Another Lepto experiment

[MattA]

I spied this Lepto in the back of the bargain bin at one of the local nurseries & from the bark I am guessing its been there more than a few.... After doing the usual chop before leaving the nursery this is what I was left with...

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And a better pic of the bark branching & leaves from the offcut...

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Not knowing what species & not wanting to wait I hooked in with my usual rootprune on the 20/11, not barerooting but very close to it. Didn't get a pic of the rootball on its own but in the pot should give a good idea how far I went...

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A couple of days in the shade house then it was back to the bench for full sun & lookey lookey new buds are popping already

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Now its growing I will slowly cut back watering from 4 times a day to 3 or even 2 but still keep more up to it than my normal trees until its made plenty of growth above & below ground.

[GavinG]

Aha!!! So flooding seems to work on other natives, not just Eucs? I must admit I don't water anything that often. Good to know.

Gavin

[MattA]

Aha!!! So flooding seems to work on other natives, not just Eucs? I must admit I don't water anything that often. Good to know.

Gavin

So it seems... I will say that from what I have tried with 'full sun + constant watering' brings buds double fast, normal aftercare is fine but I want them thumping now not later. It has also given me success with another unknown native that had been eluding me until now

[shibui]

I've been putting most of my repotted trees (natives and exotics) straight back on the benches in full sun for a few years now. Like you Matt, I reckon they take off quicker than in a shaded area and its good to hear that others are finding the same. Might be time to do a side by side trial to see if one is really better.
I just water them in well then straight back to normal watering - they can't take up much water for the first few days with cut roots anyway.

[MattA]

Shibui, like you my repots always go back to the bench & full sun with normal waterings, it was only a few years ago I started experimenting with putting dug trees out in the sun straight away but the results are worth it. I keep the extra waterings happening as I have lost a few trees in the recovery stage when I didn't water as often.

[MattA]

Powering along it was time to start training, I know it is said that you cannot take natives past the horizontal but my lepto's tell me otherwise, done about a week ago its showing no signs of slowing

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Jute & an anchor point is all thats needed... I probably didnt need to bind the whole branch but wanted to give it a little extra protection before bending from almost straight up to their current positions. A bonus bud has shot down low & for now is being kept incase I don't like how the top turns out I can always chop back to it & start again

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[MattA]

String lines were removed after about 6wks and the branches allowed to relax back into their own spot of comfort, the upper branch has bounced back the most & I put that down to it being all new wood where as the lower one has an internal structure of old wood, something I have also observed with other Lepto's.

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As well as the lower sacrifice branch that is slowly gaining strength I have had another bud break above the current branching, while I can see no use for it in a final design it does give me the option of another sacrifice branch to create an even beefier trunk.

[Jasonb]

Wow! That has packed on the growth since I've seen it. When are you re wrapping it again?

[Joel]

Leptospermum petersonii?

I have some in the ground that I would love to pot up but after previous attempts failing, I haven't ventured further. Any tips?

Joel

[MattA]

Joel,
Everything tells me it should be L.petersonii until I crush the leaves & nothing....

The only advice I can give is to get a decent sized rootball & leave the soil intact, I would look at digging late sept/oct as the plant fires up for the year. If you look at the first couple pics on this thread will give you some idea what I would aim for rootball wise in relation to the trunk.viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9581&p=102579

[Joel]

Thanks Matt! Will give that a go.

Joel

[MattA]

Another tree that got a look while I had a few like nutters around. I had been contemplating removing the whole top section & regrowing from the low shoot, one of the nutters liked the top so he was given free reign to work it & it gives me the reason to experiment with layering. From obsevation of the rootsystem this species has the ability to generate new root from the base of the trunk & heavier roots so I am hoping it should layer ok too. If not its a lesson learnt & no loss to me

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Standard ringbarking method, chopped sphagnum for medium with my usual topping of chopped Tillandsia, no rooting hormones were used.