Melaleuca bush to home

[Rintar]

transplanting when to do it and tricks on survival?? please anyone wrote a nice big message adn tried to up load some pics but lost the lot so i have put the 3 pics on flickr and will add links at end of this message but basically i want to transfer a Melaleuca from teh bush neer my house to home and try turn it into a bonsai... tips on transplanting pre and post for now are much appreciated styling after transplant is successful....

i trimmed it back over a week ago to help keep it in a bonsai size but have left it growing wild

questions i have:
when should i attempt this
what size growing pot should i put it in at first
when transplanting what soil should i try fill pot with
how much should i cut back
being a plant that loves wet feet what are recommended water intake on transplant
how big a root ball can i excpect

Cheers Rintar Newcastle NSW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/japomfret/ ... hotostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/japomfret/ ... otostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/japomfret/ ... otostream/

[Pup]

Try to get the pictures posted here other than flicker as I cannot open them and will not try anymore.

Also the name if possible, the warmer months are the best, but can be done most times if the aftercare is right.

Cheers Pup

Ps go to the tutorial on posting it will help.

[Rintar]

photos still wont attach not valid but its a jpeg and under the 2meg size 1.7 for each of the 3 photos clicking on the link should open auto pup it does for me sorry about the inconvenience but i been trying to upload since u posted.. can anyone else give feed back or see picks

[anttal63]

photos still wont attach not valid but its a jpeg and under the 2meg size 1.7 for each of the 3 photos clicking on the link should open auto pup it does for me sorry about the inconvenience but i been trying to upload since u posted.. can anyone else give feed back or see picks

Hi rintr 1.7 mg is to large, you need to compress them down to approx 600kb each in order for every body to down load efficiently. The forum wont accept above 1mg which is fair enough its not neccesary. Gimp is a good programme to compress with.

[Craig]

this is them.

7126574053_e9b9752198_z.jpg

7126570447_c4be0cae8f_z.jpg

7126567623_c293546905_z.jpg

[Andrew F]

Cant help sorry but i will welcome another Novacastrian

[Craig]

could it possibly be a Melaleuca Bracteata Revolution green?

when should i attempt this - now , or you could wait till early spring

what size growing pot should i put it in at first - anything, maybe a 200mm plastic pot

when transplanting what soil should i try fill pot with - good quality potting mix, or preferably good bonsai soil


how much should i cut back - none

being a plant that loves wet feet what are recommended water intake on transplant- water every day, keep soil moist, no fertiliser, seasol if you wish.

how big a root ball can i excpect - either little or lots, looks like it's in a garden so maybe a few .

[MattA]

Welcome from another Novocastrian.

Craig has given you great advice, enjoy the journey of taking this tree from ground to pot.

Matt

[Rintar]

Thank you muchly Craig

for all advice and to MattA and VelvetSicklid I appreciate the welcome I have been wanting to go to the newcastle bonsai meets but i work hospitality meaning saturdays are out of the question. I will add progress nots on this little guy but it will only be mine till december it is the final stage of a wedding gift (if all goes well) for my brother

so to re cap Craig i thankk you matta and Velvet

[Craig]

mate, no worries.

A wedding pressie by december doesn't give alot of time to get the tree in top shape, if there's a specific reason for wanting to give this particular tree then ok, but for my opinion it would be a wiser move for you to buy a prestyed juniper or something instead. Good luck whichever way you go ,

[kcpoole]

Welcom and if you can get to a workshop sometime you will learn heaps
check out the Bonsai shows for the demos as you can learn heaps from them too.

check out our wiki here for info on what to do and when, https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... hould_I%3F

Ken

[Rintar]

thanks ken,

And Craig yes their is a reason its my brothers wedding and the tree is to go with the wedding tree gift. A wedding tree is normally a large ish drawn tree with lots of branches and all guests at the wedding use green and brow inks to put a finger print on the tree with their name its another trend at weddings at the moment but in our case our deceased Nana was a paper bark artist so this tree will be done in a paper bark art form though it will not change and grew as the years move on in their wedding the bonsai will and with a little care and thought it will become just as beautiful as their marriage will be. Plus my brother is a very keen Gardner and an educated greenie so it is sentimental and smart and if the little guy is not yet a bonsai by December but just a small tree in a pot he will take it on its journey as they navigate their lives together

so between now and then ill ask specific questions and advice for it and my stick in a pot fig i was givin for christmas just gone. cheers one and all oh and newcastle people if you know of any sunday monday or tuesday night meetings or u want to do a house call let me know cheers

[Craig]

cool, thanks for the reply, all the best.

[Rintar]

ok so I dug it up tonight after work working hospitality means late nights which from what I've been told late evening is the best time to transplant well.. we will see I think I botched it completely but time will tell

[Rintar]

and here is the tree in 4 side shots and one from above i had to take these wide on my cameras lowest setting and then crop the crap out of them to get the megapixls down disadvantage of a decent digital SLR

Now this is to be pretty much just a pre bonsai by December if it lives

but i would like to have it in a pot and healthy with some shaping and wiring done in the write direction before i hand it over to my brother in December so all help thoughts information not only accepted but appreciated and sort afterand if ive stuffed it already tell me.

we have had rain the last few days so i thought it good time to take it while it was well watered adn soil wet

I have it facing the same sun direction it was previously but in a slightly more shaded spot for this first few weeks the soil i have it in is 1/3 its original soil 1/3 potting mix 1/3 fine worm castings

the soil was well watered and checked for ease of drainage before planting and then given a re wet once planted to help firm soil in around plant i used what pebbles and gravel i had with me to place on top of soil. leaving the top 50 percent soil still

should i now further prune it if so when and by how much

also i took the cut of tap root scared it wet it and put striking powder on it and in "planted" it in the garden to see if i cant get a few other little mels to grow.... doubtful but thought id give it a try

so thoughts advice and criticism fire away

Not yet a Novice but keen

Rintar