Coast Redwood Yardadori, #2333

Redwood Yardadori, July 2023. Sequoia sempervirens.

Nov 2024 Narrowing Top

Oct 2024 Focus—Roots

Concerned with Nebari as there are mature crossing and circling roots, present when collected.

May 4, 2024

End of March 2024–new growth

Late April pinched buds per Eric (Bosaify: https://youtu.be/Xlx876TePSM?feature=shared)

Late March 2024

Redwood Project

Likely to air layer in sections: lowest about 12” to build fast taper

  • Middle length has taper (24”+/-), and wired & guy wired a branch to be the new (middle) apex (can add 12”+)

  • Top length (4 ft+)

I believe the lower 3 feet is substantial, but without much taper, whereas the Middle has the most potential for an elongated, redwood specimen, and the top can always grow to be a smaller or future Redwood. The question is, do I leave the lower 18 inches of trunk as part of the new bonsai, or to exaggerate a shorter tree, and more rapid taper?

Other than leaving a ribbon, suggesting where future air-layering may be applied, I have selected some pliable branches and directing them vertically as potential apex or upper trunks for apex foliage.

I will withhold from pruning oversized branches for now, as they may help with energy reserves for air layering next year.

[Dustin] Do not have to air layer, can pot (deep) in 1:1 pumice & potting soil. Hormone but no special scarring. Water but no fertilizer for a year, will bud within a year. Do this in spring.

Can cut branches back hard. Will back bud easily. No cut paste for redwoods.

Let branches grow to the diameter you desire then cut back short and grow out bifurcations and all.

Grows mostly year-round. Wired branches may stay on for up to a year, prior to wire biting in.

Images below for styling inspiration:

2024 First repot / grow box

  • Top off 1/3 as a cutting (perlite, hormones, warm)—to make less top heavy.

  • Development, out of nursery pot, reduce root-ball to flatter (remove tap).

  • In late spring initiate air layer.

Jan 2024 Steve Iwaki—cut shorter and select a small, young branch for a new apex. Taper cut and may Jin or carve a taper to the new apex.

From size of lower branches, upper branches should not be greater in diameter—can prune flush.

Almost all branches will be wired to angle downward. Only the new apex and its branches can be upright or lateral.

The base is good, the large base adds taper. Can clean up the shoots or surface roots to show the bark/wood. Can be styled upright and formal redwood.

Middle trunk potted as a hardwood cutting in a wood grow-box 4” deep. Screwed the trunk to the grow-box, with 3/8” to 1/2” gap for soil. Large Perlite & Pear, surrounded by akadama: pumice: lava mix. Guy wires to ensure stable and fixed to grow-box. Planted at a slight angle to be asymmetric.

Michael Weiredwood, conifer, 2023, yardadori