Just collected my first Bald Cypress, in need of some advice on potting & after-care

[Cajunrider]

Zach, i have a few specimens that I am growing out. Does watering with rooting hormone help any? Does using Miracle Gro Quick start help at all with these yamadori? I want to make sure I get some good root growth this season. Im in Bay Area SF

Well. I have collected a good number of BCs. I have never used any rooting hormone. I don't think the rooting hormone does anything for the roots. Furthermore, the copious amount of water I use to water the collected trees will wash away any rooting hormone anyway.
As for fertilizing, I don't fertilize until the tree has roots. I don't start fertilizing until the shoots at the top is 12" long. With collected trees, patience and avoidance of stressing the trees is paramount. For example, sunlight is not needed much because the tree has no leaves to collect energy. Putting the tree out in the sun simply mean you are drying it out and what little roots that are forming are taxed to supply water to the drying trunk. Similarly, fertilizers provide the minute amounts of minerals that a growing tree crave. That's all good but fertilizing a stump with hardly any roots is like trying to feed solid food to a baby.

By the way, I am told that Zach has retired. I haven't seen any of Zach's posts for a while.

 

[ronalvio]

Well. I have collected a good number of BCs. I have never used any rooting hormone. I don't think the rooting hormone does anything for the roots. Furthermore, the copious amount of water I use to water the collected trees will wash away any rooting hormone anyway.
As for fertilizing, I don't fertilize until the tree has roots. I don't start fertilizing until the shoots at the top is 12" long. With collected trees, patience and avoidance of stressing the trees is paramount. For example, sunlight is not needed much because the tree has no leaves to collect energy. Putting the tree out in the sun simply mean you are drying it out and what little roots that are forming are taxed to supply water to the drying trunk.

Excellent! Ill wait for these shoots to grow out more. They are just budding now. you know the tree. LOL

 

[rockm]

Zach, i have a few specimens that I am growing out. Does watering with rooting hormone help any? Does using Miracle Gro Quick start help at all with these yamadori? I want to make sure I get some good root growth this season. Im in Bay Area SF

Rooting hormone won't do much good. Rooting hormone works best on NON-root tissue above ground--as in air layering branches, trunks etc. It is a chemical signal for tissues that aren't root tissue to become root tissue. Roots are already roots. Applying hormone to roots to get roots is redundant. BC will root with no problem and profusely for the most part, provided the base is kept wet to very moist.

Applying fertilizer won't really help much either, as roots immediately post collection or after significant work are mostly incapable of using it. You can apply fert, but it's really not all that effective for a month or so after root work as roots re-establish themselves.

Getting good root growth depends on proper care, particularly with watering. Keep things wet to moist in the root zone. Give the tree three or four hours morning sun. Stand back and wait.

 

[Cajunrider]

Rooting hormone won't do much good. Rooting hormone works best on NON-root tissue above ground--as in air layering branches, trunks etc. It is a chemical signal for tissues that aren't root tissue to become root tissue. Roots are already roots. Applying hormone to roots to get roots is redundant. BC will root with no problem and profusely for the most part, provided the base is kept wet to very moist.

Applying fertilizer won't really help much either, as roots immediately post collection or after significant work are mostly incapable of using it. You can apply fert, but it's really not all that effective for a month or so after root work as roots re-establish themselves.

Getting good root growth depends on proper care, particularly with watering. Keep things wet to moist in the root zone. Give the tree three or four hours morning sun. Stand back and wait.

Mr. Moyogi certainly put it in better words than mine

 

[ronalvio]

Thanks for the great advice. Im set now!