Podocarpus - Trunk

[TeemerZ]

Hello everyone !

I have been the owner of this adorable podocarpus since Christmas and I want to do things right. I have done a lot of research on various forums and would like to have what I have learned validated by people who are experts on the subject.

My main goal is to thicken the trunk, especially at the base of the tree, to make it more conical. To do this, I was thinking of transferring it to a growing container with a mixture of Akadama, sand, and bark in the spring, then leaving it alone and only working on the wiring. Do you have any other advice?

As for its location, it is currently next to a south-facing window (outside temperatures are -6°C at night and can reach -10°C on some nights). It will be moved outside in May (the month of the last frosts).

I'm open to any advice.

 

[Adamski77]

putting it into grow box is for sure the best way to let it grow faster... so yes to that. Keeping it indoor will probably inhibit growth quite significantly so if you have a chance to put it outside that would be much better... podocarpus will survive indoor but will not thrive and you're looking for growth.
Than regarding soil mix... having dealt with many podocarpuses here in China the growers normally are using simple potting soil and they do very well so at this stage I wouldn't bother with bonsai mix. Finally on the trimming if you want to thicken the trunk you should let it grow and not trim as you'll be defeating the purpose to some extent.

Good luck with this one!

 

[leatherback]

Getting more taper typically involved cutting the main trunk back at a low point and regrowing a trunk from there. Only very few species get significant taper by themselves.
Not sure how Podocarpus takes to reduction below all the branches, as I have never grown them.

 

[TeemerZ]

putting it into grow box is for sure the best way to let it grow faster... so yes to that. Keeping it indoor will probably inhibit growth quite significantly so if you have a chance to put it outside that would be much better... podocarpus will survive indoor but will not thrive and you're looking for growth.
Than regarding soil mix... having dealt with many podocarpuses here in China the growers normally are using simple potting soil and they do very well so at this stage I wouldn't bother with bonsai mix. Finally on the trimming if you want to thicken the trunk you should let it grow and not trim as you'll be defeating the purpose to some extent.

Good luck with this one!

Thank you for the answer.
It will be outside starting in May. For now, there is still frost at -5°C (and possibly as low as -10°C) at least every other day, and I understand that it cannot withstand such low temperatures.
As I just got it, I was afraid that the transition between indoor and outdoor temperatures would be too extreme. For future winters, I think I'll leave it outside, with the pot directly on the ground and mulch around it. That should do the trick.
I'll make a note about the trunk and branches, so I won't touch them once they're in the growing container, just a little tying. Noted for the substrate, I will leave him a natural mixture of potting soil, sand, and a little bark.

 

[TeemerZ]

Getting more taper typically involved cutting the main trunk back at a low point and regrowing a trunk from there. Only very few species get significant taper by themselves.
Not sure how Podocarpus takes to reduction below all the branches, as I have never grown them.

I'll have to look into that. Are there any other solutions? I don't mind if it's twice the current height, though.

 

[leatherback]

other solutions?

maybe this can be a starting point?