Callistemon progression

[kcpoole]

Back in 2009, a wholesale nursery ( Riverview) was closing down and had lots of larger old stock to get rid of. I got several trees and have developed them over a the intervening time.
This one was a large single trunk in a plastic bag and the roots had escaped into the ground.
Soaked in Seasol, and then bare rooted ad cut back hard, potted into a foam box in Diatomite / Zeolite mix.

Repotted once since then, and a month ago potted up into this large free form pot from Penny @ Mudlark.

Ken

[kcpoole]

After Initial recovery, it was cut back again and carved some shape to the cut, and repotted to check the roots
My Carving tool is described in this thread here
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=7196&p=81352&hilit ... ead#p81352
and also in this one here viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5251

Ken

[kcpoole]

while at Penny ( Mudlark Pottery) clearance sale a few weeks ago, I obtained a large bowl pot that has a large section broken off and I thought it will suit this tree as a training pot, so potted up and quite happy how it has turned out

Now just to grow the foliage out which will happen over the next year or 2.

Ken

[fae]

Hi Ken

Great recovery in such a short time.

I also bought a calistamon from the Riverview nursery before they closed. Mine has not powered on as yours has. I did repot but only into potting mix with sand and have been feeding regularly.

For the health of the tree would I be better to wait until summer to repot into the diatomite and zeolite mix ?

Thanks

Fiona

[kcpoole]

I would wait till spring now to repot, unless like me you have some warm protected spot to keep them
Ken

[Neli]

Ken I also have one almost identical in the grown grown from seed blown by the wind from a near by tree. I chopped it while in the ground and it has many shoots...Trying to thicken one as a leader but they are many more on the trunk and near the leader...Should I leave it just like that until the leader thickens or I should remove the side branches. Thought they might thicken the trunk some more.
I see you have left it with almost no roots when bare rooting. That is encouraging to believe it is easy to transplant tree.
Mine is growing in the rockery...a place that gets water ones a month. If I see the nebari is not OK will it be better to ground layer it while in the ground or should I remove it first.? I can water it.

[kcpoole]

After cutting roots back hard like this, it is essential that the moisture be kept up
I would even place the pot on a tray to make sure it never gets dried out.

You can keep the side branches to thicken the trunk, then remove them later on and regrow them. Calli shoot back well but sometime not where you want
if you leave them all, beware of them creating reverse taper if they are all in the same area of trunk

Ken

[Neli]

Does the bottom of the pot stay in contact with water or just over stones? I use a plastic dome...made from wire and clear plastic covering the plant on top..

[time8theuniverse]

Ken, did you do anything to preserve the wood that you've carved? It doesn't look like lime sulphur, or a hardner has been applied.

It looks great. All the best bits from the starting stock really come out in the potted tree.

[kcpoole]

Thanks Time
Yes a brush with Earls Wood hardener on the exposed bit after carving, That is all

Ken

[kcpoole]

updated photo today.
The tree is slowly filling out the apex section and was chewed on by a few bugs this year. I found a heap of foliage all bunched up together with what loooked like spider web and full of dirt.
Sprayed with confidor and pulled them off and slowly getting there.

Ken

[Roger]

Nice work, Ken.
Yes, webbing caterpillars are always an issue. Just like you did, watch out for them and pull of with your fingers; works well and without poisons.

I'm wondering if your styling intent is to shape with the general outline of a triangle (kind of pine-like), as at present, or whether something a bit more aussie-ish might be in the wings down the track?
Roger

[Neli]

Looking good...I managed to kill two fat ones so far...one dug out and one airlayer with lots of roots...they just dried after transplant...I saw in your picture you barerooted in January...summer? When is the best time to dig it out? Summer? I still have two more self seeded ones.

[kcpoole]

Nice work, Ken.
Yes, webbing caterpillars are always an issue. Just like you did, watch out for them and pull of with your fingers; works well and without poisons.

I'm wondering if your styling intent is to shape with the general outline of a triangle (kind of pine-like), as at present, or whether something a bit more aussie-ish might be in the wings down the track?
Roger

Yes Roger, Intending to be more a rounded canopy for this one. Trying to look like a native

Hi Neli
Collect during the growing season and plenty of water for them after collection. Leave as much root as you can to help out with recovery.

Ken

[Pup]

I have found that watering well before you dig, and keeping them wet after the dig is fine. It has worked for me in summer and when told dig today cos tomorrow its gone.

Cheers Pup