Trying to bonsai Giant Sequoia

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Hello all,

I started these three little baby Giant Sequoias from seed. They went into pots about March, 2017. They're all named "I am Groot." I live on the Kitsap Peninsula, WA, which I believe is Zone 8. Eventually I'd like to bonsai them. I've been perusing the threads and gleaming some knowledge but it's all kind of massive and slightly overwhelming. I'm pretty sure they need bigger pots but I'm waiting for early spring. What I'd really like to know is how to best keep them happy over winter. Snow is rare here so I thought it would be a good idea to bury their small pots in the larger pot you see in hopes of insulating their roots from the cold. Will this and regular mistings keep them happy?

Thanks in advance.

263120
 

Forsoothe!

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The little pots look like the kind that don't have drainage holes. If so, that's terminal. If you have a place to do this: I'd put them all in separate ~9" wide x ~4" deep pots, like cut-off plastic nursery pots, and sink those in the ground in full sun. Near a downspout would be nice. Leave them there for two growing seasons, 2020 & 2021 summers, trim canopy & roots, repot ~May of 2022 and re-sink & grow for 2022 & 2023 summers, ad infinitum until they are of a size to put in a ~display-able pot, which still may be sunk in the ground for optimal growth. Grow for two consecutive growing seasons in-ground, but not three because the roots escape the pot somewhat in two years and too greatly in the third year. You can lay on your belly and cut & trim & wire & un-wire & re-wire through all this. Come back with questions as needed.
 
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I think your doing great man. Think Chinese cascade azalea pot sized rootball, for your goal to start flattening the taproots (year 5 maybe) for good nebari.

They want deep taproots now so don't fight it, just keep the pot proportional as they grow, while trying to set a desired fibrous rootball depth. A pot shaped like a wine decanter (but much smaller) with holes only where it flares out would kick this into gear. Try to make something along those lines.

You want a slight funnel (no holes) into a pan that's drilled everywhere to air prune the end of the taproots and force proportionately the tap roots to expand into more horizontal fine roots.

If done diligently they should not spin and knot up. Double pot size every 2 years or as growth in your area dictates.

When you see hardwood forming make a decision on each tree if it will be upright or styled otherwise. If the later don't wire yet, just begin tilting your pot instead.

I hope these pictures give you an idea of what I am trying to get at. In my limited experience so far they prefer to be dry and waterings just as the soil starts to loose its cool touch 2" under the mulch line. Don't water the tree to avoid needlecast and rusts, just get the soil.
I feed with fish emulsion once a month March~August.

You have an excellent plan to insulate them. Germany exports wool wraps pretty cheap. I'd wrap your pots in them, then put them into a large pot.

You can then cage the pot in burlap supported by chicken wire, or simply buy a cloche for when temps dip below 30. The latter will not be ideal due to high humidity.

No degrees here, and what works for me might not help you, mine spend the winter inside.

Search this site under keyword redwood and be sure post more pics. Lots of more knowledgeable members here than my newbie ass. I will be repotting mine this spring and will keep in touch 🖖🏻
 

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Leo in N E Illinois

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@Abletobecain
Welcome to BonsaiNut.

As a general rule Sequoiadendron giganteum The Sierra Giant Redwood should be fully winter hardy in your zone 8a Kitsap Peninsula, Washington. (you can edit your user name to include a location, so you won't get repeatedly asked where you are growing your trees). The giant sequoia should be hardy when planted in the ground.

Honestly, Sequoiadendron giganteum does not have a good track record as bonsai. Your best use of these 3 seedlings is to plant them in the ground and stand back. In less than 10 years these can be well over 20 feet tall. Their rapid growth is difficult to control in a pot. A few have done it, but often the results look contrived. Better is to use an upright juniper, such as 'Fudo' variety of Juniperus chinensis (Shimpaku). Find sever junipers with rigid straight vertical trunks, and then train them as formal upright in the style of giant sequoia. Your results will be quicker, and more realistic. Any of the juniper species will do, key is to get a rigid straight trunk. The 'Fudo', 'Blaauw', 'Shimpaku', 'Itoigawa', 'Kishu' and other varieties of Juniperus chinensis all have reddish underbark, which can be exposed to mimic the red bark of giant sequoia.

It is a time honored tradition of bonsai to use easier to train species of tree as "stand ins" for species that are more difficult to handle in bonsai pots.

So my recommendation would be to plant these in the ground, and pick up a few junipers to create your grove of redwoods.

In the event you are going to keep them in small pots anyway, you basically have the right idea on how to winter the sequoia. I would even bury that large terra cotta pot up about 3/4 the way deep in the garden for the last few days of summer, all of autumn and all winter. These are outdoor trees. It takes a tree at least 3 months of slowly cooling temperatures to fully acclimate to winter cold. Get your trees outside now, or they won't be ready for the cold when it comes. Keep them indoors all winter and they will not get their required cold rest, the following year the new growth will be weak or not happen at all. They still need the direct sun, and wide swings in temperatures that they get from being outdoors all year round. Just because they are in a flower pot or bonsai pot does not mean their needs for the great outdoors will have changed. These are outdoor trees, get them outside.

For indoor trees, only sub-tropical and tropical trees will work, Also only shade loving trees work well indoors. Ficus is good, they like shade & warmth. Pines never work indoors, they need too much sun and cool to cold in winter.
 
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Wow! Thank you all for the information and welcome. :)

@Forsoothe...the little pots do have one central drain hole.

@MrWunderful...I'm currently renting my house and I'm unsure when I'll be leaving so, unfortunately, I think pots are it for them at the moment.

@KillerButts...this is great info...thanks a bunch! I was under the impression that they like the soil to dry out as well. Another reason that I don't want to put them in the ground out here...it rains A LOT but it doesn't get too extremely cold. We had snow last year on the ground for about a week. I'd say temperatures are pretty consistently in the upper 30's. I'll wrap the terracotta pot as well. Thanks for the tips. Your setup looks AWESOME btw...I'm hoping to do something similar. I'd like a lot of these babies around.

@leo...as I wrote above...It's pots for now due to my rental situation. I'm also pretty committed to the idea of bonsaing them...I realize it may be a challenge but I really want to try it. These babies have been outside since early spring this year. They are on my porch protected from the rain and on the western side of the house where they get some afternoon sun. Unfortunately, the entire eastern side of the house is shaded by a giant cedar and there are no suitable places to the south of the house. Please correct me here, but I thought that GS seedlings did not like much direct sun as they grow under the canopy of their enormous mothers? The picture below is where they place on the porch...on the banister to the right.

Thanks again to you all!
 

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sorce

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Looks good.

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce
 
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