Thought I’d share progress on some coastal redwood seedlings I planted in October 2021.
Today i thought I’d start moving them into individual pots. Soil is pine bark (orchid mix “small”) and sub-1/8” pumice that I had left over after sifting a batch. I’ll keep the test subject indoors for a week (just natural light through a window). If she survives, I’ll move the rest.
These have been growing in my garage under grow lights and over a heat mat. 28 sprouted, 16 remain. I planted an unknown number of seeds.
Good for you Steve! Once you get them potted up be prepared for an explosion of growth and who knows, in ten years time you could be winning a prestigious bonsai show with one of those seedlings…
No I haven’t used any insecticide. The dead parts are from lack of water during some really hot days here a few weeks back. Otherwise, I’m super happy with their growth.
Foliage drives growth, trunk girth comes from growth of vascular tissue…so no a trunk chop will not drive the trunk mass…you are correct, the statement is contradictory at best.
BUT…
how big of trunk chop wound do you want to have to heal and how’s the taper…these are the questions I would be asking myself in this situation.
Am I at 50% of desired mass? Do I want to run a sacrifice branch for 2 years. Am I at 25% see desired mass, so maybe I let everything except potential structural flaws run unchecked or even go into a grow bag in the ground for 2-3 years?
I’m not saying this is THE WAY but it’s a way I think about developing pieces that I believe is closely aligned with Mirai’s approach.
This aligns with my thoughts and previous experience. I’ll keep it running as-is for a few more years to see how things develop. I like the idea of looking out for potential flaws in structure… other than that I’ll continue to let it do what it does.
A trunk chop can promote more thickening if it results in the creation of several strong leaders that all add to the thickness. Not sure if that is how coastal redwood will react. I may have an opportunity in a couple of years to try it - mine are two years old from seed and only about 30 cm tall.
