[Thymetraveller] Betula Pendula

[Thymetraveller]

Species: Betula Pendula - Silver Birch
Cost: $12
Original Height: 24cm

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...and I'm in again! It's addictive, this competition stuff!
Purchased from Ray Nesci a few months ago and has been sitting in my boat looking gnarled and lovely for a few months now.
Check out this base!

I'm thinking about working with the twin trunks at the moment, as I like the contrast in girth and the older/younger bark.
This could change, though.

[Thymetraveller]

Here's that base for you to check out....
It seems to have dropped off the original entry...

[Thymetraveller]

First update.
Everything I have managed to find out about this species says to leave it well alone until after bud break, so that's exactly what I'm doing!
The leaves are turning nicely, and I thought I'd pose the plant here with a few pot options.

birchupdate1.jpg

I am leaning towards the rectangular Tokoname pot in the centre. The round pot on the left is a gorgeous piece from Murrumbung Studio Ceramics. Alas, it wil be too big for this little tree!
And so we wait for spring...

[Boics]

Lovely pots.

Some don't rate Birch as Bonsai but I've a few rolling anyway.
I put one of mine in a small pot this year and it produced very little growth compared to previous.
Lesson I learned is to certainly give it some room to move in terms of pot size if you want some growth

[Thymetraveller]

Thanks Boics,
I seem to be getting the bug as far as pots are concerned...I try only to buy pots with a specific tree in mind, but there are , moments of weakness......

I've read some pretty negative stuff about birch too, but they have their defenders, and I really like the look of rhis tree!

My plan is to pot it up fairly late in the competition to give it the best shot at developing at a reasonable pace.

Time will tell.....

All the best,

Gareth

[Pearcy001]

I look forward to seeing what you can do with a silver birch Gareth!

I've wanted a group planting to remind my of my house growing up for some time now. We had a row of them outside my loungeroom window and having them for the nostalgia factor would be great. I think I remember reading the leaves do not reduce very well and they can sometimes be susceptible to a bit of branch dieback on any smaller branches. Hopefully this does not happen for you! Sno has a thread on a cool little shohin silver birch that may be worth your while looking at too.

Good luck mate.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

[Thymetraveller]

Cheers Pearcy!

Actually it was Sno's little shohin that inspired me to give this one a go. Such an interesting tree!
A group planting would be a fine thing to see, and perhaps the odd dropped branch wouldn't be such a big deal in a forest setting. The leaf reduction issue doesn't bother me much as I think they look fabulous just after leaf break and then again when the leaves have gone. I have plenty of trees that are at their showiest through the summer!
Dieback does concern me. Its a risky project, but I'm in the competition to push my skills and gain experience so I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed and hope... At this stage if it survives the first chop and makes it into the pot I'll be happy!!!

I hope you go ahead with the group planting - I'd like to see that!

[Thymetraveller]

Update:

betulaupdate.jpg

Patiently we wait for the line-green flash of new-minted birch leaves....the buds swell...
Soon I can pounce, but not yet.
It's a waiting game!

[Thymetraveller]

Budbreak! Time to leap into action...

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Not having had a good look at the root structure, I am still undecided about which pot will work best. Let's see;

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I had heard that Silver Birch can have very shallow roots. One big anchor root to remove, but otherwise nice and compact. It looks like the slightly wider Tokonname pot will suit the tree rather well...

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It does!
I like the idea of the slender trunk spreading over the thicker one. The image I have in mind is of a portly old feller sitting down under a shade tree on a hot day.
To emphasise the pot-belly look, I need to chop.

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Chop!
So, here's it for now:

birchchop4.jpg

Seasol, sunshine and fertilizer, see you all in a bit!

[kcpoole]

I like you idea of where to to take the tree
ps nice pot too

Ken

[Thymetraveller]

Thank you Ken!
Let's hope I can bring the idea to some kind of realisation

[Thymetraveller]

Sketched on the train home. This is what I have in my mind's eye.

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I'll need to keep the fatter trunk in check, and encourage the slender trunk to arch over the top. Let's see how we go!

[Thymetraveller]

Thyme for an update.

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I am very happy with the way this one is behaving. New shoots where I want them, growing slowly but surely.
I'll let the new branches extend and fatten up before I do anything else to it.
The pot suits it very well, I think.

[melbrackstone]

I"ve never seen a Birch bonsai, this looks like being a beaut!

[Thymetraveller]

Thanks Melbrackstone!
I got lucky with the base on this one. Hopefully I can guide it towards reaching its potential.