Question on dawn redwood repot

[power270lb]

Grew these from seed, hatched in April and they've grown great this summer. I'm still new to this so the last pic, how far away roughly are they from a repot/trim? Temps are low 70s with lows in low 60s for next ten days but temps will drop soon enough. Should I just let be and prepare for winter? Also if I want the trunks to grow fat as quickly as possible what's the best way, let grow don't touch/prune/bigger containers? Thanks guys

 

[Colorado]

Looking good. If the goal is to increase trunk size, then I’d repot in spring into larger containers and let them continue to grow for a couple years at least.

 

[power270lb]

Looking good. If the goal is to increase trunk size, then I’d repot in spring into larger containers and let them continue to grow for a couple years at least.

Copy that thank you. I'm in NYC area 7b and it can get cold. As far as winterizing and protection, they're in mostly inorganic soil. Are they big enough to be ok through winter?

 

[Haines' Trees]

I keep a number of dawn redwoods here in the Chicago suburbs (zone 5b). Just yesterday I buried my redwoods in the garden bed and I plan to forget about them until about March. I've done this with seedlings planted the previous spring, no problem.

 

[power270lb]

I keep a number of dawn redwoods here in the Chicago suburbs (zone 5b). Just yesterday I buried my redwoods in the garden bed and I plan to forget about them until about March. I've done this with seedlings planted the previous spring, no problem.

I don't have a garden unfortunately everything is on tables and my redwoods are in inorganic soil ATM. Was planning on getting a bin, filling it with soil then burying the pots. Would that suffice or should I take them out of the pots they're in?

 

[Haines' Trees]

That may help some, but honesty if you’re in 7b you might be able to get away with not doing much. Whatever you do, don’t pull them out of their pots to bury them. That’ll cause more harm than good. Bury the pot and all. Come spring, dig up the pots and check if a repot is needed.

 

[power270lb]

That may help some, but honesty if you’re in 7b you might be able to get away with not doing much. Whatever you do, don’t pull them out of their pots to bury them. That’ll cause more harm than good. Bury the pot and all. Come spring, dig up the pots and check if a repot is needed.

Are yours losing leaves? Mine changed colors fast, how often do u plan on watering? Last winter my first ever bonsai was a juniper that made it through and I kinda went nuts with ordering tropicals, cuttings etc. Im leaving my Chinese elm outside (didn't last year, got it as winter started) abd I have 5 elm cuttings. Would u recommend the same procedure?

 

[hinmo24t]

im in 6b/7a , basically westport MA and cold garage mine any day now. i think i saw a low of 30* for tonight and it was like 32*F this past night with everything outside still. i think im bringing in my medium/smaller potted maples and a bunch of things this week or tonight in fact

if you have to keep yours outside id keep them against the house in the lee of the wind and put mulch around the bottom of the pot and on top soil. after a few freezes could be smart because rodents will want to make home in the mulch if prior to then (i learned on here)

 

[Haines' Trees]

Are yours losing leaves? Mine changed colors fast, how often do u plan on watering?

There are a few leaves hanging onto mine but the ones that are have been completely toasted for at least a week. We have had some decently consistent frosts in the morning around here. It’s also been fairly wet the past couple weeks.

Once the weather dips below 35 degrees regularly and the leaves fall off the water needs drop off drastically. They still need water! Just not so much. If the roots are allowed to dry up (or freeze too hard too fast before the tree is properly dormant) that thing will not be well come spring. Once there is an inch or so of snow covering the soil, I literally don’t think about it until late winter/early spring. All depends on the weather and your microclimate.

Last winter my first ever bonsai was a juniper that made it through and I kinda went nuts with ordering tropicals, cuttings etc.

Junipers aren’t really my forte, neither are tropicals. Chinese elms are pretty hardy! I’ve never taken cuttings but I’ve grown them from seed and I have multiple generations that have been outside, buried in the ground every winter they’ve been around.

 

[Haines' Trees]

if you have to keep yours outside id keep them against the house in the lee of the wind and put mulch around the bottom of the pot and on top soil. after a few freezes could be smart because rodents will want to make home in the mulch if prior to then (i learned on here)

Putting them against the side of the house and mulching them in is a great alternative if you can’t bury them in the ground. Just be careful of the heat from the building radiating out and warming your tree or the pot/substrate. That can prevent the tree from going dormant properly, which will hurt it in the long run. I know, “protect your tree! no not that much!” is kind of what it sounds like. Find the balance!!

 

[power270lb]

im in 6b/7a , basically westport MA and cold garage mine any day now. i think i saw a low of 30* for tonight and it was like 32*F this past night with everything outside still. i think im bringing in my medium/smaller potted maples and a bunch of things this week or tonight in fact

if you have to keep yours outside id keep them against the house in the lee of the wind and put mulch around the bottom of the pot and on top soil. after a few freezes could be smart because rodents will want to make home in the mulch if prior to then (i learned on here)

Yes in this thread somewhere a guy talks about rodents, as of now mine are elevated on tables and the way the wind comes in it's blocked by a 6 foot fence. Plan on putting them into a bin and burying the pots in dirt same with the cuttings then placing on the ground once winter sets in. Just spent time up in Rockport, Mass beautiful area would love to leave NYC (Go Sox!)

 

[power270lb]

There are a few leaves hanging onto mine but the ones that are have been completely toasted for at least a week. We have had some decently consistent frosts in the morning around here. It’s also been fairly wet the past couple weeks.

Once the weather dips below 35 degrees regularly and the leaves fall off the water needs drop off drastically. They still need water! Just not so much. If the roots are allowed to dry up (or freeze too hard too fast before the tree is properly dormant) that thing will not be well come spring. Once there is an inch or so of snow covering the soil, I literally don’t think about it until late winter/early spring. All depends on the weather and your microclimate.

Junipers aren’t really my forte, neither are tropicals. Chinese elms are pretty hardy! I’ve never taken cuttings but I’ve grown them from seed and I have multiple generations that have been outside, buried in the ground every winter they’ve been around.

Same I did with my juniper, used ice cubes to water them slowly and once we had snow I didn't touch them. This was my first summer and these redwoods are all grown from seed starting in April. Pretty crazy how fast they grew. Right now the weather here is crazy, hits upper 50s abd drops to lower 30s at night so I'm contemplating moving them or protecting them sooner.

 

[hinmo24t]

the custom lean-to someone mentioned is a cool idea too. simple if you dont mind the eyesore