Banksia Integrifolia Roots?

[FlyBri]

Gday folks!

Last August I purchased a Banksia integrifolia from the Bonsai Society of Victoria's 'Special Sale'. I am in the process of significantly reducing the height of the specimen.

B_Integrifolia_Aug_08.jpg

My question is with regards to the roots of Banksias: will they tolerate being buried deeper? The reason I ask is that I'd live to get a more even, more structured spread. As it stands, most of the roots come straight towards the viewer. I've read both Dave54's excellent article on his B. serrata as well as from the Canberra Bonsai Society this great article, but came up wanting for an answer...

Is Mr Bowie or Mr 54 in the house?

Thanks.

Fly.

[teejay]

I remember this one. You were gonna chop it at the first branch weren't you? Is that still the plan?

[FlyBri]

I remember this one. You were gonna chop it at the first branch weren't you? Is that still the plan?

Gday TeeJay!

I did chop it at the 2nd branch, and I am now trying desperately to pull the right-hand branch down so that its angle is just above the horizontal. Looking at it now - and knowing what I know from Grant and Dave's considerable experience - I'm tempted to cut back just before the 2nd branch and see what happens. That long, taperless section isn't doing it for me at the moment (no offense to BSV's Noel, from whom I bought the tree ).

If I get the chance, I'll pop up another pic as it is today.

Thanks.

Fly.

[Grant Bowie]

Should be OK to bury a bit deeper and then when the base all fuses together in a few years you could reexpose it again if you wan't a fat base/root spread.

Should still be warm enough to do a cut back where you live as well, just dont repot and chop at the same time at this time of year if you wan't it to bud back and not die back.

Grant

[FlyBri]

Should still be warm enough to do a cut back where you live as well, just dont repot and chop at the same time at this time of year if you wan't it to bud back and not die back.

Gday Grant!

Thanks for the prompt and informative reply! I was just thinking exactly the same thing with regards to chopping back: if i want to begin the reconstruction of the trunk, there's no better time than now.

Oh yeah - does anybody have thoughts about layering Banksias? I know it's the long way to get around to the trunk chop, but I hate to throw anything away...

Anyway, I hope to post some more pics soon.

Thanks again.

Fly.

[Grant Bowie]

I forgot to say to seal the large chop very thoroughly to avoid dry out or die back at that point.

Grant

[FlyBri]

I forgot to say to seal the large chop very thoroughly to avoid dry out or die back at that point.

Thanks again, Grant!

Fly.

[Marc]

Guys, question from a lesser experienced person...

if they are roots, my way of thinking is that they CAN be buried deeper. Why couldn't they? I know burying a TRUNK is not healthy, but roots are roots, right??

[teejay]

Oh yeah - does anybody have thoughts about layering Banksias?

All I know is that out of 5 layers I did over the summer only one didn't work. That was on one of my Banksias. It just calloused over unfortunately.