Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
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Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
I bought these from two different local nurseries. I've replanted both in larger pots and thinking of styles that would compliment each tree.
I gave the roots on this one a light cut back as they look quite nice as they were.
The roots on the Silver Birch were an absolute mess. I gave this more a more rigorous cut back, but I think I'll have to revisit this one after a bit more reading up on cutting and training the roots.
After re-potting I gave them a drink of seasol and liquid fertiliser. Would wiring and cutting back be recommended at this stage?
Cheers.
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I gave the roots on this one a light cut back as they look quite nice as they were.
The roots on the Silver Birch were an absolute mess. I gave this more a more rigorous cut back, but I think I'll have to revisit this one after a bit more reading up on cutting and training the roots.
After re-potting I gave them a drink of seasol and liquid fertiliser. Would wiring and cutting back be recommended at this stage?
Cheers.
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Re: Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
Leave them recover for a year.
Mauro Stemberger summed it up good - you can't do head surgery and heart surgery at the same time and expect to live.
Avoid fertiliser for a few weeks -
Good luck
Mauro Stemberger summed it up good - you can't do head surgery and heart surgery at the same time and expect to live.
Avoid fertiliser for a few weeks -
Good luck
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Re: Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
Both these have soft bark that can scare quickly from wiring over growing period Spring/Summer.
I would wire Autumn over Winter and remove wire before Spring. Generally if you want to wire and repot trees at the same time, put wire on trees before repotting. Then repot that way you don't disturb any new roots. Just make sure to watch the wire cutting in. Except when working with Pines. Then choose repot or wire not both. If you do a large repot removing alot of roots from a Pine leave two years before wiring.
Cheers
Kirky
I would wire Autumn over Winter and remove wire before Spring. Generally if you want to wire and repot trees at the same time, put wire on trees before repotting. Then repot that way you don't disturb any new roots. Just make sure to watch the wire cutting in. Except when working with Pines. Then choose repot or wire not both. If you do a large repot removing alot of roots from a Pine leave two years before wiring.
Cheers
Kirky
Great oaks from little acorns grow.
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Re: Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
I've read that it is useful to cut the leaves off at the top of the stem at around mid-summer to encourage smaller leaf growth, would this still be recommended with my trees?KIRKY wrote:Both these have soft bark that can scare quickly from wiring over growing period Spring/Summer.
I would wire Autumn over Winter and remove wire before Spring. Generally if you want to wire and repot trees at the same time, put wire on trees before repotting. Then repot that way you don't disturb any new roots. Just make sure to watch the wire cutting in. Except when working with Pines. Then choose repot or wire not both. If you do a large repot removing alot of roots from a Pine leave two years before wiring.
Cheers
Kirky
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- kcpoole
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Re: Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
Not yet.quodlibet_ens wrote:I've read that it is useful to cut the leaves off at the top of the stem at around mid-summer to encourage smaller leaf growth, would this still be recommended with my trees?KIRKY wrote:Both these have soft bark that can scare quickly from wiring over growing period Spring/Summer.
I would wire Autumn over Winter and remove wire before Spring. Generally if you want to wire and repot trees at the same time, put wire on trees before repotting. Then repot that way you don't disturb any new roots. Just make sure to watch the wire cutting in. Except when working with Pines. Then choose repot or wire not both. If you do a large repot removing alot of roots from a Pine leave two years before wiring.
Cheers
Kirky
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Leaf reduction is a concern with trees that have been finished in the design and development and are ready to display. It will only setback the development if you try now
Being Deciduous you can cut back and root prune at the same time. we do so to develop taper and movement in developing our stock and some people have a final design in mind when doing so,
Ken
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Re: Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
Great information, Ken, cheers!!
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Re: Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
quodlibet, There ARE no styles suited to these trees. You have to CREATE them.
It is very important when working with, buying, or even considering any material for future bonsai development that we have a firm idea what we want to achieve, and that we have a good idea how that will be achieved.
There are 2 options with young raw material like this. The first one is to do nothing and just let them grow and come back later.
The second is to start working on it now.
If we choose option 2, we need to realise that 95% of the material is useless to our needs. It's important to remember that what primarily makes a bonsai is the act of removal of the unneeded. Cutting MAKES bonsai!
Wiring, trimming, leaf removal or any other such techniques are for the future not for now.
So what is unneeded here?
This step #1 for option #2.
It is very important when working with, buying, or even considering any material for future bonsai development that we have a firm idea what we want to achieve, and that we have a good idea how that will be achieved.
There are 2 options with young raw material like this. The first one is to do nothing and just let them grow and come back later.
The second is to start working on it now.
If we choose option 2, we need to realise that 95% of the material is useless to our needs. It's important to remember that what primarily makes a bonsai is the act of removal of the unneeded. Cutting MAKES bonsai!
Wiring, trimming, leaf removal or any other such techniques are for the future not for now.
So what is unneeded here?
This step #1 for option #2.
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Last edited by treeman on September 13th, 2016, 10:32 am, edited 2 times in total.
Mike
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Re: Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
check out this thread on how to create taper in a trunk
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8312
it is a long term task, but important. this is what Treeman is referring to in his suggestion.
and this might help too https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _Bonsai%3F
Ken
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8312
it is a long term task, but important. this is what Treeman is referring to in his suggestion.
and this might help too https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _Bonsai%3F
Ken
Last edited by kcpoole on September 13th, 2016, 2:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Check out our Wiki for awesome bonsai information www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki
What is Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Bonsai
What should I do now? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Newbie
How do I grow a Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _a_Bonsai?
Visit a Bonsai nursery to see some real nice trees http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _Nurseries
What is Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Bonsai
What should I do now? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Newbie
How do I grow a Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _a_Bonsai?
Visit a Bonsai nursery to see some real nice trees http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _Nurseries
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Re: Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
I needed this quote emblazoned on my face 20 years ago! But back then I still wouldn't have understood what it meant. To be honest with yourself is the hardest part. Admitting you may have bought a lemon is integral to learning as well, as we have all done it. Asking for help and admitting you made mistakes is easy for some, but harder for others. If you can listen instead of talk, when asking an experienced and talented bonsai grower then you are going to learn the right way. But at the end of the day, patience and persistence is how I am still learning. I prefer to only take advice from those with great material. Never believe you are great at bonsai or you will stop learning.treeman wrote: It is very important when working with, buying, or even considering any material for future bonsai development that we have a firm idea what we want to achieve, and that we have a good idea how that will be achieved.
This is a great piece of advice and very hard to visualize early on. How many times has an enthusiast rocked up at a club with a new $50 purchase, hoping to create something in about 2 years worth of growing, only to realize that they will need to cut a massive chunk off the material or to cut, wire, grow... cut, wire, grow....cut, wire, grow for the next 10 years until it becomes a lovely tree.treeman wrote: There are 2 options with young raw material like this. The first one is to do nothing and just let them grow and come back later.
The second is to start working on it now.
If we choose option 2, we need to realise that 95% of the material is useless to our needs. It's important to remember that what primarily makes a bonsai is the act of removal of the unneeded. Cutting MAKES bonsai!
It probably took me honestly about 10 years to REALLY grasp both of the above concepts. And I am still a beginner as far as I am concerned. Anyone else who says they learnt what the above means in a year or 2 is just lying, or was possibly an apprentice to a master.
Rory
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Central Coast, NSW
Bonsai: Casuarina Leptospermum Banksia Phebalium Baeckea Melalueca Ficus
Growing Australian natives as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=289480#p289480
Buying and repotting Native nursery material: viewtopic.php?f=78&t=30724
Growing tips for Casuarina as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=244995#p244995
How to reduce moss from the trunk without damaging the bark: viewtopic.php?p=295227#p295227
I style Bonsai naturally, just as they would appear in the wild.
Central Coast, NSW
Bonsai: Casuarina Leptospermum Banksia Phebalium Baeckea Melalueca Ficus
Growing Australian natives as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=289480#p289480
Buying and repotting Native nursery material: viewtopic.php?f=78&t=30724
Growing tips for Casuarina as Bonsai: viewtopic.php?p=244995#p244995
How to reduce moss from the trunk without damaging the bark: viewtopic.php?p=295227#p295227
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Re: Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
Hi treeman,treeman wrote:quodlibet, There ARE no styles suited to these trees. You have to CREATE them.
It is very important when working with, buying, or even considering any material for future bonsai development that we have a firm idea what we want to achieve, and that we have a good idea how that will be achieved.
There are 2 options with young raw material like this. The first one is to do nothing and just let them grow and come back later.
The second is to start working on it now.
If we choose option 2, we need to realise that 95% of the material is useless to our needs. It's important to remember that what primarily makes a bonsai is the act of removal of the unneeded. Cutting MAKES bonsai!
Wiring, trimming, leaf removal or any other such techniques are for the future not for now.
So what is unneeded here?
This step #1 for option #2.
After making cuts like these on each respective plant, would you suggesting planting them in the ground or keeping them in their pots?
Cheers,
Nathan
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Re: Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
treeman wrote:Cutting MAKES bonsai!
So after treeman's recommendations, my Japanese maple has developed some new growth. Looking forward to seeing what this season will bring.
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Re: Silver Birch and Japanese Maple
Some new growth on the main trunk of the Silver Birch.
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