Styling a collected privet

[hugh grant]

hey everyone
i dug this privet up bout 3 years ago from our backyard. it has been minorly styled before but i didnt like it very much and ended up ignoring it for the last year and letting get overgrown with a few trim ups here and there when i looked at it, but not much attention has been given to it.
yesterday i looked at and thought that i would do something to it but was unsure if i should defoliate it now, so i asked if i should defoliate on another post i did yesterday and got a definate yes of course
i like to defoliate privits when i work on them so i can see the structure easier under all the tiny leaves that mass around the branches.
(make sure you click on all the pictures to get a bigger picture because these pictures seem to look alot better when you do that )

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so last night at about 6 i got to work on defoliating it

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the red line shows where the original branch structure went to but alot more twigs have grown so the ramification is going to be instantly better then what it used to be

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Once it was fully defoliated it was time to trim it up and remove unwanted branchs and reduce the size of most others

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i then wired a few branches that needed to be put into better positions and trimmed a bit more here and there. i then lifter it out of its pot and saw masses of roots so i got the hack saw out and cut off 1/3 of the roots as i was a bit worried about cutting off any more than this even though i wanted to pot it up into a bonsai pot i resisted the urge as i would have to cut another 2/3 of the now existing root ball to fit it into one of the two pots i want to pot it up into. so i will do it in stages i think to be safe.
so i potted it up into a smaller plastic pot for now.

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This is the completed front of the tree

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i will pot it up into either one of these pots in the future

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im not too sure about this arial root, not too sure whather to cut it off or leave it.
Tell me what you think about this root should i leave it or should i chop it any ideas

The tree now stands at about 22cm high from base to apex.
it will need thurther refining of ramification and the back branches need alot more growing and refining till i will be fully happy with it but i am happy for now with the work that has been done

let me know what you think and any constructive critisism is welcome for question and let me know know what i should do about the root.
Thanks, HOPE YOU LIKE IT

Hugh

[Jamie]

hugh

i think what you have done so far is good i am very very distracted by that root when i look at the tree, i just keep getting drawn to it especially the fact that it has a nice root underneath it that it looks like it has gone into i would personally chop it.
i think you are very well heading in the right direction for the tree itself the only ohter thing i consider would be the removal of the lower right hand branch?


other wise this tree is on its way to being a very nice shohin. i am loving the way the structure is becoming apparant and that will only get better and better with a bit more time and training put into the tree

great work


enjoy


jamie

[hugh grant]

hey jamie
thanks for your response , its always good to hear other proples ideas. now that you do mention that root being distracting is true and gives me another reason to possibly get rid of it so i might consaider doing it. also i found that it is creating reverse tapering in that area so it might be a good idea to give it a chop then.
i ahve also like you say thought about removing the lower branch and bringing the smaller one down that is above it a little. so i might think about doing that aswell.
Thanks

Hugh

[Jamie]

taking another look at that hugh i think you have to take that root off, just for that reason that it will cause reverse taper especially with the branch low down on it it is also causing bar branching (well with a root and a branch) and will definately swell at that point causing problems down the track, i think it would definately be a good idea to get rid of the root, th branch can be worked with and even used as a sacrifce to help thicken the trunk but with both there it will cause probs mate! i could actually see the lowest branch working with the tree possibly aswell if you could get the apex to come down a couple of inches you could use that low branch let it grow out and create a nice semi cascade? maybe there is an option for you aswell


jamie

[hugh grant]

hey jamie
thats a nice possibility aswell for the tree as a semi cascade, good thinking . That will be something i will consider for the tree later on aswell.
i just had a look at the tree before and i think i will get rid of the root.
ill post a pic when i do.
thanks again

Hugh

[MelaQuin]

The root definitely has to go... it adds nothing to the tree and all the other comments about it are perfectly valid. It is sometimes hard to remove a thick root or branch merely because it is well established but use the white paper in front of it and see the immediate improvement in the tree without it.

The semi cascade idea is interesting but I think you have a nice tree as you are currently styling it. I would use the semi-c option only if something drastic happened to the top or you really wanted a very small tree. But very nice stock and it won't be long before you have a very good little tree.

I also think you have to top up the soil a little bit... come up a bit higher on the side of the nebari. There is a nice root spread but it doesn't quite sing to me and I think if the soil is a bit higher and the roots showing a bit less the tree will have better balance with the roots not so dominate. Try it and if you don't like the look it is easy enough to lower the surface again.

[Jamie]

hey mel good to see you on

my semi cascade idea popped inot my head for an out of the square idea. i agree that the tree will make a nice tree in a short time, i was just thinking of something different with the semi-c.

i think both options are pheasable. but like you have stated unless the top has a drastic loss of vigour or dies back then probably better to go with the way the tree is headed, but definately about that root. i think it will cause problems big time later down the track.


jamie

[Graeme]

Please, as others have said, make root gone (my little bit of Indonesian ) and if future trim all roots even, leaving the small root on the oposite side, not trim at all, This will thicken the trunk up, where it curves under on the right side. Once that curve fills out then that root can be pruned back with the others as normal.
Did I mention, very nice tree?

[Chris Moon]

Hey Hugh, Don't be too stressed about cutting back on the privet rootball, I have heaps that I have just taken 2/3 of the rooot ball off around a week ago and they are all good.The more I cut mine back the more they thrive. I agree with the others loose the root unless you decide to change your design and try and incorporate this into the new one....
Chris

[hugh grant]

Thanks graeme for your knowledge bit I did end up cutting off that root today and I think the tree looks alot better now it's gone, wish I had done earlier on.
I'll get an updated pic up of it soon, ( hopfully tomorrow)

hey Chris I probably do worry about repotting a bit more then I should, I just get worried when it comes to repotting as my best trees have died due to too much root being cut off at repotting. But Otis a privit so I should be a bit more relaxed. But. It should grow alot of root so I should be able to repot it again and remove alot more root in a few months I'm thinking, do you think I Could remove enough root safly to fit It into one of the pots in the pictures?
thanks

Hugh

[Chris Moon]

Hey Hugh, I wouldn't root prune my other trees like I do the Privets so I know what you are saying...Every tree needs to be treated as an individual but if you are concerned take your time. I am never in a hurry to get a plant out of a black pot, in fact I have been taking some plants out of bonsai pots and putting them back into black pots to help them grow faster..
Chris

[NathanM]

Glad you got rid of the root mate! I was going to suggest the same
I also think those pots are a bit big for the tree, going by it's current size

[hugh grant]

The pots might be a little big but i think in the picture the pots look a little bigger in comparison to the tree cuz they were closer to thecamera then the Tree was. But I will have a search around for another pot aswell just to see if ido have another one that will suit it, I have a heap of old pots that I've gotfrom the raffle we do at our club every month that I've collected over the last 2 years so there a dozen or 2 medium to small size pots lying around.

Hugh

[MelaQuin]

Re root pruning privets. I can SERIOUSLY root prune my privet four times a year, including mid summer and mid winter. With proper care within weeks after root pruning the pot is full. I'm sure root pruning can be overdone but the way privets grow roots.... hard to imagine as long as a couple of months are left in between lops and the tree is in good health.

[hugh grant]

thanks mel, i think i will be right then to root prune again in a few months

finally got a pic of the tree after i have removed the root

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what do you think now?
now i have to think about the lowest right branch i think, and try and work out if i should leave it, remove it or change it

Hugh