I'm back with an update.... The 'Tansu' was knocked off its bench by an overhasty cat last Spring, and has been struggling in the same cracked pot ever since - the crack causing the mix to dry more readily and making even moisture somewhat of an issue. And so, with rain forecasted for today, I decided to re-pot yesterday so that the tree could recuperate with a slow, natural watering. With photobucket transitioning to a new and unworkable format, I'm going to add single pics per post via the GardenWeb feature, rather than loading them all to one post. This way, the images will be clickable for greater detail. First, the tree in the old pot, sitting beside the new pot - a #2B nursery container:

hey ben i was wondering where you had gone to ... hadnt seen your name in a while ... i seem to recall a pic from your garden ... i seem to recall it is not that big ... now.. if you have rocks like botann ... i would call either of these a rock garden plant ... but i am wondering if you are looking for a mini ... for a small rock garden ... and asking which cyrpto will work ... how about you define what ROCK GARDEN means to you.. and perhaps the peeps can go from there.. as they are not really zone appropriate for me.. i have no experience, other than previously dead crypto's ... good luck ken

Ok, here we go... Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Tsukumo' This is a cultivar of Chamaecyparis pisifera. The true full name is Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Tsukomo' Cryptomeria japonica 'Atawhal' Must be written as Cryptomeria japonica 'Atawhai' Taxus x media 'Veridis' Must be written as Taxus x media 'Viridis' Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' Must be written as Cedrus libani var. atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' Cedrus atlantica 'Aurea' Must be written as Cedrus libani var. atlantica 'Aurea' Pinus banksiani 'Uncle Fogy' typo, banksiana Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'North Light'. Known in Europe as 'Schirrmann's Nordlicht'. This make's me furious, not personaly to you Dave but to Talon Buchholz who made this cultivar name change! My German friend Winfriend Schirrmann found this beauty as a witches' broom in a Metasequoia glypt. 'White Spot' and gave it the name 'Schirrmann's Nordlicht'. This is the cultivar name we must use and not some commercial translation! 'Schirrmann Nordlicht' it is, please rename and never use 'North Light' again... Picea jezoensis 'Landis' Clement mentioned at least a dozen times here that this is a cultivar of Picea glehnii. The true full name is Picea glehnii 'Landis' Pinus thunbergii 'Okinakabie' The cultivar name isn't correctly written but at this moment I don't know what is wrong. I'll come back to this very soon.. Picea bicolor is the old name for what is now Picea alcoquiana Juniperus procumbens 'Greenmound' Is a commercial renaming for the original name Juniperus procumbens 'Nana' The last name must be used. My pleasure, Dave :0)

Hey there everyone. Thanks for the replies! Ken: Well I was mostly just trying to help them get answers to their questions. I know for me personally I'd start a new thread for a question like that as opposed to burying in an old thread. As for loving them too much, well, I definitely am not one to do that! haha. as it is I have been doing Miracle Grow as I said, normal strength, once to at most twice per growing season. Usually just as the buds fully open, then once in mid summer. I do it about 1/2 strength. As you can see the results . I may water once or twice to the point of water coming out of the bottom, but then again it is a very porous mix that I'm using too so even that is not alot of water. I don't wanter a whole lot honestly. If there is reasonable rain I cut the watering way back. I check them about once a week or so and if they are DRY 2" or so down into the mix then ill do a watering. The main reason I even asked about ferts was mainly to gather thoughts on using a conifer specific type of fert as opposed to the general, all plant nature of MG. I suppose though that sticking with what has worked is my best bet. Will: Thank you! I've always admired how great yours look in containers as well. It's shown me that it can be done and done well and that's what I'm going for. I 'm going to upgrade a few others as well. Most have (or had) been in their new homes for 3 years now. While some were probably fine I like to err on the side of giving more room than not having enough. I think that is how I killed the horstmann blue dwarf, by NOT upgrading it fast enough. (ive killed a few others as well from not enough attention to the containers.) Granted it was a larger plant though. The Picea Omorika 'Bruns' was at its limit. One more growing season in that pot and I likely would not have been able to get it out of the ground (the roots were well into the ground through the bottom of the pot) and / or it would have died from not enough space / dessication. This upgrade for that one should last 3-4 years, and may be its last upgrade before needing to go into the ground. The P. Mugo Fastigiata are getting separated into their own containers to give them a bit more room. However nothing near as large of a change as what I did for the P. Omorika. They are much smaller plants in general and I think have adapted to more cramped spaces among rocks high in the mountains. I also think that the P. Sylvestris 'Gold Coin' ( if it makes it through it s scale infestation which is fairly bad) and the P. Strobus 'Elf' will likely be fine for another few years in their new homes as they have PLENTY of room and are not exactly fast growers. Josh: Yea I think I am going to keep doing what I have been since my results have been great to this point. As I said I was just looking for opinions on possibly using a conifer specific fert to maybe boost / enhance them a little bit. But hey, if it aint broke don't fix it right? Thanks again all! As always I'd love to see more photos of container conifers!