First Spring Questions --- Amur, Larch, Redwood

CrisisM0de

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Hello,

It looks like the cold weather is at an end here in West MI. I have a few things going on that I am curious about... First up, the new growth on a small larch. I would like to keep this larch small, not much bigger than it is now... if that is possible. I got a handful of these of similar size and this one is the most vigorous. I have identified where new shoots are growing and I am wondering if they are at the appropriate length for pinching. Also, There are several buds crowding in between the trunks, is it worth clipping most of them out now?

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The redwood has burst into life this year and is looking as unkept as ever. I have identified two young shoots that will work with an already established branch. I want to develop these shoots and make sure they are not being shaded. Is now an appropriate time to pluck away growth to help these shoots get more sun and vigor?

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The last tree is an amur maple that I chopped down at the beginning of spring. It has a low of growth. My plan was to follow the guide in Bonsai4Me: let it grow and cut back to new leaders on each trunk in the winter. However, I am curious if there anything I should be doing in the mean time? Should I wire the shoots I plan to keep? Some are already starting to lignify. Can some of these shoots be pruned now to encourage more growth in the following weeks?

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HorseloverFat

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Nice!!!

I’m digging that Amur... Awesome shape/potential! I wouldn’t prune it anymore.. if you “chopped” it already this spring...

I would set branches now, or at least the shoulders, and watch the wire carefully through the summer... get the shoulder’s shape locked in.. prune back later for the taper..
 

sorce

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I think the base of the redwood should be corrected before trying to make a beautiful tree on it. Maybe just planting it deeper could help.

The branches on that Amur should be between 2 and 4 years from thick enough to cut back to for leaders. Not sure how that B4me text reads, but "winter" doesn't mean "the very next winter".

I think these 4 branches need to be situated. You only need one of them so I would practice wiring the least valuable one first (1), break it on purpose to know that extreme, then be more careful as you do the rest. Trying to make the most valuable one(4) the best, then leave everything that doesn't break or die until they threaten the design, then cut them off to keep what ends up being the true best one.
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Sorce
 

Deep Sea Diver

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For the Redwood you can work on the tree now. Pinch/prune off the up and down ward growth. Then see if more is needed.

I’ve four one Dawn, three Coastal, yet the Giant is similar in this regard.

Pruning Redwoods in the spring and early summer is ok as long as the tree is well watered. As the the summer moves on you might want to conserve growth.

Also concur about correcting the base per @sorce. Get in this now while the growth is rampant.

Cheers
DSD sends
 

CrisisM0de

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@Deep Sea Diver @sorce Thanks for the help guys... I can clip leaves and shoots off, right at the trunk? Here are two closer images of the base... what are my options here aside burying it deeper? I had my eyes on the same 4 branches on the amur Sorce, I will follow your instructions here. It looks like B4Me does not specify if it is the next winter... probably it is not and that makes sense. @HorseloverFat thank you! What do you mean by shoulders?

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HorseloverFat

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Hehe! This is the SECOND “shoulder misunderstanding” in three days... I’ll probably modify my parlance accordingly.

I mean the chutes you would like to be future branches.. where THOSE branches meet the trunk/how and what angle they leave the tree.... “shoulders”...
🤓

(Incorporate the things that Sorce said, as well)
 

sorce

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If that is a legit twist in that root....I don't know...that's kinda interesting!

Is that trunk bendable?

Sorce
 

sorce

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Hehe! This is the SECOND “shoulder misunderstanding” in three days... I’ll probably modify my parlance accordingly.

I mean the chutes you would like to be future branches.. where THOSE branches meet the trunk/how and what angle they leave the tree.... “shoulders”...
🤓


(Incorporate the things that Sorce said, as well)

Shoulders is good.

There is probably a single Japanese word for this, adopting shoulders as ours is smarter than
mean the chutes you would like to be future branches.. where THOSE branches meet the trunk/how and what angle they leave the tree...

That's Windy!

Sorce
 

CrisisM0de

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@sorce I do not believe it can be bent. It does look like a bunch of roots are sort of tangled up in there. I wondered about clipping the long ones, just below where they meet the soil, and wiring them away from the trunk? @HorseloverFat Thank you for the clarification.

On a side note, I noticed just now that all the larches, the redwood, the amur, and the boxwood... all have these little white specks covering the top of the soil. I water all of these trees very often. These specks are not on the pines that are on a different table. Assuming it is mold... I have a bottle of spectracide triazicide, I just need to get a hose to apply it.

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sorce

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I have a bottle of spectracide triazicide, I just need to get a hose to apply it.

Your better off disposing of the "cides" in a responsible manner and choking the dude who told you it was a good idea to poison your soil with the hose!

I think that twisted root is dope.

It would be wicked cool to twist all of your branching down like that and make a statement.

Sorce
 

Deep Sea Diver

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Your better off disposing of the "cides" in a responsible manner and choking the dude who told you it was a good idea to poison your soil with the hose!

I concur…. If its not hurting anything, don’t nuke your soil!

I think that twisted root is dope.
It would be wicked cool to twist all of your branching down like that and make a statement.
Sorce

Maybe if you can find a good rock to jam against it, otherwise I’d ground layer this guy.

Cheers
DSD sends
 

Paradox

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Your better off disposing of the "cides" in a responsible manner and choking the dude who told you it was a good idea to poison your soil with the hose!

I think that twisted root is dope.

It would be wicked cool to twist all of your branching down like that and make a statement.

Sorce

If its mold, spectracide wont do anything for it. It is an insecticide, not mold treatment.
In any case it doesnt look like mold to me, it looks like sand
 

sorce

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lol admittedly its hard to tell from the pictures

I was thinking pollen or anything else of the like.

I tapped my Mugo today and it dropped pollen.

Perhaps that pine table is higher and recently downwind.

Sorce
 

Paradox

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I was thinking pollen or anything else of the like.

I tapped my Mugo today and it dropped pollen.

Perhaps that pine table is higher and recently downwind.

Sorce

That is certainly a possibility too
 

maten

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@sorce I do not believe it can be bent.
That redwood with the asymmetric twisted roots and the straight trunk strongly reminds me to a Christmas tree Ryan Neil transformed and created movement by splitting the trunk:
You might find some inspiration in it, but I have no idea how much redwood would tolerate such a torture.
 

CrisisM0de

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@sorce It was suggested to use it before storing them away for winter, but I never ended up doing it. I am surprised by the reaction to this because it came from an experienced person, I wouldn't have known better.

I think I am going to go with pollen on the soil, my sinuses would probably agree. How would you suggest I bend branches, wrap them back around the branch? I don't know whats going on under the moss on the trunk, it might be empty space or just some dirt. Is it worth picking the moss off and investigating?

@HorseloverFat I am not sure I want to close any gaps, wouldn't that take away from the claw foot? Thank you for the explanation of shoulders, I think it's a good term!
 
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