Help styling podocarpus

maroun.c

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Picked up this podocarpus yesterday. Screenshot_20190822-083111_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20190822-075951_Gallery.jpg

What I'm considering for frontScreenshot_20190822-083133_Gallery.jpg

Has those 2 front branches on top of each other which I'm not sure if I should remove both or one of. Viewed from front they give a thick low pad hiding the trunk.
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Rt
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And back
A nasty surprise I hadn't noticed they had fixed the wire in the trunk and it dug in. Not sure if removing will rip the bark. I'll try to pull out but worse case any harm cutting tip and leaving the wire in?
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Plan to start pruning the leaves without any changes to the pads so I can better see the structure. I can see many new buds opening and more still to open. Is it ok to prune?
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2 major considerations are the pot, I'm not liking the hexagonal pot it's in and feel it's too big for the tree. Considering a rectangle. Is this shape and color and size ok or is it too small.Screenshot_20190822-083709_Gallery.jpg

When is the best time to repot especially that's it's not in great soil and what sequence to go with? Prune, repot ? How do.podocarpus take full barerooting? Do I change all soil or just do lower half now and upper half in a year?

Tree is currently wired, some branches have shifted in transport and I tried to refit them where they were. Believe I'll have to leave the wore for few weeks now ?
Sorry for the million questions but appreciate any advice u can give especially on plan for pruning, repotting....
Thanks
 

Potawatomi13

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Wire in trunk is small problem. Cut as close to trunk as possible and leave rather than make more damage. So much great foliage no idea how to style but would keep lowest branch as second trunk personally;). Pot choice consider second one too small and shallow. Tree overpowers and could more easily overbalance in wind. Is Podocarpus actually pine related conifer tree? Then should have more sharp edged masculine pot if so as general "rule" or practice. If not actual conifer could be more soft edged but personally would still use unglazed pot.
 

Potawatomi13

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Also: Keeping as much foliage as possible without shading out good parts will heal trunk fastest. Maybe could get small kickback from seller for damage or bargain on next tree? Personally always bargain on price unless cheap already.
 

maroun.c

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Wire in trunk is small problem. Cut as close to trunk as possible and leave rather than make more damage. So much great foliage no idea how to style but would keep lowest branch as second trunk personally;). Pot choice consider second one too small and shallow. Tree overpowers and could more easily overbalance in wind. Is Podocarpus actually pine related conifer tree? Then should have more sharp edged masculine pot if so as general "rule" or practice. If not actual conifer could be more soft edged but personally would still use unglazed pot.

Yes podocarpus is a conifer will try to find a larger rectangular non glazed pot.
 

maroun.c

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A bummer this morning.
Tried to cleanup the surface of the solid from dead leaves and moss and was shocked with the weird soil below. Some orange mud like soil and a grey like cement portion, still not hard but definitely bad..Screenshot_20190823-150434_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20190823-150446_Gallery.jpgScreenshot_20190823-150441_Gallery.jpg

Got in touch with the nursery and they explained that these trees are a new arrival and they did t pot them...

Any idea when is a good time to repot podocarpus?
Would it be ok to repot now as were in mid summer (32 degrees celsius at max and 23 at night...) 3 months still for winter where well be at around 10 degrees celsius and worse case at 4-5 for few days maybe...
Would it be ok to bare root completely or should I just do the Lower half of the soil now? And half next year?
 

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Potawatomi13

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Hard situation indeed. Personally do not fall repot but some do. Bare root risky but for sure do not wash roots bare. How about clean outer part of roots and bottom to loose root ends then pot in good draining substrate. If tree does good 1 or 2 years clean out more of root ball. In stages would be personal least risky method. Better slow than nice dead tree;).
 

maroun.c

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Hard situation indeed. Personally do not fall repot but some do. Bare root risky but for sure do not wash roots bare. How about clean outer part of roots and bottom to loose root ends then pot in good draining substrate. If tree does good 1 or 2 years clean out more of root ball. In stages would be personal least risky method. Better slow than nice dead tree;).
Understood, will do it in stages and observe tree in the mean time. Is it best to do it in autumn or when ?
 

maroun.c

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Also when doi g partial soil changes do u take the tree out of the pot.and work on one section only or do u just work on it.in the pot clearing out the soil and teasing the roots as u go deeper into the soil ?
 

Maloghurst

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Take the tree out of the pot. If you are doing half bare root then you bare root one side then the other. Not the top and bottom.
I would cut a slice off the entire bottom then clean off old soil and root prune one side. Then next year the other side.
I don’t know the species but I have half bare rooted pines. I do mine in late winter.
 
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