China Doll Pruning
Sugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
9 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (50)
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agochristine1950
9 years agoRelated Discussions
China Doll.. getting bigish.. should I prune back?
Comments (2)Dalar, oh how pretty..let it grow..LOL..did you ever see a tall China Doll? I've seen grown tree-shaped and bushes. IMO, they do better in cool, not cold, temps. We sold CD when I worked at Rentokil Tropical Plants..those kept outdoors, (unless underwatered) shed less leaves and flowered, little baby flowers but cute. Those indoors didn't do much. They don't like dry soil, so be sure to keep soil evenly moist. Not wet, barely moist in-between waterings. Soak well though. With proper care, they do great in direct summer sun, though you'd never think so by looking at their fragile foliage. As for taking them outside, if temps don't drop under 50F, your plant should be fine. I've been taking plants out, a little at a time..only a few, in case it decides to snow or drop under 40. They're right by the door, so if the temps changed for the worse, it's just a matter of dragging them through the doorway. At 70+F today, and sunny, plants are doing fine, no sunburn..Good luck, Toni...See MoreChina Doll 'tree'
Comments (5)The size of the tree doesn't matter much. On a regular basis, every 2-5 years, I bare-root/repot trees that are collected from the wild that are hundreds of years old. When you pot up, instead of repotting ..... well, I'll leave a copy/paste job from something I wrote about why potting up is a limiting practice and repotting (which includes removal of all or large fractions of the old soil and root pruning) is a rejuvenating process. Your tree didn't really 'take off'. What actually happened is the potting up temporarily eased SOME of the limiting effects of the root congestion the tree is under, which resulted in the tree being able to grow a little closer to the genetic potential it is endowed with. The trees new ability to grow with reduced restriction is simply proof of the restriction that will continue and increase in effect as time goes on. With regard to your plant not yet having grown into the new pot: a plant can be horribly root-bound and still be over-potted. Once the core root mass becomes congested, the effects on the plants growth and vitality are permanent unless the root-bound conditions in the oldest part of the root mass are corrected. About repotting vs potting up: I have spent literally thousands of hours digging around in root-balls of trees (let's allow that trees means any woody plant material with tree-like roots) - tropical/subtropical trees, temperate trees collected from the wild and temperate nursery stock. The wild collected trees are a challenge, usually for their lack of roots close to the trunk, and have stories of their own. The nursery stock is probably the closest examples to what most of your trees are like below the soil line, so I'll offer my thoughts for you to consider or discard as you find fitting. I've purchased many trees from nurseries that have been containerized for long periods. Our bonsai club, just this summer, invited a visiting artist to conduct a workshop on mugo pines. The nursery (a huge operation) where we have our meetings happened to have purchased several thousand of the mugos somewhere around 10 - 12 years ago and they had been potted-up into continually larger containers ever since. Why relate these uninteresting snippets? In the cases of material that has been progressively potted-up only, large perennial roots occupied nearly the entire volume of the container, plant vitality was in severe decline, and soil in the original root-ball had become so hard that in some cases a chisel was required to remove it. In plants that are potted-up, rootage becomes entangled. As root diameters increase, portions of roots constrict flow of water and nutrients through other roots, much the same as in the case of girdling or encircling roots on trees grown in-ground. The ratio of fine, feeder roots to more lignified and perennial roots becomes skewed to favor the larger, and practically speaking, useless roots. Initial symptoms of poor root conditions are progressive diminishing of branch extension and reduced vitality. As rootage becomes continually compressed and restricted, branch extension stops and individual branches might die as water/nutrient translocation is further compromised. Foliage quality may not (important to understand) indicate the tree is struggling until the condition is severe, but if you observe your trees carefully, you will find them increasingly unable to cope with stressful conditions - too much/little water, heat, sun, etc. Trees that are operating under conditions of stress that has progressed to strain, will usually be diagnosed in the end as suffering from attack by insects or other bio-agents while the underlying cause goes unnoticed. I want to mention that I draw distinct delineation between simply potting up and repotting. Potting up temporarily offers room for fine rootage to grow and do the necessary work of water/nutrient uptake, but these new roots soon lignify, while rootage in the old root mass continues to grow and become increasingly restrictive. The larger and larger containers required for potting-up & the difficulty in handling them also makes us increasingly reluctant to undertake even potting-up, let alone undertake the task of repotting/root-pruning which grows increasingly difficult with each up-potting. So we are clear on terminology, potting up simply involves moving the plant with its root mass and soil intact, or nearly so, to a larger container and filling in around the root/soil mass with additional soil. Repotting, on the other hand, includes the removal of all or part of the soil and the pruning of roots, with an eye to removing the largest roots, as well as those that would be considered defective. Examples are roots that are dead, those growing back toward the center of the root mass, encircling, girdling or j-hooked roots, and otherwise damaged roots. I often explain the effects of repotting vs potting up like this: Let's rate growth/vitality potential on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best. We're going to say that trees in containers can only achieve a growth/vitality rating of 9, due to the somewhat limiting effects of container culture. Lets also imagine that for every year a tree goes w/o repotting or potting up, its measure of growth/vitality slips by 1 number, That is to say you pot a tree and the first year it grows at a level of 9, the next year, an 8, the next year a 7. Lets also imagine we're going to go 3 years between repotting or potting up. Here's what happens to the tree you repot/root prune: year 1: 9 year 2: 8 year 3: 7 repot year 1: 9 year 2: 8 year 3: 7 repot year 1: 9 year 2: 8 year 3: 7 You can see that a full repotting and root pruning returns the plant to its full potential within the limits of other cultural influences for as long as you care to repot/root prune. Looking now at how woody plants respond to only potting up: year 1: 9 year 2: 8 year 3: 7 pot up year 1: 8 year 2: 7 year 3: 6 pot up year 1: 7 year 2: 6 year 3: 5 pot up year 1: 6 year 2: 5 year 3: 4 pot up year 1: 5 year 2: 4 year 3: 3 pot up year 1: 4 year 2: 3 year 3: 2 pot up year 1: 3 year 2: 2 year 3: 1 This is a fairly accurate illustration of the influence tight roots have on a woody plant's growth/vitality. You might think of it for a moment in the context of the longevity of bonsai trees vs the life expectancy of most trees grown as houseplants, the difference between 4 years and 400 years, lying primarily in how the roots are treated. When I said "cut the plant back hard", my intent was a holistic approach that included root work/repotting, selective pruning, and a significant ht reduction, all of which center on a plant that can remain attractive and healthy over the long term. You can read more about maintaining trees over the long term in containers by following the link below. Ball's in your court. Al...See MoreHow to grow China Doll and Renae?
Comments (7)My China Doll, a regular standard, really doesn't weep. It gets longish canes but it is incredibly bushy and thick. The winds last fall nearly toppled it and I had to prune dramatically in Fall to keep it upright. The north winds flow over our house and do a number on trees in the front lawn. As a result of the very early pruning, it is all leafed out now and starting to get longer canes. Let's see if I can dig up some photos. This January before the winds, not weepy but upright, May of '05, a less windy year I am guessing, as she is somewhat weeping, Hope this helps you get an idea of what it can look like. It is not a favorite of mine because it gets lots of powdery mildew in spring and blooms sporadically for its size all summer, needing lots of deadheading to make it stay nice. And it presents as too much of a wind barrier in this particular situation. But now that I know what to do, it is more manageable. Kathy...See MoreHow to deadhead Weeping China Doll
Comments (4)Thanks everyone. She's on a standard, so she's already weeping. I just quite didn't know what to do with all those."things" hanging off her. Whack them I will. We're in our rainy season, and the blooms are so packed together, they get ruined after a couple of heavy rains. But she reblooms quickly, and our rainy season is only three months so I'll enjoy her the other nine....See MoreSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agoJason J
9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
9 years agoJasdip
9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
9 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
9 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
9 years agochristine1950
9 years agomcarr285
9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agomcarr285
9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agolaticauda
8 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years agolaticauda
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years agolaticauda
8 years agoSugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)
8 years agolaticauda
8 years agoErryn Booth
4 years agoErryn Booth
4 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
4 years agosunshine (zone 6a, Ontario,Canada)
4 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING GUIDESSpring Citrus Care Reaps Months of Sweet Rewards
Learn how to tend citrus trees in spring and ways to preserve their delicious fruit
Full StoryARTThe Beauty of Bonsai — Living Art, Rooted in Harmony
Create your own emblem of nature's balance with an art form dating back 1,000 years
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESRoses: Crowning Touch of Gardens
Whether you're the Miss or Mister America of gardening or take a hands-off approach, roses can be a winning addition to your landscape
Full StoryTREES11 Japanese Maples for Breathtaking Color and Form
With such a wide range to choose from, there’s a beautiful Japanese maple to suit almost any setting
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Try California Wild Grape for Interest All Year
Sure, it’s stunning in fall. But the spring buds, summer grapes and gnarled winter vines are gorgeous too
Full StoryFRUIT TREESHow to Grow Your Own Persimmons
Sturdy and easy to care for, these trees offer bright fruit through winter — and keeping them in bounds is no sweat
Full StoryINSPIRING GARDENSLiving Sculptures Delight at the Montreal Botanical Garden
Go see it: clownfish, lemurs, frogs, loyal dogs and more — designers have turned plants into art for a fantastic summer installation
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGreat Design Plant: Rosa Banksiae a Low-Maintenance Beauty
This thornless, disease- and insect-resistant rose brings showers of white or yellow flowers to the spring garden
Full StoryGuest Picks: Let There Be White
Start the year off with a clean slate in the form of white bedding, furniture and accessories
Full StoryDECLUTTERINGEscape the Inheritance Trap: What to Do With Sentimental Pieces
Too meaningful to toss but too hideous, precious or unusual to display? These ideas can help
Full Story
Sugi_C (Las Vegas, NV)Original Author