AusBonsai

Species = Pyracantha
Size = 25 Cm
Source = Being thrown out by a member of The School of Bonsai, Originally from a landcare bush cleanup
Cost = Nil

A member of the school is a local Landcare member, and collected these from a bush regeneration site. there was about 8 individual stumps / plants that were shoved into a Poly box with heavy loamy soil and left in the back of here garden. Last winter ( 2012), a subsequent cleanup found them at the school one night for anyone who wanted them. At the end of the night, these were left and I adopted them.
Taken home they were repotted into the same box. and separated out and found they had little roots on them. I did not expect them to recover, but come spring the recovered very well and have done 2 trunk chops to remove rampant growth.

One of the trees have a nice bit of taper in the trunk as it has had t trunk chops. 1 before i received them and one a few weeks ago.

I think that this one will make a nice slanting style tree so in winter I will remove it from the poly box into its own grow pot to develop.

Ken

Hi Ken,I am making up the programme for this year's Bonsai By The Harbour & thinks "how would you like to do the Pryracantha next step there - it would be either 8th . or 9th. June long weekend. Perfect dormant time.
Regards Ric Roberts

Ok first Update
I removed the upper section of the trunk as I thought that it was too long and straight. The upper section had a nice shoot about 1/2 way along, so I cut back to there and then wired the branches in to place.

Also reduced the length of the branching to generate some back shooting and ramification.

Getting stuck in will hopefully allow me to use the remaining growing time before winter

Ken

Sorry to ask this. I see you have wired the lowest branches, and that they are facing forward. Is that normal for a slanting style?

Neli wrote:Sorry to ask this. I see you have wired the lowest branches, and that they are facing forward. Is that normal for a slanting style?

No worries and all in learning.

In my opinion, for any Bonsai just about, the lowest 2 branches should come forward about 20 Deg from the trunk, and as they each spread out and ramify, they feel like they Embrace the the viewer and almost try and cuddle them.
The apex of the tree will tilt forward to almost bow at the viewer as well.


Ken

Thank You Ken, I was wiring them like your hands in semi circle, Now I know I can put them much more forward.

Neli wrote:Thank You Ken, I was wiring them like your hands in semi circle, Now I know I can put them much more forward.

Yeah have them come off the trunk slightly forward, and 20 Deg in front work good

Ken

Thanks! Will do!

As part of my Bonsai By the Harbour demo, viewtopic.php?f=25&t=14980
I separated this one out of the box and then potted it up into a new Mudlark Pottery pot.
The original pot would not suit so Penny offered up a few different ones from her sale table to try and this one was quite nice Thanks Penny. ( Cost only $35 which is awesome value)

Before the Demo, I did a Virt to show how i would like to develop the tree over the next year of the comp which i will now show to all here as well.
the next repot will move to the left in the pot some more and the height should stay where it is to be under 10 inches.

Ken

Hi KC

Was there a reason you cut the leader (as we are today photo) so dramatically from the initial styling photo? I thought having a long + strong leader would encouage the tree to get more thickness and vigor? what was your reasoning?

cheers

Stew

Stewart_Toowoomba wrote:Hi KC

Was there a reason you cut the leader (as we are today photo) so dramatically from the initial styling photo? I thought having a long + strong leader would encouage the tree to get more thickness and vigor? what was your reasoning?

cheers

Stew

I thought that with the Short timeframe of the Comp, re the trunk thickness, you have to work with what you have.
When selection material for a short time comp like this one you do not have time to develop any trunk, then develop branching, then develop foliage as well. Something has to give and that is the trunk girth as it will take a few years to put on any appreciable size, and for a Shohin tree, it is OK as it is I reckon.

My Task now over the spring summer is to feed heavily and let the growth explode to put on as much development into the Branches to thicken them ( the lower one especially).
Next winter I will keep under green house of some sort to get as much foliage and ramification leading up to the end of the comp.

As a learning exercise, go thru the trees from the last shohin comp and have a look at the ones that made the finals, and compare the trunk from start to finish. You will find that they mostly finished with what they started with, which points out the criticality of initial material selection.

Ken

Ken'
great virt!! Thanks for explaining your decisions.
Did, you consider creating a group style before choosing the right slanting stump?.
I do like your 'chosen one', if it gets to the virt you have, it'll be a very nice bonsai. Definately love the pot. I can only afford the cheap ones . And I can always see the difference when I really nice pot is used. Good Choice!!
Do you know how old it is
And what about berry colour
Thanks
Woody

No worris Woody, it's all about learning, and explaining something also hels me byt making me think about why I did it and reinforcing that decision over time.
The Other trees in the box I put together as a group, but will post them in another thread.

Have no idea of age as they were collected from the bush about 18 months ago.
I have not seen them flower or fruit, but the Lady that collected them tells me that they are Yellow. Hope so as that waqs one of the reasons I picked this pot. The original one I had in mind has pinks in the glaze, which would be OK for a red berried one

Re the cost of pots. I am actually surprised at how cheap the aussie handmade pots are. I also put a few dollars away each week to save up and buy them too when i need.

ken

cool.
Yep, yellow berries would definitely compliment your pot, orange too.
thanks
Woody

Ken,
Love the virt!
I see many people putting the trees at this stage in bonsai pots. Is it a must? Or I can submit in a large container? I want to grow some trunks... I have killed so far 2 plants and others are looking very miserable...Dont know what is happening. Tried everything and no improvement.
Ken I started an experiment this year...must be 4 month ago with casuarina, planted in large packets in soil. 3 Different methods of trunk thickening. So far one of my trunks is 2.5 times thicker than when it started. Casuarina grows like crazy...but pyracantha That is another story.