Cotoneaster questions..

That's a really nice little trunk there! Great find.

Here's another contoneaster question. I have a very small "Tom Thumb" that was acquired in a class in the fall...we did repotting (major root work), trimming and some wiring. At the time, the plant was going into dormancy...foliage was already turning red, and it all turned/dropped within a couple of weeks. Since it wasn't the best season for doing all that work, we were advised to keep it indoors for the first winter.

Well, of course it started growing after a month or so. But the problem is that the leaves come out fine, then in fairly short order (a couple of weeks or so), they tend to get brown spots, then turn red and drop...while more then come out. So it doesn't seem to be able to really produce/maintain a substantial foliage mass. I have it under flourescents with some tropicals that are doing very well, so I think it's getting enough light...suspect roots and/or watering as an issue. Though I also wonder if it could be a fungal issue, since someone mentioned them as being susceptible to blackspot. Any thoughts/suggestions? It's a very small plant , 4 inches in height.

Chris

Hello Chris. Maybe the problem is that your treating it as an indoor tree, when it should be allowed to go dormant and live outside.

Will, I do understand that it is a deciduous species that should have a prolonged dormant period, and in the future (providing it survives) it will. However, as I said, we were instructed to keep it inside for the first winter, so it's too late to do anything about that (the class was in October, so it was out of season to be doing all that work). Perhaps the response it's exhibiting is to be expected? I don't know...

Chris

Normally, when told to keep things inside after fall work what is meant is to not let things freeze. Things I have worked late in the season go in an attached garage which maintains around 38F all winter. Cold enough for them to go dormant but not cold enough to do any damage.

will baddeley wrote:Hello Chris. Maybe the problem is that your treating it as an indoor tree, when it should be allowed to go dormant and live outside.

Hi Chris,
I think Will is right there only when you did in fall as you discribed, the tree is better protected from any frost
but not in a heated hous, one should think of a frost free green house or something.
The sicknes i mentioned earlier is fire blight, but in this case i don't think it is the cause.
Good luck with the tree, you are in the same boat as Alexandra there.
regards, Sunip

I'll have to get clarification to see whether I misinterpreted "indoors". My normal inclination (I've grown plants for many years, so I'm not a complete novice in that regard) would have been, as you said, to keep it dormant but above freezing...but since I didn't do that, I'm pretty sure we were told "in the house". That's how I remember it, but in any case, what's done is done. We'll see what happens.

Thanks for the thoughts,

Chris

The winter still has a long way to go. I suggest you move the cotoneaster to as cool a location as possible but above freezing. An enclosed porch, a mudroom, an unheated guest room, anything like that. Unfortunately, it is not dormant, so it will need light. I can't imagine that any of the Rochester experts would have told you to keep it indoors, i. e., in the house at room temperature.
Iris

Chris,

Spray the plant with a fungicide, that is probably the problem here.

You did not misunderstand my instructions. I suggested you keep the plant in the house for the first winter. I can show you superb cotoneaster, and also juniper bonsai grown indoors under lights for 40 years, NEVER been outdoors. Jack Wikle has been growing some of his smaller bonsai like this for decades.

When the weather gets better, May in Rochester, put the plant outdoors in the shade, then slowly into the sun.

Good luck!

Bill

Thanks Bill, appreciate the feedback. Glad to hear that I remembered correctly!

Chris

Well there it is then!!! LOL Always something to learn!!! Bill is indeed correct...the shohin and mame that Jack Wickle has always grown under light are stunning!! Amazing , in fact!!

[quote="William N. Valavanis"]Chris,
You did not misunderstand my instructions. I suggested you keep the plant in the house for the first winter. I can show you superb cotoneaster, and also juniper bonsai grown indoors under lights for 40 years, NEVER been outdoors. Jack Wikle has been growing some of his smaller bonsai like this for decades.
When the weather gets better, May in Rochester, put the plant outdoors in the shade, then slowly into the sun.

Hello William N Valavanis.
This is nuancing the matter a bit.
The dogma is, the outdoors NEED a longer period (about at least 6 weeks) of winter dormancy/frost,
other wise they weaken on the long term(over the years).
This gave me the feeling, everything is going fine but one day i will be presented with weakened trees.
I have most of my trees in a frost free green house over the winter and i give,
except of the mediterranean, the trees some frost so they go in dormancy.
I learned everybody does his own thing in this, but i wonder what is going on her
i mean horticultural/ biological speaking?
reards, Sunip;)

Todd - getting back to the original topic (and sorry for the detour, I considered starting a new thread but didn't), I hope you keep us posted about the progress of the cotoneaster ...especially the work you do this spring, and its response. Looks like it has great potential.

Chris

Chris,
No worries, I'm glad it has gotten a boost of response lately as I can surely use the information. I definitely will keep this one updated. As of right now I have not done any wiring on it, just an initial pruning. Come spring I will reduce the root mass and wire it up then decide what direction it will take. As soon as I start I will add more photos. Thanks

Todd

Any update Todd?

Rui Marques wrote:Any update Todd?

ditto !!!

one helluva nice start and i too would love to see how it has come along !

Sadly I lost this one a few seasons ago to a deer attack (Pulled from the bench, smashed pot, and root damage) followed by a severe winter. Another reason I think I need to buy a bow.

Sad to ear it.