Collecting a Hinoki Cypress.

[Reece]

Hi everyone,

As a newbie to bonsai and a real newbie to collecting trees. I'm going to write what I think should be done. Then let you guys correct or add stuff that you think are necessary for the highest chance of survival…

First of all I understand that this should be done in about mid September.

Before I attempt to dig I should water the soil and foliage with Seasol.

I should cut off any leggy foliage that definitely won’t be used.

I should dig in a circle at least 500mm around the trunk to avoid cutting any fine feeder roots.

The whole time I'm removing the tree the focus is on preserving as many roots as possible.

Once the tree is out the root ball should be wrapped in a moist sheet of some sort.

When I get it home this is where I'm a bit confused???

Should I:

A) Stick it straight into a pot without disturbing the root ball at all and add some fresh soil and re water with seasol. Leave it out of the wind in SEMI shade.

B) Give it a really light root prune but keep most of its existing soil with it and then put it into a pot with some new soil. Water it again with seasol and leave it out of the wind in SEMI shade.

C) Completely bare root it with a strong hose. Soak it in a bath of seasol for 24 hours and then pot it up with completely fresh soil. Leave it out of the wind in SEMI shade.

D) Something that I haven’t mentioned.

Then I leave the tree for the rest of spring and summer in SEMI shade. Take it out into full sun in autumn. Leave it for probably 2 or 3 growing seasons to be sure it thriving then start heavy pruning wiring etc…..

As I said earlier. Please edit this as this is just info I have read from multiple sources and semi made up using my own limited horticultural knowledge!

Thanks in advance guys……..

[Jarad]

Hey Mate, I'm assuming you have read the post by Josh?

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18241

[Reece]

Hey Mate, I'm assuming you have read the post by Josh?

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18241

I read this ages ago and some of my post comes from that but I just read it again and leant a few things so thanks for the reminder!

I think I'm more asking for specific details on Cypress tress in Sydney. Wether you can bare root them etc. I know they aren't the most forgiving of trees. If it was a fig I probably wouldn't have asked anything haha.......

[kcpoole]

Never collected cypress, but woud not bare root one anyway.

Collect and Either pot up immedialty or soak overnight with Season and do the next day. Remove Some of the original soil. Replace with a good open drained mix.
Next year after recovering. Remove some more original soil and replace. ( do in 1/4 wedges).

Ken

[Isitangus]

Also Hinoki are notoriously slow growing so I would avoid cutting a off any foliage until you have developed a styling plan.


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[Reece]

Never collected cypress, but woud not bare root one anyway.

Collect and Either pot up immedialty or soak overnight with Season and do the next day. Remove Some of the original soil. Replace with a good open drained mix.
Next year after recovering. Remove some more original soil and replace. ( do in 1/4 wedges).

Ken

Ok thanks ken. With the seasol soak you would obviously leave the sheet on the root ball to avoid soil loss?

[Reece]

Also Hinoki are notoriously slow growing so I would avoid cutting a off any foliage until you have developed a styling plan.


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Yeah the whole thing is probably a bit ambitious but I'm keen to learn so I'm just doing it because I can and I want to learn haha.....

Thanks for the heads up. I'll leave the foliage. Are these similar to junipers i.e foliar dominant?

I remember reading that you should remove some foliage when you collet a tree because you would have definitely removed roots and you need to balance it out?

[kcpoole]

Never collected cypress, but woud not bare root one anyway.

Collect and Either pot up immedialty or soak overnight with Season and do the next day. Remove Some of the original soil. Replace with a good open drained mix.
Next year after recovering. Remove some more original soil and replace. ( do in 1/4 wedges).

Ken

Ok thanks ken. With the seasol soak you would obviously leave the sheet on the root ball to avoid soil loss?

Ti depends on what the original soil is like.
If soft and falling apart then you may want to but if clayey you may want to let it break up and fall apart.

Ken

[Reece]

Never collected cypress, but woud not bare root one anyway.

Collect and Either pot up immedialty or soak overnight with Season and do the next day. Remove Some of the original soil. Replace with a good open drained mix.
Next year after recovering. Remove some more original soil and replace. ( do in 1/4 wedges).

Ken

Ok thanks ken. With the seasol soak you would obviously leave the sheet on the root ball to avoid soil loss?

Ti depends on what the original soil is like.
If soft and falling apart then you may want to but if clayey you may want to let it break up and fall apart.

Ken

Got it.........

[bodhidharma]

I will add to that and say, take along a large misting bottle with added seasol and frequently spray the roots while you are exposing them. Keep the rootball damp not wet as you dig. Having said that i have only collected one cypress and it died an agonising death over a three month period.

[treeman]

How old is the tree?
How big is it? (trunk diameter)
What kind of soil is it growing in?
How long has it been in the ground?

Do not wait until Sept if you live near Sydney. There will be too much hot weather around then. Now is the best time!

If it is not too big and has many fine roots I would recommend taking off quite a bit of soil so the roots can become esablished in the new mix quickly without having to struggle through old soil.
It is very important to remove all the field soil eventually.
I recommend planting into pure river sand with at most 5-10% organic. (if that) and mulch the top with moss.
Keep under shade cloth.

[Reece]

I will add to that and say, take along a large misting bottle with added seasol and frequently spray the roots while you are exposing them. Keep the rootball damp not wet as you dig. Having said that i have only collected one cypress and it died an agonising death over a three month period.

Ok good idea...... Also thanks for the vote of confidence!

How old is the tree? UNKNOWN - I would say at least 10 years old probably more.

How big is it? (trunk diameter) Approx 60mm

What kind of soil is it growing in? Sandy and loose

How long has it been in the ground? UNKNOWN. Its actually in like a concrete planter box which Im not sure has a bottom or not. So i think it might be naturally kind of bonsaied if that makes sense....

Do not wait until Sept if you live near Sydney. There will be too much hot weather around then. Now is the best time!

Really? So the coming winter wont affect it too much?

If it is not too big and has many fine roots I would recommend taking off quite a bit of soil so the roots can become esablished in the new mix quickly without having to struggle through old soil.
It is very important to remove all the field soil eventually.
I recommend planting into pure river sand with at most 5-10% organic Peat moss?. (if that) and mulch the top with moss.
Keep under shade cloth.

[shibui]

As it is in a concrete tub it is probable that there will be feeder roots. It is also likely that the soil will fall off the roots as you dig it. I agree with Treeman - Don't worry about the soil falling of the roots. You want to get rid of it eventually anyway and the tree won't mind having bare roots for a few hours as long as they don't get too dry. My preference is always to remove as much original soil as practical (without washing the roots completely bare) when transplanting trees.
I would also go for transplant now if possible.

I am also one of the few who do not use seasol when transplanting. I do not have any problems with transplants re-establishing and have never noticed any difference whether I have use seasol or not.