Pimpin' and Shimpin'

[GrimLore]

Vance been successful in "summer".
I've read they do em last in Japan.
But some people do em here earlier.

You can and sometimes "must" do a repot even if it the so-called "wrong time" of year. I would strongly suggest if you repot in Summer that you don't do anything else to it except keep it out of direct sun for the first week or so...
We don't have a long growing season so in general earlier would be better giving the plant more recovery time.
Overworking them when they are far from mature and acclimated can and often does kill them so just use this as a way of learning "little steps"...

Grimmy

 

[Vance Wood]

@Vance Wood Are you repotting any shimps this summer?
I'm looking to repot this ON father's day...
Or Closer to July 10th...
A moon thing.

Is July too late?

Sorce

You can bet on it. I will be potting some Shimps and most likely a large Procumbens I will be doing latter this summer when Mike comes down for our show. It is like I have been telling you; Most Junipers will do well with repotting anytime of the year except in the middle of winter. We have swallowed this Spring time only repotting sacrament to the point that to teach anything contrary to that message is considered blasphemy. You can transplant or repot your trees as you wish I do a lot of mine in the Summer and I do not have to baby any of them.

 

[Vance Wood]

I repotted my junis already. Father's day may be a bit late as your Shimpaku should be pushing some elongated growth?

How are they doing? If they are doing fine that's good and don't change. I have not found the stage of growth to be a limiting factor in the care of a Shimpaku. Here again we are following a lot of assumptions from other sources. I can tell you another thing that is taught more as a Sacrament than a theory. Keeping Shimps in full sun but I guess that's a debate for another day.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

... to teach anything contrary to that message is considered blasphemy. You can transplant or repot your trees as you wish I do a lot of mine in the Summer and I do not have to baby any of them.

It is blasphemy in the South. Say what you want for your climate, but I'd be foolish to repot a juniper here in June-July. Up there, you had snow, what, last week? June is probably as early into your growing season as April is here.

 

[M. Frary]

You can bet on it. I will be potting some Shimps and most likely a large Procumbens I will be doing latter this summer when Mike down for our show.

And probably a shimpaku too!
If I don't get antsy at the end of June.
I like to wait until they're going good then go at them.

last week

3 weeks ago. But close enough.
2 more weeks it will be summer here.
2 months afterwards will be fall.
And a couple weeks after that,winter.
Or thereabouts.

 

[chicago1980]

Vance been successful in "summer".
I've read they do em last in Japan.
But some people do em here earlier.

Vance is my "climate master".

No greenhouse...no spring....same same!

I realized the other day...
That almost Everyone else's instructions come with the missing disclaimer...

"Greenhoused...protected....babied..."

Or they are further south.

This is huge IMO...

Everywhere you buy...get instructed, learn from....
Babied trees.

I can't roll like that...
Does that make Me square?
Lol!

Sorce

I repot my junipers last relative to other species, as the weather permits. (I only have junipers, haha)

I base my juniper repot by the ambient warmth the roots need to grow.


Would the tree suffer a set back if you repot after the tree starts to grow new foliage?

Would root damage be a consideration during summer here in Chicago?

Green house, cold frame, if you know how to use them, do it. If it is not in your bag of ticks don't. We all have different strategies. After care is extremely important in my strategy. Especially because we have a shorter growing season in Chicago.

I do like Vance's Mugo Pines.

@Vance Wood I'd like you to share you knowledge. Anytime! Always wanting to learn. You are in Michigan? Are you folks a bit colder than us?

Happy spring here!

 

[Vance Wood]

It is blasphemy in the South. Say what you want for your climate, but I'd be foolish to repot a juniper here in June-July. Up there, you had snow, what, last week? June is probably as early into your growing season as April is here.

What is the reason you do not repot in the summer? Temperature?? I'm not trying to be argumentative that's just the way I am but I am trying to discover the reasons why people do what they do and when they do it.

Actually we have not had a measurable snow since January and the last dusting of snow ( 1 inch or less) the first of March. I realize your summers come early and it would be dumb to not take advantage of that fact, but are you certain you cannot do any root work in the Summer?

 

[Vance Wood]

I repot my junipers last relative to other species, as the weather permits. (I only have junipers, haha)

I base my juniper repot by the ambient warmth the roots need to grow.


Would the tree suffer a set back if you repot after the tree starts to grow new foliage?

Would root damage be a consideration during summer here in Chicago?

Green house, cold frame, if you know how to use them, do it. If it is not in your bag of ticks don't. We all have different strategies. After care is extremely important in my strategy. Especially because we have a shorter growing season in Chicago.

I do like Vance's Mugo Pines.

@Vance Wood I'd like you to share you knowledge. Anytime! Always wanting to learn. You are in Michigan? Are you folks a bit colder than us?

Happy spring here!
View attachment 145555

I think we are probably a bit cooler but because we are close to the lake; we are probably pretty close climate wise.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

What is the reason you do not repot in the summer? Temperature?? I'm not trying to be argumentative that's just the way I am but I am trying to discover the reasons why people do what they do and when they do it.

Actually we have not had a measurable snow since January and the last dusting of snow ( 1 inch or less) the first of March. I realize your summers come early and it would be dumb to not take advantage of that fact, but are you certain you cannot do any root work in the Summer?

Yes, temperature; and the sun is more intense 750 miles closer to the Equator too. Look at this comparison, this is Birmingham's April actual compared to Detroit's July average.

I repot in March like you repot in May. I can get away with repotting in April like you can get away with in July, but it's late. However, your July average high is 81-82, like my April; and my July average is 91, with plenty of days over 100. The last thing you need to do when it's sunny and 100 degrees is compromise the root system.

If you lived here, your mugos would be dead and you would be done repotting in March. Sell me a mugo and I'll follow your direction and we can see how it fares here. I've offered before and still think it would be a fascinating thread.

 

[Vance Wood]

I think your charts are skewed, if you look at them you can almost immediately see the problem that troubles me. First of all the averages listed for Detroit in July do not seem to fluctuate at all, your temperatures are all over the place for April in Birmingham. I guarantee you that our temperatures are far warmer in July than a constant 81/82 degrees. I think I have mentioned it to you before I have repotted trees when the temperatures were in triple digits on occasion and in the 90's regularly. If you can convince me that you would really care properly for the tree and not be looking for it to fail I might take you up on the offer.

 

[chicago1980]

I think your charts are skewed, if you look at them you can almost immediately see the problem that troubles me. First of all the averages listed for Detroit in July do not seem to fluctuate at all, your temperatures are all over the place for April in Birmingham. I guarantee you that our temperatures are far warmer in July than a constant 81/82 degrees. I think I have mentioned it to you before I have repotted trees when the temperatures were in triple digits on occasion and in the 90's regularly. If you can convince me that you would really care properly for the tree and not be looking for it to fail I might take you up on the offer.

Maybe this is more a conversation of not can or cannot but what is optimal opportunity to achieve the top root/foliage growth after a repot.

I'd love a Mugo pine!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I think your charts are skewed, if you look at them you can almost immediately see the problem that troubles me. First of all the averages listed for Detroit in July do not seem to fluctuate at all, your temperatures are all over the place for April in Birmingham. I guarantee you that our temperatures are far warmer in July than a constant 81/82 degrees. I think I have mentioned it to you before I have repotted trees when the temperatures were in triple digits on occasion and in the 90's regularly. If you can convince me that you would really care properly for the tree and not be looking for it to fail I might take you up on the offer.

Yes, as stated, it's April '17 actual vs. July average, because we haven't had July '17 yet. Point remains, Michigan's climate warms up later, and to a lower temperature than the Deep South. I don't think you'd be following the same schedule with success if you were down here trying to do it.
My offer has been sincere since I first mentioned it a couple years ago. I'm willing to put your theory to the test in my Deep South climate, and remove rookie errors from the equation. I actually like mugos; particularly Pumillo, so my preference would be for it to thrive. Send one or two down and I'll site it where you want it, pot it when you want it potted, wire it when you want it wired, and we can see how it goes.

 

[Vance Wood]

Yes, as stated, it's April '17 actual vs. July average, because we haven't had July '17 yet. Point remains, Michigan's climate warms up later, and to a lower temperature than the Deep South. I don't think you'd be following the same schedule with success if you were down here trying to do it.
My offer has been sincere since I first mentioned it a couple years ago. I'm willing to put your theory to the test in my Deep South climate, and remove rookie errors from the equation. I actually like mugos; particularly Pumillo, so my preference would be for it to thrive. Send one or two down and I'll site it where you want it, pot it when you want it potted, wire it when you want it wired, and we can see how it goes.

I'll have to give that some thought. Do we go with a young tree or one that is around ten years and better?

 

[sorce]

The whole...

South April is our June...

It makes sense for temps...

But the trees are, like Chicago said..
Going to have extensions...

There is not a match for match....

The climates are just different.

Seeing it again just 45 minutes north or south of me...
3 zones separated by about a week.

Great lakes.
Call it what you want.
It's different.

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

We just had night time temperature of 22 degrees 5 days ago here.
The candles on my pines are just starting to elongate.

 

[GrimLore]

It's different.

As clearly stated by Vance, Brian, Mike, Myself, and others here that is true and applicable.

What you have seen me type in the past is also important -

Is the plant acclimated and established? Takes me up to two years to do that here...
Is the plant otherwise healthy?
Is the plant in need of an emergency re pot? Logically it is 50/50 no matter when it is done.

For example I picked up a simple Cranberry Cotoneaster this morning. Appears to be in great shape and have potential. It is on the back deck as purchased, will remain there for a minimum of two weeks receiving systemic granular insect and fungal preventatives while getting normal water.

After that I will add fertilizer to the routine and watch it carefully throughout upcoming growing season, no trimming, no repot.

"If" it looks good next Spring I will either work it and keep it or toss it depending on if I think it still has potential. Normally they are healthy but not my only requirement to consider keeping.

Scoreboard this year;

Kept 16 plants in my care for 1 - 2 years.
Tossed 25 healthy plants even though they were healthy - did not show any promise.
Acquired 15 plants to replace what was tossed and plan on 10 - 15 more IF I see them worthwhile.

Those are the plants that stay outdoors here potted - The tropicals will be thinned out and repotted as they go out for the Summer as well...

Consider time more then money and the game changes, make the best use of your limited time on this planet

Grimmy

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

What you have seen me type in the past is also important -
Is the plant acclimated and established? Takes me up to two years to do that here...

Unfortunately there is a limit on both ends of the spectrum. You'll never establish a nerifolia to withstand a PA winter, no matter how carefully you introduce it to the cold!

Do we go with a young tree or one that is around ten years and better?

@Vance Wood, I'm ok with testing either, with a preference toward something better. I don't care if it's flawed and ugly, since we're not dealing with a styling contest, it's a survival challenge. It depends on how much hassle you'd want with shipping. I will send you my email address via PM and we can discuss options offline, and then kick off a new thread later if we work something out.

 

[Vance Wood]

Of course; I got your PM and we will discuss it.
You wrote: Unfortunately there is a limit on both ends of the spectrum. You'll never establish a nerifolia to withstand a PA winter, no matter how carefully you introduce it to the cold!

It is possible you have a point here but you guys seem to do OK with Japanese White Pine there is no reason Mugo would be undoable. This is very odd to me. As to the nerifolia that's kind of apples and oranges.

 

[GrimLore]

Unfortunately there is a limit on both ends of the spectrum. You'll never establish a nerifolia to withstand a PA winter, no matter how carefully you introduce it to the cold!

That was noted although not by plant name but group(s) -

Those are the plants that stay outdoors here potted - The tropicals will be thinned out and repotted as they go out for the Summer as well...

Grimmy

 

[sorce]

Did this Yesterday.





It's a bit mounded.

Moss came off a brick and concrete wall by a gutter. It's right thin...and holds almost too much water.

I was able to uncross that root.

So it looks a bit better.


She's gonna be a she.

I love her!

Sorce