Street Collected Euonymus

[John in Toledo]

My office neighbor here in downtown Toledo asked me to collect all his shubbery (A Euonymous - I think it's a dwarf of alatus but, I'm not sure - and three boxwoods). This may belong in several threads, so forgive me if this is a forum faux pas. Anyone got good beginner advice for helping the Euonymous settle in well, and live happily? I've been noticing them here for three years or so since I arrived from Florida, and the striking fall colors were too enticing to pass up once the offer was made. I collected it following a good rain, during a random winter warm spell. (Base is perhaps 1.5-2 inches in diameter). I didn't mess with the roots much and potted it in the soil it was collected with. I figure it was happy there, so why mess with it while the tree is getting used to the potted life. I trimmed branches back to about 30 inches above the ground, trying to leave a lot of growth nodes. It's mostly been garage kept for the last three weeks or so. I think I should probably protect it until the Ohio nights get a bit reliably warmer.

Any advice for giving this baby the best chance at happiness?

 

[cbroad]

One thing I'd say is field soil in a pot is not a good thing, it's going to compact too much and really affect gas exchange with the atmosphere (as water drains, it pulls oxygen into the root zone). You'll end up with an anaerobic soil and the plant's roots will slowly suffocate. You probably have time before the plant comes out of dormancy to repot into a more suitable soil, whether it's a bonsai aggregate or regular potting soil.

Good luck though, I love burning bush!

 

[cbroad]

The difference between potting soil and regular topsoil/compost is that potting soil (regardless of the composition) should resist compaction, whether it's a mixture of peat moss, perlite, Coco fiber, tree bark, or inorganic components. The key is to have proper drainage, which equals available oxygen. You can take this idea far enough to get into "water holding capacity" and "air filled porosity," which then you can tailor your soil to specific plants and your specific area. If you live in a hot climate you would want more water holding capacity, or if you live in a wet area you'd want more air filled porosity.

Welcome to the rabbit hole

 

[just.wing.it]

Welcome to the Nut House!!

 

[just.wing.it]

I agree with @cbroad
Try to wait until the buds are looking like they are swelling and beginning to open, then repot it into a better soil mix.
I would take a garden hose to the root ball, along with a chopstick and wash the roots clean. Then I'd prune the roots back significantly, and plant it in something like Perlite if that's all you have access to.

I know that's a lot for a beginner to take in, and actually pull off successfully, if you are indeed a beginner....but that's what I'd do!
Actually my soil mix is lava, pumice and haydite.

You can do it!

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[John in Toledo]

Welcome to the Nut House!!

I think I'm going to like it here.

 

[Gaitano]

I generally let mine run free in the spring and summer and then give them a trim in the fall. Typically mine will not have a second flush if I cut after the first spring flush. I usually repot mine every year as they have a lot of fiberous roots. They are fairly prolific with back budding on the trunk. I collected one and chopped hard upon collection. I also air layered one in my landscape.

1st is collection in 14 and repot in 18.
2nd is air layer in 15 and repot in 18.

Very fun species to grow, very hearty, great fall colors.

 

[John in Toledo]

I agree with @cbroad
Try to wait until the buds are looking like they are swelling and beginning to open, then repot it into a better soil mix.
I would take a garden hose to the root ball, along with a chopstick and wash the roots clean. Then I'd prune the roots back significantly, and plant it in something like Perlite if that's all you have access to.

I know that's a lot for a beginner to take in, and actually pull off successfully, if you are indeed a beginner....but that's what I'd do!
Actually my soil mix is lava, pumice and haydite.

You can do it!

Well, perhaps more sophomoric than beginner. I know just enough to make well-intentioned fatal mistakes. My formal education was in biology, but I left the "straw-hats" to be a "white-coat". All my graduate work was in molecular genetics. I've taught more than my fair share of superficial undergraduate classes in general biology and botany, but for me, it's always been about sorting out control from the DNA level. It's all about the cell, baby. Suffice it to say that I know more about protein sub-units than soil particles. Knowing broad, whole-organism anatomy and physiology in principle is very different than knowing it as an applied practice.

I can understand the advice to increase drainage by using a controlled soil mixture (a bit scary, I admit, but I'm willing to try. The poor thing just got taken from home and shoved in a pot!). However, I am a bit confused about brutalizing the roots so early in the season. My gut says "Let the roots recover, and muck around with them later."

Can you help me here with the "Timing is everything" bit?

1. Aren't the roots holding all the sugars to drive apical cellular growth to form the new leaves? We haven't done any photosynthesis since October. Wouldn't we want to wait until the leaves are doing their thing before cutting out the reserves?
2. How do we balance this, knowing that root absorption happens at the cellular level? If the roots are hosed and "chopsticked" - I'd better figure out what that really means. This isn't the first place I've read that term - we'd be tearing off almost all the roothairs, right? Wouldn't that make it rough on the roots to pull in all the water that leaf-driven transport-transpiration demands?

I love the advice and your willingness to share from experience, and am likely to take the recommendations of the consensus. I am just doing a bit of "But, why?"

Is there a place for a midpoint here or is this a "just trust in the process" moment for me and my little burning bush? Could I take off some of the edges of the rootball (so as to keep the fine internal roothairs intact) and fill the balance of space in the pot with something a little better draining? Would that drive root growth to the edges of the pot where things flow more freely, and then do rootwork toward autumn when it's settling in for a long winter's nap ?

 

[just.wing.it]

Well, perhaps more sophomoric than beginner. I know just enough to make well-intentioned fatal mistakes. My formal education was in biology, but I left the "straw-hats" to be a "white-coat". All my graduate work was in molecular genetics. I've taught more than my fair share of superficial undergraduate classes in general biology and botany, but for me, it's always been about sorting out control from the DNA level. It's all about the cell, baby. Suffice it to say that I know more about protein sub-units than soil particles. Knowing broad, whole-organism anatomy and physiology in principle is very different than knowing it as an applied practice.

I can understand the advice to increase drainage by using a controlled soil mixture (a bit scary, I admit, but I'm willing to try. The poor thing just got taken from home and shoved in a pot!). However, I am a bit confused about brutalizing the roots so early in the season. My gut says "Let the roots recover, and muck around with them later."

Can you help me here with the "Timing is everything" bit?

1. Aren't the roots holding all the sugars to drive apical cellular growth to form the new leaves? We haven't done any photosynthesis since October. Wouldn't we want to wait until the leaves are doing their thing before cutting out the reserves?
2. How do we balance this, knowing that root absorption happens at the cellular level? If the roots are hosed and "chopsticked" - I'd better figure out what that really means. This isn't the first place I've read that term - we'd be tearing off almost all the roothairs, right? Wouldn't that make it rough on the roots to pull in all the water that leaf-driven transport-transpiration demands?

I love the advice and your willingness to share from experience, and am likely to take the recommendations of the consensus. I am just doing a bit of "But, why?"

Is there a place for a midpoint here or is this a "just trust in the process" moment for me and my little burning bush? Could I take off some of the edges of the rootball (so as to keep the fine internal roothairs intact) and fill the balance of space in the pot with something a little better draining? Would that drive root growth to the edges of the pot where things flow more freely, and then do rootwork toward autumn when it's settling in for a long winter's nap ?

The way I understand it is this:
Like you said about the sugars being pushed to the buds for the next round of foliar growth, yes.
Once the buds are visibly swelling and get their process moving, the vast majority of all usable sugars or "energy" (for lack of a better term for the carbohydrates, I use energy) has moved into the trunk, branches and buds.
That makes it the perfect time to do damage to the roots.
Once the damage is done, and the tree is in a fresh substrate that has good balance of air and water retention, keep it moist and the leaves will emerge, photosynthesize and build new roots...better roots!
That's the short of it, I think ?

 

[just.wing.it]

Also, when you hear that autumn is the best time to transplant plants....
That is in reference to landscape plants, where you'd not be disturbing the roots so much, and in the ground, it's a whole different story...

 

[just.wing.it]

I would also advise this, since we're talking Repotting....
Some trees prefer to be repotted during summer dormancy.
This is not to say that springtime repotting would kill them, but they react better in summer...
But we are talking about Burning Bush, which is deciduous.

 

[John in Toledo]

The way I understand it is this:
Like you said about the sugars being pushed to the buds for the next round of foliar growth, yes.
Once the buds are visibly swelling and get their process moving, the vast majority of all usable sugars or "energy" (for lack of a better term for the carbohydrates, I use energy) has moved into the trunk, branches and buds.
That makes it the perfect time to do damage to the roots.
Once the damage is done, and the tree is in a fresh substrate that has good balance of air and water retention, keep it moist and the leaves will emerge, photosynthesize and build new roots...better roots!
That's the short of it, I think ?

Hmmm...that makes enough sense. Thanks for helping to untangle this with me.

Looks like it's new soil this weekend, then. I'm a hoser! The root system fills most of the pot. 10 or 12 inches across and maybe 5 or 6 inches deep. (it used to be a hanging planter). How much initial reduction? How brutal is too brutal?

Tips for "chopsticking out roots"? Is that like combing hair with a one-toothed comb ?

 

[just.wing.it]

Hmmm...that makes enough sense. Thanks for helping to untangle this with me.

Looks like it's new soil this weekend, then. I'm a hoser! The root system fills most of the pot. 10 or 12 inches across and maybe 5 or 6 inches deep. (it used to be a hanging planter). How much initial reduction? How brutal is too brutal?

Tips for "chopsticking out roots"? Is that like combing hair with a one-toothed comb ?

Yes, about the comb, or root hook or stick...

You should check out some repotting videos on YouTube if possible...
Also check out some repotting threads here on Bnut, use the search function, try typing different things, I'm sure you will be able to glean all kinds of good information!

 

[John in Toledo]

I would also advise this, since we're talking Repotting....
Some trees prefer to be repotted during summer dormancy.
This is not to say that springtime repotting would kill them, but they react better in summer...
But we are talking about Burning Bush, which is deciduous.

Well, now you're just trying to confuse me. Are you posing a broad generalization about deciduous trees and summer potting? I don't know about the tree, but I'd sure feel better if I waited. I've got to get better about thinking like a tree.

What are the markers/indicators of summer dormancy?

 

[just.wing.it]

When I repot my deciduous trees, especially for the first time, I go hard.... really hard.

I try my best to pick a root plane, where I want my future surface roots, and base of the tree to be, and I cut away everything else, especially underneath, to flatten the bottom of the trunk.

 

[John in Toledo]

Yes, about the comb, or root hook or stick...

You should check out some repotting videos on YouTube if possible...
Also check out some repotting threads here on Bnut, use the search function, try typing different things, I'm sure you will be able to glean all kinds of good information![/QUOTE]

Hooray for search functions! If I'm not back in a few days, send someone out looking for me. If you haven't found me in a week, then first one to the house gets my happy burning bush. ;-)

 

[just.wing.it]

Well, now you're just trying to confuse me. Are you posing a broad generalization about deciduous trees and summer potting? I don't know about the tree, but I'd sure feel better if I waited. I've got to get better about thinking like a tree.

What are the markers/indicators of summer dormancy?

Hahaha, yeah...
When I'm talking about Repotting a tree in the summer, it's species specific.
To name one, mugo pine...
So we're talking about and evergreen conifer...

What I first said about root work just prior to bud burst, is solid information for any deciduous trees I know of.

 

[John in Toledo]

May I please be excused? My brain is full.

 

[Ingvill]

May I please be excused? My brain is full.

Hahah, welcome to the forum!