is very compact and more rounded tips.

The best info I've found is in Bonsai Today, not sure which issue though - I can look if you like?

 

[Victorim]

I've got 'Vilmoriniana' and 'Yokohama' cultivars from garden centres and both are pretty cool dwarfs if you're looking to do grafting. May as well go for mini foliage?!

Vili is kind of weeping but only at the tops, almost self-styled branches. Yoko is very compact and more rounded tips.

The best info I've found is in Bonsai Today, not sure which issue though - I can look if you like?

Sure. I'll probably give it this season with pruning again, but grafts may be the way to go. Maybe I should execute my idea of grabbing a small one to test complete removal. Wyvale have Crytomeria 'mushroom' ,which i think this is, the foliage is identical and explains it not having the vertical growth pattern.

 

[keri-wms]

Bonsai Today:










(based on a spreadsheet someone shared online, not my info)

 

[Paulpash]

Cuttings are pretty easy actually - about half a dozen rooted just in a trough of compost from semi hardwood cuttings. No rooting gel or talc used.

 

[Victorim]

Update: I thought I had added back in June but must have been on Oso's 3 bits of green thread.. so this was June this year. @0soyoung suggested to me I may feel happier compressing and styling while waiting for back budding, so plan B while persuading / waiting for plan A was born:

 

[Victorim]

And now revisiting, this was when I popped it on the kitchen table, about two hours before work. This was where the realisation was that this was going to be more than a few hours job

So snatching what hours I could over the last two weeks I'm finally done for now. Will be managing the foliage more closely going forward.