TR8Driver
Sapling
The next tree up that my father in law gave me is this informal upright JBP. This is a big tree, over 3 feet tall, at least compared to most of my trees that run more shohin or a bit bigger.
Like the cascade, this one had also escaped into the ground, and the escaping roots had pretty much closed off the drainage holes. It was still cool and damp last year when we brought it home, but well past repotting time. But because of the poor drainage, I removed it from the pot and put it into a grow box. I did very little to disturb the rootball, other that removing any easily removed soil from the edges. The pot it came home in was about 18 inches, the box is about 24 inches, and I think a more suitable size for this tree now.
Unfortunately, this tree lost several branches from one side, and I think that was the side he considered the back, at least based on the movement in the crown and how it was tilted in the pot. Though the tilt could have been from the roots pushing up on the pot as well. Anyway, I put it more upright.
This tree was also too strong on top, so I've started to address that. The lowest branch (on the left in the photos) is quite weak, but I've already managed to coax a bunch of new buds on it for this year. The next branch up on that side has a very straight and bare start, so I want to work on getting some movement in that, and if I'm lucky, maybe a bud. I also need to keep that branch in check as it is right above the weaker first branch. I also want to slowly address the roots, either by being able to pot it a bit lower, or if I can, moving some around.
The box I build is screwed together, so I will soon take two of the sides off, and clean out half of the root ball. Next year I can do the other half, then hopefully pot into a new pot the following year.
The last photo is, as best as my father in law recalled, this tree in 1982 (along with him). I'm not totally convinced this is the same tree, though.
Like the cascade, this one had also escaped into the ground, and the escaping roots had pretty much closed off the drainage holes. It was still cool and damp last year when we brought it home, but well past repotting time. But because of the poor drainage, I removed it from the pot and put it into a grow box. I did very little to disturb the rootball, other that removing any easily removed soil from the edges. The pot it came home in was about 18 inches, the box is about 24 inches, and I think a more suitable size for this tree now.
Unfortunately, this tree lost several branches from one side, and I think that was the side he considered the back, at least based on the movement in the crown and how it was tilted in the pot. Though the tilt could have been from the roots pushing up on the pot as well. Anyway, I put it more upright.
This tree was also too strong on top, so I've started to address that. The lowest branch (on the left in the photos) is quite weak, but I've already managed to coax a bunch of new buds on it for this year. The next branch up on that side has a very straight and bare start, so I want to work on getting some movement in that, and if I'm lucky, maybe a bud. I also need to keep that branch in check as it is right above the weaker first branch. I also want to slowly address the roots, either by being able to pot it a bit lower, or if I can, moving some around.
The box I build is screwed together, so I will soon take two of the sides off, and clean out half of the root ball. Next year I can do the other half, then hopefully pot into a new pot the following year.
The last photo is, as best as my father in law recalled, this tree in 1982 (along with him). I'm not totally convinced this is the same tree, though.
