My Bald Cypress Flat Top project

Vin

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Got some organic potting mix tonight and my anderson flat is all ready for the new arrival next week.

Its like Christmas!
You may want to mix in some Perlite or Pumice with your potting soil (around 50/50). Just a thought.
 

JudyB

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Got some organic potting mix tonight and my anderson flat is all ready for the new arrival next week.

Its like Christmas!
I used mushroom compost with really nice results. Enjoy your new tree!
 

JoeR

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Is it okay to chop a bald cypress now or should I wait till spring? About 1/3 of the foliage will be left.
 

JoeR

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When is your first frost? It's probably ok, but I would have done it earlier this year. Can you wait until next year?
I havr no idea when my first frost is. All I know is Im in usda 8a.

I would have done it earlier too except I didnt know what I wad going to do with it.
 

Giga

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I'm not to far from your location and for major chops I'd wait till spring to mid summer, at least that's when I've had great success.
 

Paradox

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Pretty weird getting a large stick in the mail with a few sparse roots and twigs coming out of it. I feel like I just planted a baseball bat....lol
 

Dav4

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I removed most of the wires this morning as it was biting in in many spots. I knew they thickened quickly but wasn't planning on de-wiring after 4 weeks...yikes! New foliage is pushing from wherever the old foliage was removed or damaged during the initial work, and all the cut cambium has already callused over. These trees have amazing vigor when they're healthy.
DSCF3376.jpg DSCF3373.jpg DSCF3375.jpg
 

Dav4

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Hey
Looking good Dave!! Use that vigor to your advantage!!
Hey John! I was actually going to PM you, but decided that I might as well ask my question here. You obviously know my end goal with this one, so I'm wondering what if anything should be done to this one now verses later this year. It's been wired and de-wired twice in the last year, the main branches are basically set excluding one way down on the trunk that needs a lot of growing on. The goal as I see it is now is to start developing the secondary and tertiary branching, but I'm not sure if I should be pinching back the strong growth high on the trunk verses defoliating verses both at different times this summer. What would you do if this one was sitting in your yard? Thanks.
 

sikadelic

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Looking great! Any tips for carving the top? My tree has about 6 inches of stump above the foliage that will eventually be the apex. I have never carved before and know I need to do it but haven't found the courage (or the tools).
 

Dav4

Drop Branch Murphy
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Looking great! Any tips for carving the top? My tree has about 6 inches of stump above the foliage that will eventually be the apex. I have never carved before and know I need to do it but haven't found the courage (or the tools).
Well, I studied what Johng had done with his, picked my main branches for the apex, plugged my die grinder in with a kutzall coarse wheel bit in the chuck and went to town. Basically, I used the branches as a template for removing the wood, started in the middle and slowly removed the wood, tapering the cut toward the upper branches and down toward the lower branches. When I was done, I covered the edges with duct seal paste. It's my first time working the top of a flat chopped cypress like this but I'm pretty happy with the results.
 

miker

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Dav4,that has to be one of the nicest bases/trunks on bonsai material that I have seen. Those first two photos in post # 71 just have me in awe. I have a feeling that I am never going to be satisfied with a bald cypress until I can achieve the fluted nebari and taper that this tree has. Do the trunks develop in this manner when grown in swampy conditions, better than just regular moist but not muddy soil?

Also, where do you purchase those Anderson flats?
 
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