[Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

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MJL
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[Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by MJL »

Here is my second entry - surprise, surprise it is anther group planting. This time Swamp Paperbarks.

Purchased with a group of other seedlings. $1.56 each.

Seedling selection
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Front
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Back
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More background on these seedlings can be found in an earlier post (see post on December 10) where I and others have been musing on what trees to enter in this competition. [url]viewtopic.php?f=36&t=26357&start=30/url]
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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by anthonyW »

Well done Mark looking forward to watching your forests grow...cheers Anthony
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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by MJL »

Cheers for the encouragement AnthonyW. For me group plantings are way, way more than just banging in a lot of trees in a pot; I am really trying to envisage a different and realistic outcome for all the forests I am trying to create - whether in this competition and/or any of Maple and Elm plantings that I have started.

If nothing else / the challenge for me is to prove to myself that I can curate 3 very different group plantings of natives. I will have failed myself if they end up looking similar. I think the gums are safe to be different but I’ll need to take care with the paperbarks and moonahs. To help - my starting point is different - the swamps have a more languid, ghost-like curve and are less dense whereas the Moonahs are hunkering down together to face the brutal coastal weather.

We’ll see!


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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by MJL »

Here is my April 2019 Update. These seedlings are flourishing. Not much to report on activity. In terms of environment - I keep these quite wet and in dappled light. I am keeping a close eye on the wiring and will soon take off some wire soon as it close to cutting in.

This afternoon I wired some of the new shoots (see markings below) that are developing - essentially harmonising my ‘ghostly’ curves. Anyway here’s a few photos - I’m am happy with how this is developing.


Pleased with new growth in photo below.
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The red lines indicated new shoots that I want to bend
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Now bent
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Front and back after new bends
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Cheers, Mark


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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by MJL »

And a moody shot because ... everyone knows ghosts dance in swamps at night!
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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by boom64 »

Looking good Mark ,nice and healthy. Love to see wire on early :) . Cheers John.
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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by anthonyW »

Well done Mark as John has said good health and looking forward to watching them kick on.

cheers Anthony
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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by MJL »

I am enjoying this group. They are growing well. It seems, due to the speed of growth, that all of my native groups require constant attention and thankfully, it’s relaxing giving them that attention!

I’ve noted that a few of these seedlings - due to my earlier bends and the weight of the wire perhaps - were growing close to the ground. I have now taken advantage of that! Taking the opportunity of bridging two young trunks into the ground to create a two natural low bridges.

It’s hard to explain but you often see this in natural settings where branches have either broken or bent to the ground and the tree roots again creating a beautiful natural bridge .... well ... I am trying to encourage that, early in their development. I have pegged and wired these branches under the soil.

The photos aren’t clear but I have added some line markings to help explain. Who knows if I am supposed to do this at this time but hey, I thought it was a good idea and in the flesh, it looks quite interesting (and dare I say it... natural) for such a young group.
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And a little mushroom :-)
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Have a good weekend folks.

Mark


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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by boom64 »

Interesting idea Mark ,will make a nice feature .Good luck. Cheers John.
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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by MJL »

Here's my Sept/October update.

Everything is growing well. I have now removed most of the wire and I am pretty happy with the bends (albeit one of the main branches in the first two photos does look a little straight - I might just snap that off about a 1/3 from the base in due course - not sure.

I have tried to take a range of photos to that you can see the chaos play out. Again, in my early wiring, I tried to create some sense of similar flow so the chaos looks affected by the same conditions ... if that makes any sense. Also - as per my earlier posts - I like how the trees have been wired to go underground and re-emerge; indeed, if you look closely at the last photo - one of the trees arcs over the whole setting and hits the ground to re-emerge. Why? Because I have walked under numerous such branches/trees - so it happens and I thought...why not? ;)

From now on, enough wiring, I think. It is my intent to snap and grow from here. Indeed, early spring growth was getting leggy so I snapped a bunch of stuff off today (see next to first photo). Hopefully this will push growth back towards to the ground and trunks. Really enjoying these natural landscapes. Once again, as I have mentioned in prior posts, I am trying to achieve chaotic/random harmony with these natives.... happy so far.
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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by MJL »

I have already posted my updates for this quarter but I thought I'd provide an off-schedule update too and my natives are going berserk!

Here's the Swampies powering out.
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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by PWC »

MJL wrote: November 14th, 2019, 8:23 am Here's the Swampies powering out.
That's an understatement, what are you feeding them? Might have to get them tested for steroids. :whistle:
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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by MJL »

PWC wrote: November 14th, 2019, 2:50 pm
MJL wrote: November 14th, 2019, 8:23 am Here's the Swampies powering out.
That's an understatement, what are you feeding them? Might have to get them tested for steroids. :whistle:
Oh no!! Does ASADA and WADA test Bonsai growers? Is Seasol and Powerfeed on the banned list? :lol: At this time of year most/all of my plants get a rotating dose of Powered and Seasol. (On newly repotted plants ...Seasol mainly. On others One week Powerfeed, One week Seasal, one week miss... it's probably not that regular but that is what I aim for. Powered and Seasol is rather scientific 'dollop/splash' into a 9 litre watering can. I reckon a couple of capfuls at most. Also - most trees have a slow release in the mix or on top.
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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by MJL »

This is incredible. The group is totally out of control in a good way and by luck or good judgement (or both), I think I had something to do with it!

Again - trees have been in a tray of water most of summer and well fed. They got a big haircut a few months back and just laughed at me: "Is that all you've got." Here's some more hair!!

I shouldn't play favourites but this is close for such a young group. I think my next steps are...

- Let light in... is it too late to give another haircut now?
- Look inside the group and remove unwanted branches ... there are quite a few.
- The look/feeling inside the forest is exactly what I am after but I need to consider what to do with the top...
- The wiring - :imo: - has worked; the movement is evocative for me (I can get lost in that forest)...now I hope to do most of the next steps via branch selection and cut 'n' grow.

Any thoughts and ideas are welcome. Rory, great competition - without it I would not be doing as many natives. :yes:

Photo's below.
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Re: [Natural] Melaleuca ericafolia - Swamp Paperbarks - MJL(2)

Post by GavinG »

A wonderful complex thicket with no "design" to intrude on the contemplation. I'd tend to grow it long for the year and cut back hard, to get a little more meat on the trunks, before you get too interested in the outline.

Also important: as Fred Williams said about Australian landscapes - "no focal point", which is difficult for Proper Bonsai Growers, but it is how these things tend to grow.

Nice work.

Gavin
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