Monterey Cypress Seedlings - process from seed

[casun]

While my substrate makes it easy to just tease the roots and have it drop out, i try to keep at least some of the existing material for the repot - the stuff that hasn't broken down too much - and mix it in with the new. I honestly don't think my substrate hangs on to too much/any beneficial fungal development, but I have not seen any negative effects from keeping at least some of the old soil thus far. I also haven't been very aggressive with root reduction so far, as I'd prefer that they gain some vigour for a few years (as long as the roots remain fine and not too leggy).


Was there at any point any change in watering or feeding? Anyway, I do find they are rather apically dominant. Like @Firstflush , I've been able to top some strong upward growers a few times and there hasn't really been any detriment.

@Firstflush Regarding the weeping, i suspect a lot of this has to do with strong tip growth before the branches have a chance to lignify? I've noticed this on some material that hasn't been tip pruned, even on material that was kept outdoors in full sun spring/summer/fall. Alternatively, there are also some weeping varieties out there which grow more prostrate than apical.

Thank you for the responses. I might wait another year before the root work/repot. There hasn’t been any change in watering or feeding. In about a month I’ll chop the top and remove some of the dense growth like @Firstflush suggested and see how that goes.

 

[Firstflush]

The thing will go off .....taking the branches back a few shoots from the terminal end. They like it.

 

[rollwithak]

Nice, good choice on the containers too. Make sure you keep the trunks wired long enough to create some interesting movement.

I’m actually going to be taking these to the central coast and planting them. This species will not survive here in the Central Valley heat.... I started this project without doing my homework and soon there after realized that they wouldn’t thrive here. Sad but happy they’ll get a chance in the wild.

 

[Firstflush]

I’m actually going to be taking these to the central coast and planting them. This species will not survive here in the Central Valley heat.... I started this project without doing my homework and soon there after realized that they wouldn’t thrive here. Sad but happy they’ll get a chance in the wild.

You gotta keep one, no?
You would probably be good until the hottest months where you are located. When July, Aug., and September comes give the tree afternoon shade from about 2 or 3 pm on.

 

[rollwithak]

You gotta keep one, no?
You would probably be good until the hottest months where you are located. When July, Aug., and September comes give the tree afternoon shade from about 2 or 3 pm on.

Yeah that’s exactly what I was going to do, keep one and donate the rest to Ol’ Mother Nature.

 

[florencechan.ca]

Just a brief update; I did a bunch of repotting today, just a year after the last time. Rock Solid roots! I think I used a combination of pumice, lava, diatomaceous earth, and potting soil. I was basically left with just the pumice and lava.

Potted up from 4in to 6in. I hope root development next year is as vigorous!

No real styling updates for the moment, hence why just the one shot, but I hope to see a lot more ramification this year! Still haven't touched the big basket yet, but I hope to split that up a bit for some stronger individual growth.

(Edit to add: For reference, if you want to see what the substrate was like a year ago, this is the same tree that was in the Burpee pot previously - see page 1!)

 

[rollwithak]

M

Just a brief update; I did a bunch of repotting today, just a year after the last time. Rock Solid roots! I think I used a combination of pumice, lava, diatomaceous earth, and potting soil. I was basically left with just the pumice and lava.

Potted up from 4in to 6in. I hope root development next year is as vigorous!

No real styling updates for the moment, hence why just the one shot, but I hope to see a lot more ramification this year! Still haven't touched the big basket yet, but I hope to split that up a bit for some stronger individual growth.

(Edit to add: For reference, if you want to see what the substrate was like a year ago, this is the same tree that was in the Burpee pot previously - see page 1!mo

Just a brief update; I did a bunch of repotting today, just a year after the last time. Rock Solid roots! I think I used a combination of pumice, lava, diatomaceous earth, and potting soil. I was basically left with just the pumice and lava.

Potted up from 4in to 6in. I hope root development next year is as vigorous!

No real styling updates for the moment, hence why just the one shot, but I hope to see a lot more ramification this year! Still haven't touched the big basket yet, but I hope to split that up a bit for some stronger individual growth.

(Edit to add: For reference, if you want to see what the substrate was like a year ago, this is the same tree that was in the Burpee pot previously - see page 1!)

More pics!

 

[florencechan.ca]

As I am uploading from my phone, there is no particular order to these, though they may be recognizable from previous posts.

Overall they still grew a bit over winter, but certainly not as quickly as in spring and summer.

One of them has developed a split on one side, but also has calloused over, so I hope it will continue in some health for a while.

I am mostly hoping to pump up ramification and hope to see some trunk gains this year, though I am a little worried about lack of space by the end of the year.

 

[florencechan.ca]

A few quick shots of the big basket crew, which took much of last Sunday to detangle. All of them are a LOT taller than I thought they were... I guess it is just because they were all in one big mass that it was harder to recognize.

Roots were only slightly less congested than the ones which had been planted singly in plastic pots, but also mostly much finer and enmeshed.

 

[rollwithak]

A few quick shots of the big basket crew, which took much of last Sunday to detangle. All of them are a LOT taller than I thought they were... I guess it is just because they were all in one big mass that it was harder to recognize.

Roots were only slightly less congested than the ones which had been planted singly in plastic pots, but also mostly much finer and enmeshed.

Do these handle root activity fairly well? You did these a little late in the season no?

 

[florencechan.ca]

Do these handle root activity fairly well? You did these a little late in the season no?

The local advice is Junipers in June, so we'll see? I had previously repotted in early May, but we've also had very intermittent hot and cold spells in the intervening weeks.

Each of the basket trees are now sitting in 40% shade to recuperate. The others from earlier in the month are now back under full sun.

 

[florencechan.ca]

I had previously repotted in early May, but we've also had very intermittent hot and cold spells in the intervening weeks.

* I mean last year, and even then it seemed a bit too early. (Keep in mind i'm in zone 5B and our avg last frost date is mid/late May)