[Taffy] Ligustrum Ovalifolia - 1

[Taffy]

Haven't got much time (just come out of a power cut ) This is a Ligustrum Ovalifolia - Small leaf Privet. It's growing in my next door neighbour's garden and he's given me permission to dig it out - which I'll do tomorrow 1st September.

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[Watto]

Good on you Taffy. I think its a great idea to go from dig to as far as you can in 14 months. The growth should be OK up your way so its a chance.
Watto

[Taffy]

Thanks Watto, Small leaf Privet really does grow like weeds up here - they love the heat and humidity and don't slow down much during the cooler months either. That's one of the reason I chose these as two of my entries.
I also chose these because with the newspaper against it, anyone can see that they were still growing in the ground on the 31st Aug and at the end of this there is another photo with today's newspaper against it - no chance of any suspicion of cheating with these. Let's just hope they do what I'm expecting them to

These are the results of today's dig and huge cut-back:

JB1Sep111a.jpg

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JB1Sep111m.jpg

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JB1Sep111r.jpg

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[Taffy]

New update.

As it looks this morning. I'll prune it this afternoon and post the new photos.

JB6Dec111a.jpg

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The results after I pruned it this afternoon:

JB6Dec112c.jpg

JB6Dec112b.jpg

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[Taffy]

Update.
Another prune today. Did it a bit heavier than I intended, but got some of the branches sorted out. More to do though.

JB3Jan12a.jpg

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[Dario]

This one is truely shaping up Taffy!
Cheers, Dario.

[Taffy]

Pruned this again on 3 Feb. With a bit of tweaking and thinning out, I reckon it would look pretty good from the back as well.
Photo 1 - Front.
Photo 2 - Back.

JB3Feb12b.jpg

JB3Feb12c.jpg

[Taffy]

March update.

I decided to see if I could change the shaping somewhat, so instead of a single canopy I'm working on layering this one into three separate pads - one on the left, one on the right and an apex pad. It also need tilting over a bit.

As it stands now, it is still only 200mm from soil level to the top and 340mm side to side, so I still have room to play with building the apex up and defining the pads. I may also lift it slightly in the box and expose some of the roots a bit more to show a bit of flare at the base. I should know by next month whether layering separate pads is a viable option. If it isn't, then I'll revert back to the single canopy. It should look pretty good either way I reckon.

JB1Mar12a.jpg

JB1Mar12b.jpg

[alpineart]

Hi Taffy , i like the progress on this one .Looking good . Cheers Alpineart

[Watto]

Ditto what Alpine said. It is great progress in only 6 months.

[The Hacker]

Hi Taffy,

They do move pretty fast I have them planted as a hedge & they do grow very quickly I trim them one day & a week later they need another, it has a great trunk on it & should turn in2 a very nice tree good luck

Regard's

The Hacker

[teamak]

Hey Taffy, wow, love that Privet! What a drastic 6 months that little tree has had.

Can't wait to see it come November!

[Taffy]

Thanks guys. Was very busy looking after - and then coping with the passing of my wife since my last post that this one hasn't really had the attention it required - in fact none of my trees have. She was far more important to me than working on my trees. Anyway, I did a prune on it and am still working on layering the foliage pad. Hopefully it will get where I want it to in a reasonable time. I'd really like to have it in a pot before the end of the comp.

JB7Apr12a.jpg

[Craig]

Hi taffy, I'm very sorry to hear of your wife's passing, please take good care of yourself , condolences and best regards , sincerely ,your friend in Bonsai ,Craig

[kcpoole]

Sorry to hear about your wife and condolences to you

Take care

Ken