Yaupon Holly Trunk Chop

[Zako51]

I just picked up (3) Yaupon Holly shrubs from someone that was redoing their landscaping. I will post some pictures shortly. They are each about 15 years old and are about 4 feet tall. I repotted them with just some potting soil and put them in 7 gallon nursery pots. Is it too late in the year to Chop the trunk down to about 12" from the base?

I am here in Austin, TX.

Thank you!

 

[Zako51]

Here are the pictures

 

[Bonsai Nut]

You didn't say specifically, but did you just plant them in the pots recently?

I personally think it is a late in the season for dramatically pruning them. You want them to get established as quickly as possible before the heat of the summer (given that we are already in May). If you just potted them up, I would consider transferring them to good bonsai soil so that you don't have to repot next year. Then you will be in position to prune them heavily in the spring - instead of wondering about the roots.

 

[Zako51]

You didn't say specifically, but did you just plant them in the pots recently?

I personally think it is a late in the season for dramatically pruning them. You want them to get established as quickly as possible before the heat of the summer (given that we are already in May). If you just potted them up, I would consider transferring them to good bonsai soil so that you don't have to repot next year. Then you will be in position to prune them heavily in the spring - instead of wondering about the roots.

Yes, I planted them in these pots and soil today. When I showed up to pick them up, they were already pulled from the ground. I believe they were pulled yesterday. I was in a rush, so I grabbed them on my lunch break, went home and through them in a pot with some potting soil.

 

[Zako51]

Throwing this back to the top. I would really like to chop them down, but want to make sure it is not too late in the season. We have a ton of rain right now, but I plan on getting them into bonsai soil by the end of the week if I can chop them down.