Icarus - Sequoia dendron giganteum (Redwood)
- Thread starter Icarus
- Start date
Wulfskaar
Omono
Cool!
I have 3 from this spring. Here is my tiny grove of "giant" sequoias: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/wulfskaars-tiny-sequoia-grove.61220/
I have 3 from this spring. Here is my tiny grove of "giant" sequoias: https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/wulfskaars-tiny-sequoia-grove.61220/
Icarus
Sapling
My method:
I soaked the seeds in warm water for 24 hours.
Mixed the seeds in 100% vermiculite put the mixture in a small sandwich bag (with seal) added two teaspoons of water, sealed the bag and placed in the fridge at 5°C
Left the bag for 30 days checking weekly for mould.
After the 30 days I planted the mixture in about six small pots in 100% vermiculite (use a tea spoon and scoop on the top).
Placed the pots in a warm airing cupboard.
First germination after just two days.
After two weeks I planted the seedlings in individual pots using a tooth pick and a mixture of 50% vermiculite and 50% seedling compost.
After six months I repotted into larger pots.
For the first year they were in doors on a semi sunny window sill.
I sprayed them daily with mist.
By June 2022 I had 22 left
I soaked the seeds in warm water for 24 hours.
Mixed the seeds in 100% vermiculite put the mixture in a small sandwich bag (with seal) added two teaspoons of water, sealed the bag and placed in the fridge at 5°C
Left the bag for 30 days checking weekly for mould.
After the 30 days I planted the mixture in about six small pots in 100% vermiculite (use a tea spoon and scoop on the top).
Placed the pots in a warm airing cupboard.
First germination after just two days.
After two weeks I planted the seedlings in individual pots using a tooth pick and a mixture of 50% vermiculite and 50% seedling compost.
After six months I repotted into larger pots.
For the first year they were in doors on a semi sunny window sill.
I sprayed them daily with mist.
By June 2022 I had 22 left
Attachments
Icarus
Sapling
Icarus
Sapling
I found redwoods love direct sunlight and water.
I use compost for roses with a little vermiculite.
Water x2 a day. Fertilize with biogold.
I use compost for roses with a little vermiculite.
Water x2 a day. Fertilize with biogold.
Icarus
Sapling
After two years I lost my first attempt at bonsai and one other.
Due to space and budget I repotted most in medium and three in larger pots.
The three in larger pots grew to 54cm.
Being apical the tops cut out light to the lower branches.
To promote trunk taper I topped from this year's growth and used a branch as the new leader on x2 of the larger trees. I also cut the higher over hanging branches. It looks to have worked a treat!
Due to space and budget I repotted most in medium and three in larger pots.
The three in larger pots grew to 54cm.
Being apical the tops cut out light to the lower branches.
To promote trunk taper I topped from this year's growth and used a branch as the new leader on x2 of the larger trees. I also cut the higher over hanging branches. It looks to have worked a treat!
Attachments
Icarus
Sapling
Icarus
Sapling
Icarus
Sapling
Icarus
Sapling
Repotted today from a ten inch pot to a 65 litre one.
This tree is only 26 months old and was completely root bound.
I underwatered 24 hours before repotting.
I used about 60 litres of new rose compost which is peat free and all organic. This soil drains well this reduces the chance of winter freezing and root rot.
My method:
1. I took the tree from the old pot and layed it on the ground.
2. Using a chopstick I starting at the bottom and moving an inch at a time slowly prised the roots free twisting the root ball/tree.
3. When I reached about four inches from the top I stopped.
4. I cut the thick tap root with secateurs up to the root ball, leaving longer roots on the outside edge.
5. I cut any roots overlapping at the surface.
6. I filled the pot about six inches from the final height.
7. I used a large dinner plate placing it on top. This keeps the root ball from becoming too big to eventually repot in a shallow pot.
8. Put about two inches of soil on the dinner plate, and made a ten inch trench around the plate.
9. Placed the root ball on the plate and gently arranging the longer outer roots around the plate in the trench. At this point I also arranged some of the larger surface roots in better positions.
10. Filled soil to desired height and watered well.
Photos of final result and main tap root.
Note: this tree has been topped twice with new leader branches encouraged to promote taper
This tree is only 26 months old and was completely root bound.
I underwatered 24 hours before repotting.
I used about 60 litres of new rose compost which is peat free and all organic. This soil drains well this reduces the chance of winter freezing and root rot.
My method:
1. I took the tree from the old pot and layed it on the ground.
2. Using a chopstick I starting at the bottom and moving an inch at a time slowly prised the roots free twisting the root ball/tree.
3. When I reached about four inches from the top I stopped.
4. I cut the thick tap root with secateurs up to the root ball, leaving longer roots on the outside edge.
5. I cut any roots overlapping at the surface.
6. I filled the pot about six inches from the final height.
7. I used a large dinner plate placing it on top. This keeps the root ball from becoming too big to eventually repot in a shallow pot.
8. Put about two inches of soil on the dinner plate, and made a ten inch trench around the plate.
9. Placed the root ball on the plate and gently arranging the longer outer roots around the plate in the trench. At this point I also arranged some of the larger surface roots in better positions.
10. Filled soil to desired height and watered well.
Photos of final result and main tap root.
Note: this tree has been topped twice with new leader branches encouraged to promote taper
Attachments
Last edited:
SandSquid
Yamadori
Very cool documentation so far. They seem to be fairly fast growers! Looking forward to tracking your progress.... will probably help me with my own.
Icarus
Sapling
As Sequoias love direct sun I positioned my new 65 litre pot south facing.
Unfortunately my black pot got so hot I could not touch it.
The soil was actually steaming!
To remedy the problem I used a roll of indoor radiator insulation which has aluminium foil on one side and white polystyrene on the inside.
It cost about £1 per metre.
I cut it to length, and placed it around the pot using masking tape to join it. Now the soil is cool to the touch even in the midday sunshine.
Root pruned and up potted x4 saplings into 10 inch pots. This gives them about a month to root properly before winter dormancy begins.
I posted another couple of photos of the sapling with a cone. I checked on wiki and they say it takes 12 years for Sequoiadendron giganteum to begin growing cones so well pleased (I must be doing something right).
Last photo shows remaining saplings still in 4inch pots. Anybody local can have one.
My trees will be left now until next Spring. I'll post in April, May 2024.
Unfortunately my black pot got so hot I could not touch it.
The soil was actually steaming!
To remedy the problem I used a roll of indoor radiator insulation which has aluminium foil on one side and white polystyrene on the inside.
It cost about £1 per metre.
I cut it to length, and placed it around the pot using masking tape to join it. Now the soil is cool to the touch even in the midday sunshine.
Root pruned and up potted x4 saplings into 10 inch pots. This gives them about a month to root properly before winter dormancy begins.
I posted another couple of photos of the sapling with a cone. I checked on wiki and they say it takes 12 years for Sequoiadendron giganteum to begin growing cones so well pleased (I must be doing something right).
Last photo shows remaining saplings still in 4inch pots. Anybody local can have one.
My trees will be left now until next Spring. I'll post in April, May 2024.
Attachments
Last edited:
Icarus
Sapling
Just a few photos showing my biggest tree before topping (see the red dot where I cut), after the cut with new leader wired and the latest stage with new leader straight and scar nearly recovered.
Attachments
queenofsheba52
Chumono
Lookin' good!
doc spring _work
Shohin
Oh these look fantastic!!
Icarus
Sapling
I repotted this Sequoia on September 1st 2023. I cut the roots to approximately where I have drawn the red line.
No growth observed in canopy since repotting. Just seen roots growing out the base of the pot and I thought winter was the dormant period. Photographs attached.
No growth observed in canopy since repotting. Just seen roots growing out the base of the pot and I thought winter was the dormant period. Photographs attached.
Attachments
Icarus
Sapling
Gave something back to nature today.
Planted three, 2 year old giant Sequoia saplings in my local fields.
These could live for up to 3,000 years.
Wonder what the world will look like then.....
Planted three, 2 year old giant Sequoia saplings in my local fields.
These could live for up to 3,000 years.
Wonder what the world will look like then.....
Attachments
doc spring _work
Shohin
Love seeing this! Your in the UK right it would be cool if thousands of years from now Sequoias where all over the UK, although not native it would be a beautiful sight
doc spring _work
Shohin
Any recommendations for fertilizer? I haven't given my Sequoia any yet but I have an "evergreen" fertilizer I'm thinking about watering down and misting into the pot
Icarus
Sapling
Funny you should say that.
I was simply amazed to hear people like me are planting these trees out.
A BBC news documentary surveyed the UK and found over 500,000 have been planted. It might be nearly extinct in the USA but not here.
Similar threads
