Okay, here is one I have great hopes for. This is a cork bark elm variety that I hope to make a mame to shohin sized broom out of. In this first picture, you can see how tall and thin it is and seems to have no potential. In my eyes I see a beautiful broom style just waiting to be created.
[url=https://img511.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01489wb8.jpg][img]https://img511.imageshack.us/img511/3651/dsc01489wb8.th.jpg[/img][/url]
In this second picture, notice the bend in the trunk a few inches up. This is roughly the area the chop will be made.
[url=https://img163.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01490js3.jpg][img]https://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2347/dsc01490js3.th.jpg[/img][/url]
I plan on air layering the top of the tree off and making a much larger bonsai out of that. I am unsure if I should layer it this year our wait and let the top section grow to help thicken the base. Any suggestions?
O and this will be getting re potted this spring. If you cant tell it was slip potted because I received it later in the season.
Tom
-
constantstaticx3
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 391
- Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:24 pm
- Location: Haddonfield, NJ
-
Gnome
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 5122
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
- Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
Tom,
I think a few years in a grow box or perhaps a colander/pond basket would be the way to go.
[url=https://img401.imageshack.us/my.php?image=greenapbr9.jpg][img]https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9494/greenapbr9.th.jpg[/img][/url]
Lets look at this one according to the rules like we did the Box. How tall is it to the kink in the trunk? If it is 4" then the finished height would be 12" Dividing 12" by 6 gets a trunk of 2". So I don't think you are ready yet. Don't forget these rules are not set in stone, if you end up with a 7:1 or 8:1 ratio no one is going to get the tape measure out and chastise you.
I think I will leave my Zelkova a little taller than I should. First I think a broom can look OK a little outside of the classic ratio. Secondly the trunk will increase in girth over years it will take to develop and ramify the canopy, so hopefully it will grow into the additional height.
Norm
I think a few years in a grow box or perhaps a colander/pond basket would be the way to go.
[url=https://img401.imageshack.us/my.php?image=greenapbr9.jpg][img]https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9494/greenapbr9.th.jpg[/img][/url]
Lets look at this one according to the rules like we did the Box. How tall is it to the kink in the trunk? If it is 4" then the finished height would be 12" Dividing 12" by 6 gets a trunk of 2". So I don't think you are ready yet. Don't forget these rules are not set in stone, if you end up with a 7:1 or 8:1 ratio no one is going to get the tape measure out and chastise you.
I think I will leave my Zelkova a little taller than I should. First I think a broom can look OK a little outside of the classic ratio. Secondly the trunk will increase in girth over years it will take to develop and ramify the canopy, so hopefully it will grow into the additional height.
Norm
-
constantstaticx3
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 391
- Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:24 pm
- Location: Haddonfield, NJ
Gnome,
Sorry I should have given dimensions before. Here's a pic with a ruler.
[url=https://img90.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01573mb8.jpg][img]https://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4859/dsc01573mb8.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01574wa8.jpg][img]https://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4056/dsc01574wa8.th.jpg[/img][/url]
The only reason it is in this pot is because it is slip potted. It was too late to do any root work last year so I still have no idea what the roots look like.
As for the new pot. I could either put it in the 11" training pot, the 10" bulb pan or make my own grow box this year.
Tom
Sorry I should have given dimensions before. Here's a pic with a ruler.
[url=https://img90.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01573mb8.jpg][img]https://img90.imageshack.us/img90/4859/dsc01573mb8.th.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=https://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01574wa8.jpg][img]https://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4056/dsc01574wa8.th.jpg[/img][/url]
The only reason it is in this pot is because it is slip potted. It was too late to do any root work last year so I still have no idea what the roots look like.
As for the new pot. I could either put it in the 11" training pot, the 10" bulb pan or make my own grow box this year.
Tom
-
Gnome
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 5122
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
- Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
Tom,
I see now that it is much smaller than I had imagined. I think this one really needs to thicken up for a while. I would definitely re-pot it this year doing a little initial root work.
The open sided containers I mentioned earlier are great in that the roots do not become tangled or encircle the pot. As the root tips emerge they are naturally pruned and this in turn encourages the roots to ramify.
Perhaps in the meantime you can try a few cutting from it this summer, using it to increase your stock.
Norm
I see now that it is much smaller than I had imagined. I think this one really needs to thicken up for a while. I would definitely re-pot it this year doing a little initial root work.
The open sided containers I mentioned earlier are great in that the roots do not become tangled or encircle the pot. As the root tips emerge they are naturally pruned and this in turn encourages the roots to ramify.
Perhaps in the meantime you can try a few cutting from it this summer, using it to increase your stock.
Norm
-
constantstaticx3
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 391
- Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:24 pm
- Location: Haddonfield, NJ
Norm,
I had no intentions of chopping it any time soon. This one will be left alone for a few years before anything is done. I know what your talking about with the open sided containers. I've seen it done with pines before but I've never tried it. I have a small pond plant pot that I could put it in but I don't think it will be big enough I'll have to look around.
Tom
I had no intentions of chopping it any time soon. This one will be left alone for a few years before anything is done. I know what your talking about with the open sided containers. I've seen it done with pines before but I've never tried it. I have a small pond plant pot that I could put it in but I don't think it will be big enough I'll have to look around.
Tom
-
constantstaticx3
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 391
- Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:24 pm
- Location: Haddonfield, NJ
Well I repotted this tree a little while ago and the roots I found were terrible. They were tangled growing up and all that bad stuff. I removed a lot of them and put it in a pond basket. I realized that the only way this could be anything is if I ground layered it or layered the top off.
Now my mom has been trying to grow topiaries for years now with no success. They always die when they are brought inside. I was feeling bad about it and I stuck an idea. Because this tree really has no immediate future as a bonsai I decided to let her have it. The shape of it should work great for a topiary and since the roots don't matter that is not a problem. I also know it will survive because I can over winter it in the garage. I made her promise to let me take cuttings from it though
.
Even though this is the bonsai gallery, I'll post pics of it when it starts to turn into something. This shouldn't take long because its no more work than pruning a hedge.
Tom
Now my mom has been trying to grow topiaries for years now with no success. They always die when they are brought inside. I was feeling bad about it and I stuck an idea. Because this tree really has no immediate future as a bonsai I decided to let her have it. The shape of it should work great for a topiary and since the roots don't matter that is not a problem. I also know it will survive because I can over winter it in the garage. I made her promise to let me take cuttings from it though
. Even though this is the bonsai gallery, I'll post pics of it when it starts to turn into something. This shouldn't take long because its no more work than pruning a hedge.
Tom