Help me not kill these Hinoki Cypress

Atom#28

Chumono
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These were marked down at Lowe’s, $20 each. They’re in 9.5 gallon pots. I know hinoki are not good material for noobs, but at that price I couldn’t say no! (The skinniest is the “golden” variety Aurea)



Questions:
1) they’re balled in burlap. Should I try repotting now, or let them grow till next spring? (Average overnight temps are 45F, daytime 69F)

2) care tags don’t indicate the proper amount of sun/ shade. Anyone know what Hinoki like re: light/heat/wind, etc?

3) styling ideas?

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Deep Sea Diver

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Hinoki Cypress like rich forest loam, so you should be good keeping these in the same soil they came in until you repot in the spring. They are a bit moisture loving, but use due diligence when watering, don’t overwater, yet be sure to keep the soil from drying out.

Here’s some other characteristics that may help get you started.... make especial note about failure to backbud on old wood...

Good Luck,
DSD sends
 

Underdog

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These were marked down at Lowe’s, $20 each.
What a deal! Good luck.
Here is a thread on my attempts to kill one. Maybe get some tips on what not to do here. LOL
 

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Hartinez

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Hartinez

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If they were in my backyard I would repot one for sure and leave the other two. I would think that because your daytime temps are not terribly hot it shouldn’t be a major problem for a heavy repot. The article above talks about after care for a repot.
 

Bonsai Nut

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Great bargain!

Though I agree with what @Deep Sea Diver is saying about loam soil, I'm not sure you really know what soil these trees are in. They have been removed from the field, balled up in burlap, and then slip-potted into plastic nursery pots with a small layer of decent soil around the outside. If they were mine, I would gently remove them from those plastic pots, cut off the burlap, and then see what condition the soil and roots are in. If they are in loam, great. They don't need to be repotted immediately. If they are in clay, I'd repot them as cautiously as possible while trying not to trim roots or reduce foliage.

If you go into the heat of the summer with those trees in balls of clay surrounded by free-draining loam, you are asking for trouble.
 

Hartinez

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I just bought a nursery Hinoki in BnB. And as @Bonsai Nut said it could be, it was in the thickest muddiest clay. I chose to remove all of it. Using a chopstick and gentle spray of water. I found a very large amount of bright white, healthy roots and cut NONE of them. Repotted in a pumice heavy mix and tied into an Anderson flat VER WELL. I I placed in dappled sun light and am misting often. This was only 4 days ago though so we shall see what happens. I’m confident in a strong response.
 

Atom#28

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Thanks to everyone who responded. All VERY helpful!! I have more questions, please.

1) What are the elements for proper substrate mix for hinoki? I hear they are relatively thirsty compared to other conifers. I was planning to use one part 1/8”-1/4” pumice and one part pine bark.

2) I don’t have Anderson flats. Ok to repot into the same nursery pot with new substrate? Or other, better options to consider? I do have some wooden grow boxes.
 

WNC Bonsai

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I have a couple in pots and a yard full of them! The local soil is sandy loam and most are in part sun. My bonsai are in a mix of pumice, hadite, pine bark in a 1:1:2 ratio. Hinoki like it on the moist side and when I repot I mist them regularly, often several times a day at first until I see healthy growth. They can take a lot of root reduction as long as you mist the foliage afterwards on a regular basis. I keep them in part shade where they get morning sun and are protected from afternoon sun. Never have had ant problems.
 

Hartinez

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Hoping @Vance Wood weighs in. He emphasizes that they love water but don’t want to be soaked. Never dry. He uses the saying, water in, water out, oxygen in. He says something like that at least. I would say, keep them moist but not wet and def not dry. Mist often after repot and keep in dappled sun for several weeks till you see signs of growth. Did you check out that article “taming the Hinoki cypress”?
 

Atom#28

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Did you check out that article “taming the Hinoki cypress”?
Yes, very helpful article. I will be referring back to it often! I took the day off work to check my trees’ roots and sift some new soil :)
 

Atom#28

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Oh I also read the thread @Underdog shared. Very helpful, indeed. And what a master class in perseverance!
So I pulled one of mine from the pot and scraped away some of the soil to reveal the driest, most compact clay I’ve seen. The roots are healthy all around the outside of ball, so I don’t know what to do now!

do I continue to dig into that clay ball and remove it as much as possible now? I’ll have to cut a lot of the growing tips to accomplish that.

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Underdog

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If you go into the heat of the summer with those trees in balls of clay surrounded by free-draining loam, you are asking for trouble.
I'd saw off the bottom third/half, soak in a tub of water and try to rinse out well with a hose.
 

WNC Bonsai

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I sawed off the bottom third on mine then cut some pie wedges in the remainder and left the rest as it was. The fibrous root mass was just too thick to clean out completely. In subsequent years I have moved it into progressively smaller bonsai pots, reducing the roots each time. I plan on two years between each root reduction.
 

Atom#28

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So I discovered that once you get access to the clay ball, you can excavate it out without disturbing too much of the live root mass.

All potted up, in the shade, resting in their new homes.

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