AusBonsai

Hi All,

I picked this little Captain Cook up from the local nursery for $5. Planning to put it into a styro box to grow, just need to sort out my soil mix first

Thinking I need to chop it down just above the 3rd photo, hopefully the top part would shoot as one or more cuttings?

Hi phoenix,
Don't worry too much about mix for grow boxes. The larger the container the less critical it is to have good mix. I'd just use a premium potting mix with added fert for this. callistemon are not fussy about fertiliser so any standard fert will suit it.

Callistemon will shoot from anywhere so not really critical where you cut it -it will change so much as it grows that there is probably no point in trying to predict a shape or style at this stage. I'd cut quite low. the aim at tis stage is to grow a trunk with good taper so cut low and grow tall, repeat as often as possible.

Usually easy to grow as cuttings so well worth trying.

Good luck

As Shibui said, but i wouldn't worry about cutting to a new leader until it gains some weight around the trunk. good luck mate.

thanks shibui, good to know the mix won't matter. Should I bare-root it before I put it in there?

Phoenix238 wrote:thanks shibui, good to know the mix won't matter. Should I bare-root it before I put it in there?

I would bear root and tease out the roots to start creating decent root spread now. cut any downward pointing roots or taproot, but leave as much of the others as you can

Ken

Thanks for the advice Ken, I repotted it this morning, removing 80% of the soil around the roots and spreading them out radially as best I could. I also removed the top in 2 sections, hopefully they will shoot and cuttings so I will have 3 trees

And now for the waiting game...

Hi guys, about time for an update! This little guy has been happily powering along in his pot, but I have no idea what direction to take it! Anyway, here's the pics...

I'ld leave it in its grow box to put on some thickness and not worry too much about styling yet. If you start to cut it back too much it will take a lot longer to thicken up.

Let it grow a lot more, feed it up well, and when the base is as thick as you want it you can cut it back to a new leader then and grow it again. this way you will get some thickness and taper and worry about branches and styling later. It may take a few years, but you'll have a much better Bonsai.