Redwoods - Red Chief Sequoia

[Ryceman3]

I know jack about creating a raft out of anything but that looks the goods from what my iPad is showing me... and in other breaking news - I believe I managed to keep up with all you wrote in relation to the planting of this one!
I like it! I’d love to give a raft a crack if I found the right material. It’s a long term project that appeals to me.

[boom64]

Nice work Mark ,good luck ..Although anything in a Polly box is bound to succeed. Cheers John.

[TimS]

I'll be following with interest Mark, I've never tried a raft before, but it's something i would love to attempt from a horticultural interest point of view.

In theory, as long as the cambium is in contact with the soil it should root, but I've never used Sequoia before, let alone tried something like this. I wonder how long it will take?

[MJL]

A few weeks later and this experiment is going coco bananas.

IMG_6944.jpg

[MJL]

Help please. Any theories as to why I might be losing one pot and yet the raft next to it is powering along? Same potting mix. Basically same position - perhaps the raft receives 30 minutes more sun.

This has happened in the past two weeks ... I was away and my best plants were being looked after my my step/dad and these were watered intermittently. But we had a lot of rain interspersed with some scorching days while I was away.

My guess is it must have dried out? The raft is in a polybox with holes in the base but I imagine it has less drainage (ie is wetter) than the orchid pot of the other plant.

Yesterday I soaked the sick plant in a seasonal bath for 24 hrs ... not much noticeable difference.

I am not too fussed as these were experiments and the raft is far more exciting and thriving.... but am I am looking for your thoughts in case I am doing something wrong and raft takes I’ll.

I do keep these trees on the damp side (unless I am away!) .... I read somewhere that these redwoods and swamp cypress liked it wet.

Anyway ... I ramble... again. Any thoughts? Perhaps I am keeping them too wet?



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[Ryceman3]

I’m assuming it’s not wire damage (in application I mean as opposed to cutting in, still looks OK in that regard). I guess there is some merit in your theory re: water and drying out. These things seem to happen “while the cat’s away”... in short - dunno. On the plus side the raft is looking the goods!

[MJL]

Well I lost the multi-trunk and I am now confident that it was due to a day or two being dry. Killed it. Why am I so sure ... we’ll the raft is flourishing and it cannot get enough water; huge volume. In fact - when I repot in Spring and once it settles - I think I’m going to treat it like my native groups and actually sit them in water. My natives now sit with the base of the pots in about an inch water - so there is water in the base of the 100% of the time. That may stop during winter but when growing - they have thrived.

Anyway back to the raft - it too is thriving and I have decided to give it an Autumn hair cut. I hope it’s ok - it felt like it could handle it. Plus it means in Spring - I can re-pot and attack only the roots reducing shock overall - that’s my theory anyway.

On roots, having tentatively scraped some top soil I am confident that the raft has taken too- surface roots seem to be across parts of the top of pot.

Anyway a few photos after the haircut. Apologies- forgot to take a before photo but you get a sense and can look back at history.

Given where this tree started and the bending even before it got this this training pot - I’m quite happy. Learning ....learning.








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[Mitch_28]

Looks good btw!
Had much luck with cuttings on these?

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[MJL]

Thanks Mitch. I haven’t tried cuttings...with all my various young maples and elms and pines I am out of space!!


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[Alex_B]

Looks great mark, I didn't Redwoods would make such beautiful bonsai. I really love the multi-trunk Forrest style you are going for it looks very nice and natural. Looking forward to seeing how this keeps growing.

[MJL]

Cheers Alex_B, I appreciate the feedback.

[MJL]

This pre-bonsai raft is quite beautiful as it explodes with new spring growth! I am really looking forward to exploring what’s going on under soil at some point. I really hope the raft has taken roots and it’s not just growth from the old root ball. Does anyone know when to repot these - I am think next winter.


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[gyrza]

Just before they push. Which for me is when the regular frosts stop, so mid september. These things grow very fast and love to drink. Along with my red gums, these guys are normally first to show signs of being thirsty. Like the top the roots grow very rapidly.

by Mitch_28 » March 23rd, 2020, 2:28 pm
Looks good btw!
Had much luck with cuttings on these?

Cuttings seem to be very easy. When the occasional lignified frond gets accidentally broken and I just put it into a random nearby pot, usually with something else already growing in it, and everyone so far has rooted. I dont do anything special, some havent even been cleanly cut. Is was about to pull a dead looking one out of the trident maple pot the other day and noticed it had green buds on the very tips of the frond. Early winter when I put it in the pot with the maple it had been broken for a few days and was already going brown.