Bottle Brush Pruning

[NBPCA]

Callistemon in flower 006 - Copy.JPG

Callistemon in flower 001 - Copy.JPG

Callistemon in flower 005 - Copy.JPG

The Callistemon at the collection is finally opening its flowers.

Grant

[Pup]

Hi,

My girlfriend and I made our first bonsai today. We bought a small bottle brush from Bunnings, pruned it and planted it in a bonsai pot.

Here are some photos of it.

16102010246.jpg

16102010244.jpg

We had no idea how much to prune and whether or not to leave any flowers

Could you please give us some advice or pointers to improve it?

Thank you.

Herve

I am very sorry not to have answered you before Herve, but I do not see this till a second read of the slowly post. My recommendation would be in the ground or a large grow box the fatten it up. You do not have much to work with as it is at the moment. Taking off of more foliage is going to look awful and will slow down the tree's progress.
Cheers Pup

[Pup]

Callistemon in flower 006 - Copy.JPG

Callistemon in flower 001 - Copy.JPG

Callistemon in flower 005 - Copy.JPG

The Callistemon at the collection is finallyb opening its flowers.

Grant

Do you have to show off with your bloody new camera

Looking good, will be nice when she opens up eh

[NBPCA]

Callistemon in flower 006 - Copy.JPG

Callistemon in flower 001 - Copy.JPG

Callistemon in flower 005 - Copy.JPG

The Callistemon at the collection is finallyb opening its flowers.

Grant

Do you have to show off with your bloody new camera

Looking good, will be nice when she opens up eh

Hi Pup,

It will still be another 2 weeks or so before it is in peak flower.(Finish around 2nd week of December)

Then when it is almost finished flowering we will repot it and tilt it up a bit more upright in the pot( as we discussed with you)

Grant

[Pup]

That will be a nice improvement as we discussed. It was a thought of, but thoughts do not get things done, especially when there too bloody heavy for one old man.

As I seem to have that much trouble again and it is hard to find help. So maybe another couple of tree to be offered EH.

Cheers, ouch my aching back Pup

[NBPCA]

Should I start getting ready for another 9,000 klm drive to and from Perth?

Oh by the way; the best cure for a bad back is a hernia! Then you are not inclined to lift too many heavy trees.

Grant

[Pup]

Should I start getting ready for another 9,000 klm drive to and from Perth?

Oh by the way; the best cure for a bad back is a hernia! Then you are not inclined to lift too many heavy trees.

Grant

Yes, and I know that lifting causes probs, thats why I complain so that the grumpy old man tag sticks.

Pup there are no smileys for pain

[Bretts]

Hey Pup
I read this thread thinking it would help me work out where I was at with Baileys Bottle Brush but since it is too young to flower yet I thought I might get a little specific advice on it if that is ok.

This was repotted not long after the Tops weekend. It was practically bare rooted which you say you have not needed to do with any of yours. It was also trimmed at the same time as repotting removing most buds that had already opened.
It has recovered well but now I am a little lost as to when to next give it a trim.
I would like to give it a good trim in hope that it fills out agian ready for the Native exhibitions. Online and in the flesh (when is the Canberra native show agian anyone ) But obviously the future development of the tree is the main concern.
Thanks for any advice
Bett.

bbank.jpg

[Pup]

G,day Brett long time no hear . This tree is old enough to flower, however development is more important. So Just prune to shape now, and in March April trim to shape . then leave it have its head.
Feed it with a high potassium fert for flowering. If you do that after you have pruned the flowering possibilities are better.

Hows that Melaleuca cutcularis going along with the rhaphiophylla .

Cheers Pup

[Bretts]

Thanks Pup will do with the pruning.
It is interesting that you say it is old enough to flower. It never has so I just figured it was not old enough yet being about 5 years old. How old can they flower from?

The cuttings where going great but then browned off mostly. I know how they surprise in recovery so I have kept them well watered in the free draining mix. The rhaphiophylla has started to recover. The Melaleuca cutcularis has only one low branch with green foliage left on it which is typical because it is the one I like the most. Haven't given up I am waiting for the native revival that they are famous for Last time I scratched the bark of the trunk it was still green.

[Pup]

Thanks Pup will do with the pruning.
It is interesting that you say it is old enough to flower. It never has so I just figured it was not old enough yet being about 5 years old. How old can they flower from?

The cuttings where going great but then browned off mostly. I know how they surprise in recovery so I have kept them well watered in the free draining mix. The rhaphiophylla has started to recover. The Melaleuca cuticularis has only one low branch with green foliage left on it which is typical because it is the one I like the most. Haven't given up I am waiting for the native revival that they are famous for Last time I scratched the bark of the trunk it was still green.

Hi again mate sorry to here that they are giving you a hard time both plants and if you have a look at the last post on page three of this one you will see a very young plant posted by Herve it has a flower. Feed them with Yates fruit and flower, that is about 28per of potassium.

Have you heard any thing of young Shane and his JPB skippy is getting gigs all over, cheers mate

[Bretts]

On a whole the plants are behaving very well this year
Maybe that young plant a page back is a cutting I will look into the Yates fruit and flower.

That bottle brush that the top died off on after I gave it a hard prune (see previous page) has somehow re sprouted up top. Bloody amazing.

I think it was Sean I haven't heard from him but will give him a call when I get the time to do something.

[craigw60]

Hi Brett, nice bottle brush, if it were mine I would be getting some wire on to the sub-branches before they get too hard to move. After pruning would be be perfect time for this task.
Craigw

[Bretts]

The last lot of wire just came off I was planning on some more wiring after the prune but hoping it will only be a light wiring this time.
You have seen this one before here
viewtopic.php?f=55&t=3860&p=71003&hilit=bailey#p71003

[craigw60]

Its a great tree Brett, really nice gentle taper and well positioned branching, you will only need fine wire on the twigs but it makes the world of difference.
Craigw