Yes, pot has drainage. I dont necessarily want to have it taller but I imagine if I trained it to go taller, I would have to do less pruning because I would like to keep the majority of it off the ground. If the main leader just keeps growing down wont I will eventually have to chop it? and the tip of the main leader was dead so I snipped it off, so yes it was intentional pruning. So you think the leader is beyond training?

you know slightly off topic, but has anyone ever trained them up a wall? i like the look of ivy but don't want it to destroy my house. Has anyone ever trained one of these either espalier or to "climb" like a rose or other vine? Just curious.

Here's one I found on Houzz :

<div><a href='https://www.houzz.com/photos/cannon-hill-residence-traditional-landscape-seattle-phvw-vp~3354291' target='_blank'><img src='https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/5cf1b70601521c24_3-5659/traditional-landscape.jpg' alt='' border=0 width='240' height='320' nopin='nopin' ondragstart='return false;' onselectstart='return false;' oncontextmenu='return false;'/></a></div><div style='color:#444;'><small><a style="text-decoration:none;color:#444;" href="http://www.houzz.com/pro/grantkeller/terrabella-inc"; target="_blank">Photo by TERRABELLA, inc.</a> - <a style="text-decoration:none;color:#444;" href="https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-landscaping-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_728~s_2107"; target="_blank">Search traditional landscape pictures</a></small></div>

you know slightly off topic

==>> not really brad.. you are trying to totally hijack the post ... perhaps you ought to start a new post on your topic ...

ken

You could maintain the shape by just snipping back longer, uppermost branches near their tips. Looking at your pictures I am much more concerned about how gaunt the tree is, as though in quite poor condition. Whether it has anything to do with this or not the pot looks much too small.

So you think the leader is beyond training?

==>>> unless you have experience making bentwood rockers.. yes.. imo ...

but on the other hand.. if youre a tinkerer.. and want to try .. who am i to tell you mot to knock yourself out ...

just dont strangle it with all that tight wire.. plant juices run up and down the plant.. just under the bark. in the cambium layer ... if you strangle it off.. well ... nothing good can come of that ...

i think you are trying some bonsai techniques .. but im not sure if they are applicable to this project ... do you have any background in such??

pretty sure there is a bonsai forum.. but i dont know how active it is.. maybe you should post the issue there..if you do.. link us.. i would be curious if they think its possible ...

ALL weeping plants ... grown in this configuration.. NEED PRUNING .;.. i dont now why you think that i bad ... as i said.. not much dies from pruning alone ...

but one thing for sure... learn how to be creative about pruning.. not just giving it a bowl type haircut ...

last thing.. how far below the surface.. is the root flare???

ken

ken - root flare starts about a inch under the soil. it is at the same level it was planted at the nursery. you bring up good points, maybe i should refrain from training the leader and just focus on creative pruning and maybe training one of the smaller branches.

Embotherium- what about the tree makes you think it is in poor condition? I planted it in this pot about a week ago, the rootball did not come close to filling it up so I was under the impression the pot wasnt too small.

"what about the tree makes you think it is in poor condition"

For one, it has very few needles. The branches should be fully clothed with needles, whereas this one looks like only new growth is present. Also the pot it is in now may be adequate but the container it was in at the nursery could well have been too small, restricting root growth and causing stress.

There is a limit to how much you can effectively train these into a serpentine form. If given room to grow and sufficient time, these get to be massive trees but the weight of the branching and the weeping habit keeps them low to the ground. They need to be trained along the top of a support system (like a fence) or the branches propped up if you don't want to allow the leader to just droop and grow naturally.

And while I grow a great many conifers in containers, this is not a selection I would choose for that purpose on any sort of long term basis. It really needs to be in the ground. Check out these images to get a good sense of the potential for this tree.

thank you gardengal48. How would you suggest I proceed with the tree? I know how big it will get and it will be going into the ground at some point? maybe when I have my own house. I guess I should let it get root bound in this pot and then pot it up? training suggestions?

Where are you located?

Your tree looks gaunt to me also.

Columbia, South Carolina, moving north in a few months to Chesapeake bay area. It was neglected at the nursery I work at. Tips on helping me to get it looking not so gaunt?

First, it is planted too deep and the nursery had it too deep. Root flare needs to be above the soil because those cells were not meant to be underground. Second, what kind of potting soil is it in? Define what you mean by "it has good drainage". Hopefully there are no rocks at the bottom of the pot and the drain hole is big enough. Although the mulch may be ok, if your potting soil is too peaty, mulch may keep it too moist too long. Finally, what did the roots look like when you potted it? The gauntness is either a root or care issue (or both), so you need to determine which.

tj

the soil is a nursery compost mix, not sure about the exact details. no rocks, about a 1 inch hole. Each time i water it, the water drains out fairly quickly so I dont think it is retaining to much moisture. Rootball was maybe a square foot being a vast majority of feeder roots. Ill have it moved up so the root flare isnt covered

Since you're moving in a few months and repotted it a week ago, I'd be inclined to do no more than raise it up to get the root flare at soil level or a bit higher. Water it properly and see how it responds.

But, as tsuga said, the compost based potting mix may be too heavy for a conifer. The mix needs to dry out a bit between waterings, but not bone dry. Do you have other potted conifers in the same mix and how are they doing?

Thanks yall, I moved the rootflare to the start of the soil, hopefully nutrients will flow easier now.