My 1st Bald Cypress - I would appreciate your suggestions.

[mike sommers]

I bought this as a pre-bonsai four months ago and it has grown like a weed since I cut it back. I have a few issues with it and I'm hoping that you can give me suggestions on how to deal with them.

(1) I'm considering removing the root that protrudes from the front. It looks distracting to me.
(2) Is there a way to encourage more roots to develop at the base?
(3) Since the front is almost bare of branches would thread grafting be a possible remedy?
(4) The section where the new apex meets the trunk doesn't look natural. I'm thinking that if I hollow out a small section at the cut might help hide the blemish.
(5) The pot it's in is only temporary. It seems too deep. What size and shape would you recommend?

OK, I've said enough. Your suggestions and guidance will be greatly appreciated.

 

[edprocoat]

To hide the transition up top you need to let it grow tall and chop back. These fill in fairly quick and in a summer the top leader could easily grow 3-4 feet which would probably fill that wound. At that point you need to cut back to as low a leader as you can and start over. I would be leery of removing that large root before it has developed a strong root system. I seen thread grafting successfully done on a Bald Cypress on a Bonsai blog, but when this takes off its likely to sprout branches all over. When they are healthy and well fed they will backbud like a weed.

ed

 

[Cadillactaste]

I'd be more apt to just out the root that you find distracting...at the back of the tree. Or where it's not right out in front. There is a reason for a front and a back.

 

[Eric Group]

I recommend you get a tray of water to keep it in. These guys don't like drying out at all! This is not something you want to treat like a regular Juniper/ Pine Bonsai in a fast draining/ drying all inorganic mix. They grow in swamps naturally with their roots full submersed in water for most/ all of their lives. Sure, pot culture is different from natural habitat, but the tree's preferences don't change... This isn't a tree that just "can tolerate" wet roots, it prefers that habitat.

Yours appears real healthy, so I assume you know what you are doing, just tossing my $.02 in...

Aside from that, I think a larger pot would be appropriate to grow this one out a little more/ faster. As was recommended above- grow a leader off the top to cover that wound, OR embrace it and carve it out... Some of the coolest ones I have seen are wearing large scars down from the top. A friend of mine has one that is hollowed out from top to base.. Really cool tree! Much much larger than this one...

 

[sorce]

The last pic shows a lot of branches comimg out by the cut.

Good to help heal but it seems they are going to give your cut site some " big hips"that might make the transition worse.

Id cut off the 2 left ones. But I don't know cypress.

Sorce

 

[Zach Smith]

I bought this as a pre-bonsai four months ago and it has grown like a weed since I cut it back. I have a few issues with it and I'm hoping that you can give me suggestions on how to deal with them.

(1) I'm considering removing the root that protrudes from the front. It looks distracting to me.
(2) Is there a way to encourage more roots to develop at the base?
(3) Since the front is almost bare of branches would thread grafting be a possible remedy?
(4) The section where the new apex meets the trunk doesn't look natural. I'm thinking that if I hollow out a small section at the cut might help hide the blemish.
(5) The pot it's in is only temporary. It seems too deep. What size and shape would you recommend?

OK, I've said enough. Your suggestions and guidance will be greatly appreciated.

Some suggestions, Mike.

1. The root is distracting. Question: is there a set of radial roots below the soil surface you could expose when repotting?
2. See above, otherwise it's a lengthy process which may or may not benefit from sitting in a tray of water. The basal flare of cypress usually occurs as part of the maturing/growing process.
3. I'd be amazed if you got no budding in the front next growing season. Bald cypress are prolific in that regard.
4. The cut in the apex is most likely going to give you a reverse taper as it was angled too soon. You only have two options: either re-cut straight and redevelop properly or keep growth in the apex under tight control over the next few years to minimize rolling over as it heals. This latter option may or may not work, only time will tell. If you choose to go this route, next spring cut the new growth in the apex back to a length three times its diameter. Seal the cut. When the new apical bud extends, keep it in check and do the same for any lateral buds.
5. I'd stick with the deep pot for another year or two as you develop the tree, then go to a pot as deep as the trunk base is wide. I'd choose a pot a little longer than for a bigger tree, to help give the impression it's bigger than it is. An oval or round will work fine.

Good luck. It's a nice smaller cypress.

Zach

 

[Si Nguyen]

Nice tree Mike. Thanks for showing it.

You need to start over from the beginning when ever you get a new tree such as this. You need to take a fresh look at it. Try to ignore the design that was imposed on it by the previous owner. So, for starting a new bonsai, one should always start work in this order:
1. Nebari
2. Trunk line
3. Direction of apex
4. Branching location and style
5. Foliage pad size

So at this point, you should ignore all the branches and just concentrate on the nebari and try to pick the best looking front, before chopping off any roots. In other word, the previous owner may not have chosen the best front for this tree. First, expose the soil to see if there are any more roots to work with. I have a feeling there may be a better front for this tree, one that would allow you to keep that big root instead of chopping it.

Good luck.