milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Got this tree in March of 2016 I took the sawzall to it and put it in a large strainer. and let it grow for a year.
Vitex Agnus-Castus
- Thread starter milehigh_7
- Start date
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
At the beginning of last year, I did not repot but chopped it.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Naturally, I have been chomping at the bit to get the dirt off this and see what has been going on. True to form for growing 2 years in a strainer, it was completely solid with fine feeder roots. My plan was to let one long leader grow but I changed my mind mid-summer and picked this other one so it's not as big as it would have been. So I'll keep doing this every year, chopping really low and letting a leader go for a year.
During the repot, I dug down a bit and found that the tree sits on a REALLY neat burl. You can't see it too good yet but I did uncover some more base. From 2 1/4 in the pre-repot pic to 3 1/8 now it will be a bit bigger after the next repot.
During the repot, I dug down a bit and found that the tree sits on a REALLY neat burl. You can't see it too good yet but I did uncover some more base. From 2 1/4 in the pre-repot pic to 3 1/8 now it will be a bit bigger after the next repot.
I have to get the intestinal fortitude to start chopping some of my stuff...just too many good things can happen when you chop them. Have been concentrating on how to grow them in bonsai soil the past 1.5 years. Time to take the next step.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Looking at pics is good... I just took off that annoying root at the lower right that goes sideways on the trunk. Much better.
thumblessprimate1
Masterpiece
What plans do you have for it? Shohin semi cascade?
JoeR
Masterpiece
Man that thing is gnarly! I love it! Can’t wait to see it in leaf but more importantly flower! Definitely gotta make it a shohin semi cascade like thumbless said.
Mine would not go dormant this year. It still had green leaves through hard frosts. Hopefully my ignorance didn’t kill it, I don’t think they’re very cold hardy in the first place. It didn’t grow well all year either, no idea with this species. It grew like a weed after the hard chop and repot but nothing after being settled in the pot a year.
Mine would not go dormant this year. It still had green leaves through hard frosts. Hopefully my ignorance didn’t kill it, I don’t think they’re very cold hardy in the first place. It didn’t grow well all year either, no idea with this species. It grew like a weed after the hard chop and repot but nothing after being settled in the pot a year.
JoeR
Masterpiece
Oh and take that nub all the way off!
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Actually, the plan is longer term. I'll cut at one of the lowest buds and grow a new leader then keep doing that for the next five years or so. I really want some wicked movement and taper. The coolest part is when folks see how good these ramify and that you can get the leaves down to less than 1/4". I have a new variety that I found that I am trying to propagate. It has seriously crazy bark. We will see how that goes.
I had no idea that the base was that much bigger under the soil.
thumblessprimate1
Masterpiece
This could look really great one day. It's looking really interesting now.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Thanks! I love this species. If you live in a hot climate and don't have at least one, you are missing out.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
If you want to force dormancy just set it in the shade for a few days. This even works in the summer. They will completely drop all leaves when not in full sun. That's what I had to do this year. It won't wake up until nights are over 50F at least. It's one of the last to wake up in fact.
Anthony
Imperial Masterpiece
Clyde,
the East Indians have a different variety that is as far as I know,
very Tropical.
The Agnus Castus tends to die from the same ailment as the Maple.
Needs some rest.
We grew from seed and after some years they died off.
Have another type, still going.
Good Day
Anthony
the East Indians have a different variety that is as far as I know,
very Tropical.
The Agnus Castus tends to die from the same ailment as the Maple.
Needs some rest.
We grew from seed and after some years they died off.
Have another type, still going.
Good Day
Anthony
JoeR
Masterpiece
But will that allow them to prepare for cold temperatures and survive hard frosts?
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
Don't know, I don't get hard frosts. This year we only got 2 very light frosts. In the past we have had weeks in the 20's and even down in the teens with zero damage to any Vitex. It's my understanding that up north in landscape they freeze and die back nearly to the ground each year kind of like an annual flower.
milehigh_7
Mister 500,000
I'm in Vegas were we very seldom have any winter to speak of.
JoeR
Masterpiece
Someone on one of your threads said they die back like that I think. There’s some planted at the local library that are huge, and they don’t die back so I’m probably good. Then again, they are in the ground so who knows. Oh well I’m only out $15 and a year plus soil if it doesn’t make it lol.
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