Alpineart's Blog

These were some cuttings that i wanted to use for the purpose of creating a Phoenix Grafted trunk and a fused trunk . After fusing and grafting Maples and crab apples for a few years i thought i would give these a go .As with other Phoenix grafts i  grooved the dead wood  trunk out for the  better placement of the seedlings or cuttings being used . I used 5 single stem cuttings just after they began to throw out roots .With the plants place in the desired position , then firmly wound grafting tape around the base and up to the apexes .,then placed a small amount of wire on this was done last Spring and left to fuse together.

The other fused trunk was very simple , using 3 cuttings i twisted them together and applied a single wire from the base to the apex . Potted up these were left to grow on , however in Winter they were protected from the  frosts . Neither tree was defoliated  although i did rewire the fusing trunk in the opposite direction some time ago so as not to mark the trunk too much . After seeing all the growth , foliage and side branching on both tree’s i decided it was time to defoliate and inspect the fusing process . Bugger me after about 14 months of being strapped and wired not 1 section of any trunks had fused . Being Ficus i would have assumed they would fuse in a matter of  3 Months , not so . The grafting tape was stretched and the wire had dug into the trunks but no fusing , being young green stems i was very surprised . I have rewired them tighter than Fort Knox and i doubt if Harry Houdini could get out of this . I intend to make sure there is no movement for the figs to expand unless they fuse together .The next batch will be plaited as plaited or braided trunks fus much easier . After a pre style they were re-potted into larger training trays/pots and now can grow on .I haven’t trimmed the foliage allowing it to continue to grow on unhindered for the rest of this season . Come next Winter i should have a better result .I haven’t considered any particular style for these 2 trees , the aim behind the exercise was to see the results of fusing Ficus .in Winter of this season i will make the decision as to what direction i take with them .

Cheers Alpineart

This was collected from my Mothers front yard back in December 2010 , being close to 90 years of age she is legally blind , however she continues to tend her garden .This was planted too shallow in the ground and continually fell over. Not being able to see it she would trip over the tree and forget to stand it back up .

I mentioned to her that it needed a new home and of course she insisted i have it .

After returning home i potted it into a deep pot and set 3 layers on the upper sections that would have been removed for the purpose of being used as a Bonsai.

I contemplated a windswept style tree , then a cascade, but finally finished up with an informal upright .Shade cloth mat was used over the pot so it could be rotated numerous positions for the purpose of balanced growth for the layers , without washing the mix out of the container After the layers were removed the trunk was again studied for the best use of the unusual movement.

With all but 2-3 small shoot left it was potted into a 260mm drum pot in an upright position and the shoots wired for a leader and side branches .The removal of the stubs was to  a point flush with the trunk , quite large so they will take some time to heal over .

With the growing season very early this year , an early trim took place to remove the tips for the start of the ramification of the branches

the tree has undergone a power feeding process to stimulate buck budding , however it hasn’t produced the shoot where they were required so they were removed

a pre trim before the  wiring to set a basic informal upright style

which may change to an informal broom depending on the growth habit of the tree.The base in well over 100mm and the height is now 500mm, a top side shoot has been used for the new leader to aid thickening of the older leader lower down

.My plan is to have a finished tree with a height of around 700mm .A re-pot is on the cards as it will no doubt be pot bound in this pot .The tooth pick method of root stimulation will be used to improve and re-build the narebri . This will take place as soon as i can located or make a suitable pot or container to allow for the production of the roots . For now it can grow on until such time as i re pot in readiness for the root work. This trainer will be very special as it will have a history and a story to tell being 2 generations old already, yet only 1 year in training

Cheers Alpineart

This has had its first trim and restyle after the initial construction and wiring 8 months ago .With the alluminium wire removed it was trimmed and re-wired , i have concentrated on the twin apexes and allowed the lower branches to grow on for the purpose of thickening the trunks and to use them as Jin material.These younger stock plants are more vigorous than older material , so it a better result than the other Example of the Phoenix graft that used aged junipers as the raw material .I have slip potted both trainers into a more open mix as they were retaining too much moisture which has led to the demise of the rear tree. It will still be used as a jin so it won’t be wasted. Another specimen will soon be added to fill the void at the rear to maintain the depth of the base trunk, it may even be used as a third apex .Cheers Alpineart