Just got two more bald cypress

[Vinnie Charity]

Very nice @Cajunrider!!! One of my Bald Cypress I'm planning to grow out and plant it in a pot by itself (the others will be a forest planting).

I'm thinking of using a rebar to straighten the trunk as it has a few minor twists in it. I want it perfectly straight. I'll be tying the tree to the rebar with wire and tubing, or maybe a cut up fan belt and wire.

My question is, the rebar is bound to rust, even if I paint it. Just concerned that it may harm the tree, but what do you think?

 

[Cajunrider]

Very nice @Cajunrider!!! One of my Bald Cypress I'm planning to grow out and plant it in a pot by itself (the others will be a forest planting).

I'm thinking of using a rebar to straighten the trunk as it has a few minor twists in it. I want it perfectly straight. I'll be tying the tree to the rebar with wire and tubing, or maybe a cut up fan belt and wire.
eas
My question is, the rebar is bound to rust, even if I paint it. Just concerned that it may harm the tree, but what do you think?

I've seen rebars used lots of times on bonsai. My guess is that it does no harm. Perhaps more knowledgeable people can answer that for us.

 

[Vinnie Charity]

I've seen rebars used lots of times on bonsai. My guess is that it does no harm. Perhaps more knowledgeable people can answer that for us.

I've only seen it done once by Michael Hagedorn on his Ezo Spruce, but since I'll be submerging this tree, I wanted opinions from others before I attempted it...

 

[David Nelams]

I’m trying to find out what type of trays Bill used in his videos when he transplanted his Bald Cypress. Not sure if they’re plastic or not,looks like it. Anyway I would appreciate it if you could please help me out with this,Thanks

 

[Cajunrider]

Most people use the heavy duty plastic tray sold at Home Depot for cement mixing. I use the bottoms of 55 gal plastic drums.

 

[Cajunrider]

Pics or it didn't happen, lol...

Bottom of the redo layer now got a lot of shoots.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Rust will not hurt your bonsai tree. Basically it is harmless. To a small degree, rust will provide iron as a nutrient to the BC.

 

[Vinnie Charity]

Rust will not hurt your bonsai tree. Basically it is harmless. To a small degree, rust will provide iron as a nutrient to the BC.

Well, that's all I needed to hear, thanks for that @Leo in N E Illinois, your wisdom is always appreciated...

 

[Cajunrider]

Bottom of the redo layer now got a lot of shoots.
View attachment 235325

Top of redo air layer finally shows life.

 

[Stormwater]

got any followup photos on this?

 

[Cajunrider]

got any followup photos on this?

Here they are. Picture taken a few months ago. The one in the front is the air layer. It is now the biggest and is more than 8ft tall with a 3” base. The original trees are actually healthy but smaller believe it or not.

 

[hinmo24t]

these airlayer fairly easy, @Cajunrider? mine would be a dawn redwood actually... figured id ask before hardcut in spring im planning. thanks, lovely trees

 

[Cajunrider]

these airlayer fairly easy, @Cajunrider? mine would be a dawn redwood actually... figured id ask before hardcut in spring im planning. thanks, lovely trees

They air layer very easily. However, I recommend against doing the air layer of the main trunk to get two trees before doing trunk chop, which is what many would consider to get two trees. When I do that, the growth of the main tree is essentially delayed for about 6 months to a year. If that's OK with you then go ahead. If you want rapid development of your BC, I say just chop it and move on. You can see in my picture that my air layer is actually bigger than the mother tree now. The one good thing about the air layer is that an air layer done well get you even flare out roots. The root base of my air layer is very radial.

 

[hinmo24t]

They air layer very easily. However, I recommend against doing the air layer of the main trunk to get two trees before doing trunk chop, which is what many would consider to get two trees. When I do that, the growth of the main tree is essentially delayed for about 6 months to a year. If that's OK with you then go ahead. If you want rapid development of your BC, I say just chop it and move on. You can see in my picture that my air layer is actually bigger than the mother tree now. The one good thing about the air layer is that an air layer done well get you even flare out roots. The root base of my air layer is very radial.

cool, thanks!