Prep Dawn Redwoods

[Water Dog]

Hello; I just received 2 new Dawn Redwoods that are already established at about 2 feet tall. I want to start pruning down & trimming roots to make them into Bonsai. I’m a rookie at this & every plant I got last season I managed to kill.
I think it is the right time of year & trees are old enough to prune back, trim roots & replant in smaller pots.
Any advice on how much I should prune off a 2 foot tree, and if I should mess with the roots at all. Maybe keep in the same pot and just prune back branches?

Thank You,
Don

 

[Bonsai_hope]

Can we see pictures and what is your planting zone. I have a number of dawn redwoods and they do very well. Mine have begun to leaf out in zone 9A.

 

[Water Dog]

These just arrived, they are not even in soil. I expected them to be potted already

 

[Bonsai_hope]

These just arrived, they are not even in soil. I expected them to be potted already

If they are bare root I would plant them in nursery pots. Let the roots establish for a year.

 

[Water Dog]

If they are bare root I would plant them in nursery pots. Let the roots establish for a year.

Thank You. Should I still think small, or put them in large like gallon sized pots to get the roots griwn out?

 

[Water Dog]

Planting zone is in Atlanta

 

[Gabler]

Start small, and gradually step up the pot size.

 

[Bonsai_hope]

I would treat them as as nursery trees. The one in the middle has almost no roots. If you’re in the ATL area you have an excellent nursery nearby. Steve at Plant City in Clermont GA is knowledgeable about Dawn Redwoods and if you go pick up a Kingsville Boxwood. They are expensive but worth it.

 

[pandacular]

Pot them up ASAP. Do not prune any roots or branches. I'd go with a 4" pot if these were mine. In a year or two, you could repot and prune roots.

If they were mine, I would also wire them, but I don't recommend that if you don't know how to wire young whips that are freshly planted.

 

[Water Dog]

Start small, and gradually step up the pot size.

Thank You

 

[Water Dog]

Start small, and gradually step up the pot size.

Thank You

 

[Water Dog]

I would treat them as as nursery trees. The one in the middle has almost no roots. If you’re in the ATL area you have an excellent nursery nearby. Steve at Plant City in Clermont GA is knowledgeable about Dawn Redwoods and if you go pick up a Kingsville Boxwood. They are expensive but worth it.

Thank You. I treated that one with rooting hormone stimulator & planted in a smaller pot than the other 2. Your advice is appreciated.

 

[Water Dog]

Pot them up ASAP. Do not prune any roots or branches. I'd go with a 4" pot if these were mine. In a year or two, you could repot and prune roots.

If they were mine, I would also wire them, but I don't recommend that if you don't know how to wire young whips that are freshly planted.

Thank You. I did plant in 1/2 gallon sized plants with pebbles in the bottom. There didn’t seem to be much there to get into wiring, which is a bit over my head anyway. I’m going to leave them alone until next season then re-asses according to how they do.

 

[pandacular]

A little on the big side for the amount of roots, but with proper water it will do. Getting them into a 4” or smaller will help quite a bit, especially with organic substrate (here’s where pictures would help)

 

[dbonsaiw]

DRs are a lot of fun and will grow fast. I second the advice of Gabler and Pandacular. In the growing season, they tend to suck up a good deal of water, so I find they can be treated almost like bald cypress - i.e. they don't really mind wet feet in my experience. Because they grow so fast, you can lose the window to wire if they get too fat - thus the advice to get some movement in the trunk earlier rather than later (assuming you want movement).