Tiny Tsuga-meet Hussi and Jervis

[Japonicus]

Over priced for the size but happy to be getting under way this year with my 1st hemlocks including a Golden Splendor.
Best thing is they're on their own roots best I can tell. Jervis roots are coming out of the bag. Both are dull, no sheen
to the needles. Pics taken after a misting.

I think I will remove 1/2 -3/4 of the soil teasing the roots out and over pot these.
Not actively growing yet, my thoughts are to slip pot with organic potting soil
then actually mess with the roots once the buds start opening up and get into bonsai soil
...or should I go ahead and get into bonsai soil now, 6-8 weeks too early?
I really set back my cascade juniper 2018 potting it up at 1st bud swell rather than waiting till May.
Took all year to recover so I lost a year. In all fairness it had been thinned the previous late Summer I believe it was.

 

[Japonicus]

These are both 1-2 yr size. Knowing the history of trees in my care is a big plus for me.
Hussi cold hardy to zone 3 5 ft x 2 ft in 10 yrs
Jervis Zone 3 as well. 3 ft x 2 ft in 10 yrs

Source: Kigi Nursery

Tsuga canadensis 'Hussi' Dwarf Canadian Hemlock

Mail Order Conifer Nursery, Parrot Sanctuary and Botanical Garden offering Dwarf and Miniature Conifers, Japanese Maples, Bonsai, and Fairy Garden Plants. Visitors welcome by appointment

kiginursery.com

Tsuga canadensis 'Jervis' Dwarf Canadian Hemlock

Mail Order Conifer Nursery, Parrot Sanctuary and Botanical Garden offering Dwarf and Miniature Conifers, Japanese Maples, Bonsai, and Fairy Garden Plants. Visitors welcome by appointment

kiginursery.com

 

[Japonicus]

Good info
Kigi nursery was prompt in answering a couple questions, which completes my need for any history on these.

"Correct, they were grown from cuttings on their own roots."

"...we grow these outside with current temperatures down around 30-38 at night coldest in January around 25."

This makes the price paid quite fair to me.
@Leo in N E Illinois or @River's Edge not sure of your hemlock experience, but your nursery skills I trust...
...Would it be safe to heal these root balls into the ground now, and also dig them up to work the roots this May?
I would like to bare root and blend the old soil with bonsai soil ASAP.

 

[River's Edge]

Good info
Kigi nursery was prompt in answering a couple questions, which completes my need for any history on these.

"Correct, they were grown from cuttings on their own roots."

"...we grow these outside with current temperatures down around 30-38 at night coldest in January around 25."

This makes the price paid quite fair to me.
@Leo in N E Illinois or @River's Edge not sure of your hemlock experience, but your nursery skills I trust...
...Would it be safe to heal these root balls into the ground now, and also dig them up to work the roots this May?
I would like to bare root and blend the old soil with bonsai soil ASAP.

I am not familiar with these cultivars. I work primarily with native hemlocks. Collected Mountain and Western Hemlock. However I can tell you that I do not bare root Hemlock. When changing out the soil, I do it over several stages so as to not disturb too many feeder roots at one time. Provided the trees did not warm up too much during transport and the period of time was brief, I would consider it perfectly fine to put in the ground near a foundation at this time of year. I am assuming your climate is similar to the growing ground.
Repotting for Hemlock, I use a three stage process for collected or nursery trees. Stage one I work the central core from the bottom up and the outside edge on the perimeter. Leaving the surface roots and feeder roots intact around the trunk. Stage two, I choose the weaker side ( fewer roots ) and half bare root that side. This still leaves the other side surface and feeder roots intact as well as new feeder roots populating the central core that was cleaned out the first time. Stage three, I work the second half and replace native soil with bonsai mix. On a strong tree the entire process takes approximately 18 months to complete. For example stage one in the spring, stage two in the spring and stage three the following fall. A weaker collected tree may take up to three years!. Allowing one full season between partial repots!
Your cultivated trees may be a different story, however I would pay attention to a key characteristic of Hemlock, they are particularly sensitive to surface feeder root disturbance. less likely to be reliant on deeper root structure. Once established hemlock are strong and I switch to the 1/2 HBR on a routine basis.
If you wish to lower the root ball ( expose more trunk and flare) then do that carefully, say 1/2 inch at a time with recovery time between ( 2 months) . This ensures that not too many fine feeder roots are removed at once. Hemlock can send fine roots out from almost anywhere in the buried trunk portion.
Hope these comments help!

 

[Japonicus]

@River's Edge Yes Frank very helpful. If nothing else just pointing out the top feeder roots sensitivity.
I was thinking it was Leo, not sure, but someone said that had no problems bare rooting hemlocks.
These are dwarfs on their own roots, so even less robust.

Does hemlock layer? These are from cuttings and I have another cultivar that isn't as dwarf as these.
I just don't have the set up nor do I care to undertake many of the steps necessary to be successful striking
cuttings, as with juniper. I have patience, but not that breed of...
Thank you for stopping by and detailing your potting experiences with Tsuga

 

[Japonicus]

This should do till May this or next year. Being in the bags shipping can be brutal when packages are thrown in sorting facilities.
That's the only qualm I have with potting these up this year.

Should get a COUPLE hours of Sunlight here depending on my neighbors Bloodgood maple. It's a pathway between a privacy fence and our home.

 

[River's Edge]

View attachment 286912
This should do till May this or next year. Being in the bags shipping can be brutal when packages are thrown in sorting facilities.
That's the only qualm I have with potting these up this year.

Should get a COUPLE hours of Sunlight here depending on my neighbors Bloodgood maple. It's a pathway between a privacy fence and our home.

Hemlock are understory trees and enjoy shade with dappled sunlight. There color is much deeper under those conditions. Given their current size, I would be inclined to repot this spring to begin the process. The sooner they are in the best growing conditions and adapted to your climate the faster they will reach a workable size. Typical design and foliage pads highlight down swept foliage and branches so considerable growth is needed even if they are dwarf cultivars.
My smallest hemlock is 16 inches, and that provides plenty of challenges to create pads with down swept branches and elongated foliage!

 

[Japonicus]

Hemlock are understory trees and enjoy shade with dappled sunlight. There color is much deeper under those conditions. Given their current size, I would be inclined to repot this spring to begin the process. The sooner they are in the best growing conditions and adapted to your climate the faster they will reach a workable size. Typical design and foliage pads highlight down swept foliage and branches so considerable growth is needed even if they are dwarf cultivars.
My smallest hemlock is 16 inches, and that provides plenty of challenges to create pads with down swept branches and elongated foliage!

Thanks again Frank for your valuable input
I will do so come May. Understood on the light requirements. I'm a little concerned with LACK of light here however
should/if I keep them in ground. In ground will help with my watering schedule, and here's an idea I just came up
with along the lines of your starting the process sooner...

Lift in May, tease the roots out collecting the current soil. Place ceramic tile in ground replace the original soil
amending with crushed granite (low cost locally available aggregate) and leave for a few years.
If this is worse than starting in the life of pots, then I will start looking for ones to use this Spring.

 

[River's Edge]

Thanks again Frank for your valuable input
I will do so come May. Understood on the light requirements. I'm a little concerned with LACK of light here however
should/if I keep them in ground. In ground will help with my watering schedule, and here's an idea I just came up
with along the lines of your starting the process sooner...

Lift in May, tease the roots out collecting the current soil. Place ceramic tile in ground replace the original soil
amending with crushed granite (low cost locally available aggregate) and leave for a few years.
If this is worse than starting in the life of pots, then I will start looking for ones to use this Spring.

My thoughts would be for five to ten years down the road. So in the ground is a good idea. I would not use the tile as depth of ground is more important than a flat root ball at this stage. The depth is important because it stabilizes root environment, allows better drainage and extension of roots. Tiles are over rated in my opinion. very few trees look natural or better with pancake style roots. One even needs to be careful how one develops stem cuttings, too many sideways roots can spoil the look. Downward roots are easy to cut back, and during growth periods for developmental trees they provide extra growth, stability and adaptability if moisture levels dry out for a period of time between waterings.
Teasing out the roots is fine and will aid in the training! Just stop yourself from being carried away and bare rooting!