Cotoneaster Options?

[Pat093]

Hello All,

I fell inlove with this lil Cotoneaster when i was searching through "stick in pot" stock in a nursery close to me.
I just reckon this one had great potential.
But because im nervous when it comes to cutting branches i thought i would post it up here with my ideas to see if my ideas would do this lil tree justice.
I did a simple virt, if any more pics are wanted just ask, Cheers Pat


Redline is the branch cut and the arrows are where i will lower the branches.

Pat

[Scott Roxburgh]

Hi mate,

I'd just wire some shape into the branches and pull them down a bit.

I don't think that you need to cut anything just yet, maybe the largest bottom branch.

[Pat093]

So just let it grow and cut back later you reckon?
i just dont want to get the leggy growth, i want nice foilage pads the whole way up and i thought by starting to ramifi now would be the best option.

Pat

[Jamie]

mate this tree needs to come out of this pot and into something bigger, but I am sure you know that.

I wouldnt cut anything right now, maybe wire the branches you could use depending on size of the tree. but really you want to grow the trunk first and get nebari sorted. cotoneaster will bud back like chicken pox coming on strong so dont worry about that.

jamie

[Pat093]

Yeah mate i know that it needs to go into a grow pot, but i thought i would wait untill it finishes flowering, because i like it as a little specimen
But i guess ill have to take it out of the pot to speed up the lil stick ahha.
Ill let you know how it goes.
Also i read the bestime to repot is after flowering, is that right??

Pat

[Paulneill]

I reckon early spring to root prune hard is best in saying that I just repotted one last week and I reckon it will be ok and i removed 90 % of the roots . Remember if u root prune a tree it takes a while before it can start taking up water again properly so I'm
Keeping mine well watered and in the shade and slowly bringing it back into full sun over the next few weeks.it is getting hotter so treat it like a cutting . If it were mine I would saw the bottom 2 thirds of the root ball off shake all the soil from it and arrange the roots plant it on a cd in a large shallow pot in a loose fast draining soil
Mix and let it rip until that trunk is at least the size of my finger and then chop it all off leaving Only an inch or 2 of trunk then grow a new leader and develop from there. try and end up with a tiny little tree about 6 inches in height.
All the growth you remove could be turned into cuttings .
But hay I have only been doing bonsai for a year and haven't developed jack s.
So don't take my word for it .'
I wonder if any one agrees with what I said ?

[siddhar]

If it were my tree, I'd cut back at the first branch and use all of the left-overs as cuttings. Wire up the first branch as the new leader.

[Paulneill]

I agree with Sid to use the Lowest branch as the new leader it will add movement and taper but not until that base has got bigger in 2 years it might be ready for that and you will have the top 2 thirds of your trunk built.

[Guy]

I would also use the first branch as the new leader and strike as cuttings or air layer ---but if you wanted to keep the full trunk length , then a couple of bends to add some interest to that straight area-----

[Pat093]

thanks for all the input guys, given me some ideas.
I will post with what i have decided to do in the coming weeks.
I really like the structure of this tree now, I think i will work with what it is at current, but definitely some wire to start off with just to get another look at what this tree can be in the coming years.
also the tree is about 6inches tall
One more thing as for fert, what do u guys use when feeding cotoneasters, Same as the rest??

Cheers Pat

[Hornet]

As jamie said you need to put it in a larger pot, box or into the ground for a few years. You would be best of doing as the others suggested and (eventually) cutting it back to the first branch, otherwise you will have a straight trunk with minimal taper followed by a thin flowing leader