Early fall Hinoki root job.

M. Frary

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This one of my Hinokis. Hinoki "Kosteri" My wife and daughters got it for me for fathers day last year. It was balled and burlapped in clay. I rinsed all of the clay off essentially bare rooting the tree in June. I put it in the collander with a plastic saucer under the roots to make them flat. It was filled with 100% Napa oil dri.
 

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M. Frary

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I cut guy wires and remove the moss. I use moss on every container. Four reasons.
It looks cool.
It holds in moisture.
It insulates the soil from heat.
And it promotes roots on the surface of the container.
 

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M. Frary

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Out of the collander to get a look at the roots. And... very nice! Really liking the oil dri collander combo. Fine feeders all the way around. And thick and flat. Perfect for what comes next.
 

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M. Frary

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This is what comes next. A cut back to be fit into this pot. I trimmed all that were pointing down and cut back the sides to fit into this pot.
About that pot. It has the right length length and width but is not the final pot. I'm tree rich and pot poor. There will be an unglazed oval coming this winter for this tree.
I can cut these roots back like this without fear because of the sheer amount growing in that collander and the oil dri.
 

M. Frary

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Did it again!
 

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M. Frary

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And finally the finished product all wired in and missed up. It will stay here all next year and get its final pot the spring after. This spring coming it gets a final trim and wire job. I believe it's had enough for one year.
And about that trunk. It was a gift from my family so I love it. It's a crap shoot layering these. I'm going to experiment with ground layering arborvites next year. If I can make it work then these can be layered right under the graft and then it can be hidden.
 

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M. Frary

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What is your mix of Diatomaceous Earth?

100% for hinoki cypress,hawthorn and Siberian elms. Everything else is in 80% oil dri and 20% turkey grit. The trees in 100% are the ones that like more moisture. I water everyday even if it rains with no over watering problems at all. I use oil dri because it can be obtained cheaply and easily but mainly because it works excellent.
 

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Looks nice. Did you just repot it? Ive got a small one that I should have done earlier in the year and it got away from me... Id love to be able to do it now if it wont kill it.
 

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Hi Mike,
I do not want to upset you, but there are 2 things worth mentioning. There were too many roots removed from this tree at one time. Also, hinoki need their full strength going into winter because of severe dieback. Which is why I recommend never styling hinoki in the Fall. I am not sure this tree will be able to handle regular wintering conditions with the reduced root ball. Also, even though you did not root prune 1 year ago, you still essentially bare rooted it and repotted it. Doing more root work, especially this much 1 year later, is a huge gamble.

Hinoki are best repotted in early to late spring. The best time to style and do heavy branch removal is late mid spring into early Summer. This is because at this time, you will know what you will be left with after winter. I am hoping this tree does well in the future.

Rob
 
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Paradox

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And there is Rob to answer my question....:p
 

M. Frary

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Hi Mike,
I do not want to upset you, but there are 2 things worth mentioning. There were too many roots removed from this tree at one time. Also, hinoki need their full strength going into winter because of severe dieback. Which is why I recommend never styling hinoki in the Fall. I am not sure this tree will be able to handle regular winterering conditions with the reduced root ball. Also, even though you did not root prune 1 year ago, you still essentially bare rooted it and repotted it. Doing more root work, especially this much 1 year later is a huge gamble.

Hinoki are best repotted in early to late spring. The best time to style and do heavy branch removal is late mid spring into early Summer. This is because at this time, you will know what you will be left with after winter. I am hoping this tree does well in the future.

Rob

Not upsetting at all Rob. I was waiting for someone to bring this up. I've done this before. In fact on another better tree last fall. In my experience the roots are vigorous in fall on these. Maybe because they aren't really hinoki roots at all. Just cedar. And maybe it's the way I overwinter them but I've yet to experience die back at all. Also I didn't touch the top at all. I'm confident it will make it with flying colors or I would have never touched it. We will all see though!
 

M. Frary

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Hinoki cypress is the first tree I ever turned into a bonsai 25 or so years ago. I abused that thing to no end. It was a Nana on it's own roots too. I didn't know a thing at the time and was going off of an old book from the county library. It was my only resource for bonsai at the time. I had that tree for over 5 years until I went on a vacation and my trees didn't get watered and died. That hinoki lived in a mix of sand,compost and gravel picked from my driveway. The first year I kept it inside all winter.
In my experience with hinoki cypress they are a lot tougher than everyone thinks. Or maybe they like me as much as I like them. Even when looking at nurseries for other species I always check out the hinoki selection first and if I see one I like it will be mine. I have 9 out there now even though they aren't zoned for my area. They call to me if that makes sense to anyone.
 

Txhorticulture

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Graft union

What's interesting about the graft is that it isn't grafted on Chamaecyparis roots, at least not to my eye. It is almost definitely grafted on thuja occidentalis (eastern white cedar) because they are compatible and that rootstock is more vigorous and widely available than Hinoki.

I agree the safer thing might be sort of a ground layer - make some slits in the bark dust with hormone see if that thuja rootstock will root then bury then bury the union. I wonder if now is good time since it's still warm enough for roots to grow and you just chopped roots (so it wants to grow roots)
 

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... sort of a ground layer - make some slits in the bark dust with hormone see if that thuja rootstock will root then bury then bury the union.

Interesting .... Thuja occidentalis ground layers just like an azalea? I never wouldathunkit. Thanks for that info.

On the other hand, chamacyparus obtusa can supposedly be girdle-layered (remove a ring of bark and the residual cambium/xylem-initials) with 3% IBA. I will be attempting my first next season.
 

Txhorticulture

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Don't thank me..

I'm not sure if it will work. I think its possible and a relatively safe option because if it fails there is just a few scars on the already conspicuous graft union.

The reference manual of woody plant propagation (or my out of date copy at least) says cuttings from the the species can be taken starting now. 3000 to 8000 ppm IBA (thats a strong formulation btw) treatment similar to junipers (cool tops warm bottoms).

That book doesn't mention layering thuja, but that's because it's a reference for professional propagators. Layering is a bonsai and home gardener thing mostly. Cuttings and grafting are easier, cheaper, more efficient for the pros.

If you're creative / clever i think it could be done....
 
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