First time trunk chopper

bonsaibandit05

I just purchased a 5gallon "Bald Cypress". I am thinking about doing a trunk chop next spring. Never performed one. Is this a good species for such a technique? What cutting instrument should I use? Do I plant the tree in the ground until then? Or should I use a large growing box or pot? Do I prune the roots at the same time I do the chop?

Also when is a good time to take seeds from this species?

Thanks for any assistance you can provide me.

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bwaynef

Seeds: when the cones are fully formed and beginning to fall from the tree. Brent Walston of Evergreen Gardenworks (blog and website) says to use an ethanol soak for about 15 minutes to get a good yield from the seeds.

Re The chop: BC are perfect candidates. These trees are pretty resilient so you shouldnt worry too much about hurting them. You could work the roots and the chop at the same time. If you don't need a whole lot more caliper then I'd recommend leaving it in the pot (or a pot) to start working on taper. Look up Guy Guidry and see what his techniques are with Bald Cypress. Theres a procedure that he uses (I believe) that involves breaking the top as opposed to chopping it, and "tearing" off to the back to achieve some taper. Like I said, look at what he's doing and you'll see just how inadequate my words are.

Good luck,
Wayne F.

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© 2004 - present bwaynef

bonsaibandit05

Thanks for your response. I will look Guy up.

bwaynef

I did it for you. Here's the site.

WF

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© 2004 - present bwaynef

bonsaibandit05

Thanks for the web site. I emailed him. Maybe he will reply. We will see.

rockm

Skip the seed thing. You won't have much of anything to work with if you wait for the tree to produce cones. You cannot trunk chop and expect the plant to produce cones.

Concentrate on the main tree. Trunk chopping a BC is very very easy and it will push new growth from bare wood like mad. Do it in early spring just before the new leaves emerge. BC leaves start as tiny green bumps that expand over a few weeks until litle new leaves pop through. You want to trunk chop BEFORE the actual leaves become visible and AFTER the bumps have started to swell.

You can prune the roots at the same time you trunk chop, if the tree is a nursery plant that's been in a pot for some time and the roots are tightly grown together. Root pruning, in fact, may help the tree grow more quickly after the trunk chop, as newer roots are more efficient than older woody roots.

For both jobs, I'd recommend just getting a short cross cut handsaw and simply saw the trunk off. Make the chop at least six inches ABOVE where you see the final apex. This will allow extra room for an apex bud to pop and subsequently more design options.

The same for the roots. Don't bother to untangle what is probably a tangled mess. Saw through the bottom third to two thirds of the entire root mass --after you've removed all of the soil with a strong jet from a hose.

Plant the newly chopped tree in a deepish container -- five gallon plastic pain buckets with holes punched in the bottom work very well for this--in heavier bonsai soil--70 percent organic (composted pine bark mulch or similar--avoid peat moss) and 30 percent coarse nursery sand of some sort. Make sure you bury the tops of any surface roots or buttressing roots (root flare) at least six inches BELOW the soil surface. If you don't do this, the larger roots will die back and take a substantial portion of the trunk with them.

Let the plant alone for two years to regain it's roots and push new top growth. During this time, select one of the numerous new leaders as the primary one. Get rid of the others. Do the same with lower growth. You should be gently bending select lower growth into more horizontal positions as BC pushes new growth almost straight up.

I've done this with several BC. Works like a charm. They're tough and grow vrey quickly...Good luck.

bonsaibandit05

rockm, thanks a lot. I will give it a try.

Vonsgardens

Hey Bandito,
You are in a fairly rich bonsai environment. Good club in OKC (the Central Oklahoma Bonsai Society), that has a number of folks with Bald Cypress- You might try giving them a gall, also Sonlight Nursery (South on 44 about 10 miles) who is OKbonsai on this site, has done a number of cypress bonsai. I did a workshop with him in April on BC for their club and some folks from Tulsa. PM me if you want contact info for the club or the nursery.

In the OKC area you can trunk chop until August, I did about a dozen trees we collected in 2004 three weeks ago, they have all responded well with loads of new growth. Now is probably a bit late for a first time attempt. You can do the whole bit- chop, carve and rootwork in February before it takes off. Good luck, John

bonsaibandit05

Thanks a lot Vons,

I will look up that nursery. I have gone to one meeting for the OKC club. I will ask around this winter for advice from the other members.