blue atlas cedar (s)

Luscious

yesterday i purchased two blue atlas cedars. I am combing the internet, trying to discover as much as i can before bonsai-ing them. they are both tall (about five feet) and have 2 - 2.5 inch trunks. the plan is to make a twin trunk upright style- sorry, i don't know the real word for this.
I live in vermont: zone 4.
I've so far read and been told they are easy, moderate speed growers, they don't like to have their roots messed with, to let them dry out between watering.
does anyone have experience/advice for working with these?

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Ralph

An important consideration is the location of the graft. Most all Atlas cedars are grafted, and it is difficult to find low grafts right on the root stock. Do you have a picture?

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Emerging from winter slumber
Bonsai trees burst buds anew
Spring is upon us!


-Paul S.

Luscious

i can get a picture tonight- but i don't see any graft lines or anything. I got them at new england bonsai.

md4958

luscious,

i think i know the trees youre talking about...were they in the last greenhouse on the upper tier? I was thinking of picking one up myself. The most beautiful blue atlas cedar bonsai ive ever see was actually at New England Bonsai. It was literati style and was in the display area right across from the cash register two weekends ago. Dont know if it was still there, but man was it beautiful!
-Moe

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"Bonsai do not belong to us; it is our responsibility to care for them and pass them on to future generations"

Luscious

yeah- they were in the last green house in the corner with some big nice larches. and ginkos. the cedars were really beautiful and i could instantly envision what i wanted to do with them. I've just read and been told conflicting things about how to handle them.

Luscious

i didn't see the literati- there was quite a bit of activity there so i might have just missed it.

md4958

[QUOTE= I've just read and been told conflicting things about how to handle them.[/QUOTE]
What and where have you been reading it? Some information might be different because of different climates etc. You and I are roughly the same climate wise (I think you live in southern VT, right?).

__________________
"Bonsai do not belong to us; it is our responsibility to care for them and pass them on to future generations"

Luscious

northern vermont- champlain valley.
conflicting might be too strong of a word. here is the specific thing that makes me think i might have diva trees:
Repotting: Every 3-5 years in spring, Preferably before new white roots appear in February-April, using a fast-draining soil mix. Cedars do not like root disturbance, so repot only when necessary. C. atlas glauca is especially sensitive and needs extra humidity to avoid shedding its needles. If needle loss occurs, buds should soon burst forth. According to the Samsons, cedars do not like to be bare-rooted when being repotted.

Pruning and wiring: Pinch back new shoots. Heavy pruning should be avoided, as the cedar takes quite a long time to heal pruning scars. If it is necessary, jinning branch stubs may be a more attractive option than leaving a scarred trunk.

the part about root disturbance reminds me of my now dead for no- apparent-reason new zealand tea tree. the trees i have are labled blue atlas cedars which i believe are the c. atlas glauca that is described as being especially sensitive and needs extra humidity...

everything else i've read and heard (which has just been between now and about 2pm yesterday) seems to imply that they are very agreeable plants to work with.