[NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

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[NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by MJL »

Hi All,

Here is my first entry into this competition (after withdrawing the previously entered Kunzea group). These River Red Gums were purchased in a group of 32 native seedlings for $50 - @$1.56 seedling pot. But there were actually more seedlings when separated so this group ended up comprising 9 seedlings at $0.87c each. The pot was second-hand - I already had it but I reckon I got it for $20 or $30 bucks. Can't remember.

The process thus far:-
- wire some curves into each seedling;
- reduce root mass by about 60%;
- spread roots;
- position into a training container and
- hope they survive.

The young trees have survived since I conducted this re-potting on December 10th 2018 - 3 or so weeks ago. indeed, they are thriving! Hence, this entry.

In my rather strange mind - when I wired the two taller trees and in the context of other smaller seedlings, I thought of parents. Perhaps because I am a parent! I positioned the two 'parents' to be upstream, keeping a watchful eye over the children who played downstream and a rogue kid out the back. :)

Nothing more to this story other than it is my way of anchoring my vision for this group of gums as they age.

Here are some photo's:
The initial set of seedlings.
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An example of roots - I had removed plenty here and then decided to remove more and the tap root (or thick root) too. It was also interesting to note that the wiring was strange too, I swear I heard them crack when I bent them - or perhaps it was young bark breaking - regardless, I could not see any breaks and the trees have responded well.
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Here's the setting at time of re-potting.
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Here's a couple of shots from yesterday. Note the vibrant new growth sprouting everywhere.
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So - that's the start. I see challenges everywhere. I have never tried to bonsai a Eucalyptus. Two questions that come to mind include:

How to keep leaf size down - these leaves are large !I read somewhere with rigorous and regular removal of large leaves.
How to manage vigorous growth; thicken up the trucks trees but also work on branch structure. I an think I will break the tops off at different times. I heard somewhere that native respond better to hand-breaking rather than cutting. Who knows but I'll give it a crack.

Anyway ... Thanks again for the competition.

Entry (1) of mine is in and I hope it survives until the end of the competition!
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by MJL »

Here’s my April 2019 update for this river gum group.
Super healthy growth.
Dappled light and always wet.
As with the swamp paperbarks, I am tending to overwater and they seem happy.
Maintenance to date includes carefully removing any growth heading straight up. (I read this somewhere on this forum.)
Anything low down I am letting grow and wiring sweeping ‘river-type bends’ (my technical term).
This morning I decided to snap off two tops. (Someone told me natives prefer snapping rather than cutting ....hmmm, I’ll give it a crack, pardon the pun!) Regardless removing the tops of two trees seemed like the right thing to do. There was good growth under the snap points and the trees were just getting too high.
I think width will come from the branch growth near the base of trees.
I am really enjoying working with these guns albeit they are fast growing and I must take care with wire. See slight marks on one photo below.

Here’s the largely unrestrained growth, except early wiring.
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Wire scars
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Some new wiring and tops snapped
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Good times.


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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by TimS »

Coming along really well there Mark! They seem to tolerate very hard root pruning well, i have one that had a huge tap root that had grown in the pot with the large cedar, i had to cut it off and leave only a few smaller roots, it bounced back very quickly and has grown rampantly ever since.

They will tolerate dry periods well, but will let even large branches die off if dry for extended periods of time. When there is ample water they will grow prolifically as you have found.
Last edited by TimS on April 7th, 2019, 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by MJL »

Hi All,

Hope your Saturday has started well.

I have already provided my April update here but I just thought I would show folk this lovely new growth since I snapped the top off some of my gums.

Not sure why am surprised but it’s cool push new growth back down the trunks - which is good - isn’t it?

Also - two questions, if I may. Through winter - should I continue to break tops off (if I see new shoots below the break) as I have been doing and can anyone tell me what this little green lump is and it it desirable? (See last photo)

Cheers in advance,

Mark
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by TimS »

Coming along really well there Mark

I have one myself, I seems to still be pushing growth out even as the days grow colder. I expect they will slow down soon. I guess you could still snap the shoots off in winter if you want to, likely they will just take longer to shoot back or wait for warmer weather. We don't get cold enough in Melbourne to do any real damage to them, occasional frosts would be the worst we have to face.

That little green node you speak of i have no idea at all about sorry.

This is mine, but I've no idea where to go with it, so I've just left it to grow in a pot in the back yard while i hope that the bonsai leprechauns perform some magic on it for me.
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by Matt S »

Hey Mark,

I'm glad to see some River Red Gums in this comp, they are my favourite native tree and they make nice bonsai.

In my backyard they still grow over winter so you can keep pinching if needed. So the usual advice applies - let them grow unheeded if you want them to thicken up quickly then constantly pinch new growth when it's time to ramify. I've found with constant pinching they'll still produce large leaves for about 6 months then suddenly the leaves will reduce nicely. Also you can totally defoliate them and they'll bounce back with shoots all over the place. Plus if you have a nice fat trunk and you're not happy with the branches you can cut them all off and start again.

Not sure about the lump but it could be a gall.

Good luck, you're off to a good start.

Matt.
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by MJL »

Hey Matt,
Thanks for your advice and my apologies for not responding to your post. I am enjoying these trees: pinching lots and remaining ever vigilant in the wiring, with the speed of growth - wires cut in quickly! I am liking the movement down low on the main trunks and the branches.
IMG_0753.jpg
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Not aggressive but sweeping like I see in nature sometimes. That said, enough of a bend that it will still be noticeable when the wire is off and it naturally straightens a bit. Well ... that’s what I am hoping!

Also, rather than ‘unwiring’ I am finding that it is best that I cut the wire off down low just as it bites, leaving the upper sections of wire on a bit longer.


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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by MJL »

Here's my September/October Update for the River Gums.

These are fast growers. Similar to my other entries ... the wire is off now and I am happy with the way these trees move, trying to create a sense that there trees are sweeping up and around, mimicking the idea that they are next to a dry river bed. I find it interesting that trees so young shed their bark but alas they are - hopefully you can see that in the photo. Also - it is interesting that the main trunk line can get over-ridden by a second branch that assumes the primary trunk position; I didn't have a choice in the matter - it just took over ... see last photo - the green arrow is the new main trunk... but that was merely a shoot a few months back.

I plan on creating more aggressive bends by breaking some of the secondary branches in due course. You can see in the first photo the new growth I snapped off this morning - just where I thought it was needed to keep balance. I'll let them grow for a few months now.
Again - good fun this. :)
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by MJL »

The gums are really starting to move. Indeed, I am finding it hard to keep enough water up to them. To the more experienced natives growers... should I re-pot and root trim soon/this summer? Or continue to let power?
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Happy with the look here - it's the shape/form I intended from the start with multiple branching. While I have been pinching and breaking to push branching low'ish... I am now I am letting run for a few months.

Again - off-cycle and additional updates but I thought it worth shown the growth over the past 6 weeks in particular.

Cheers, Mark
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by Rory »

MJL wrote: November 14th, 2019, 8:32 am should I re-pot and root trim soon/this summer? Or continue to let power?
Looking at your photos, they have recently either been allowed to get too dry or you've had some serious heat stress those leaves.
In my opinion now is definitely not the time to repot. Its too soon, and also the seedlings have been stressed.

It also depends on how thick you want the trunks.
If you're after big bad boys, don't do anything and just let it really grow.

If you're end goal is after smaller more compact material, then you can cut back the trunk when its regained health and is putting out new growth again, but not for quite some time. Often after a period of drought or serious heat burn, it can die-back and if you cut the material now it can really die-back a lot further.

Definitely don't repot now, its far too soon since you've potted this group up. I wouldn't be touching the roots for at least another year if it was me.
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by MJL »

Thank You Rory, much appreciated. Too dry must be the diagnosis as we haven't had heat in Melbourne recently.

I have been keeping the water up except yesterday, I did not water. :whistle: Yesterday was perhaps 19 degrees and light showers and I noticed the drooping when I went out to water this morning. They sit in a position that gets sun - a northern-west position with the Paperbarks and Moonah's. Hmmm... what about I don't disturb roots but basically slip-pot (is that what it is called?) into a wooden grow box. I wonder whether that would help. My sense is they are drinking heaps and heaps ... and the water run-off suggests dense roots. Thanks again for your advice.
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by Rory »

:imo: the roots will not have overgrown the container yet.
:imo: there is no way those tiny seedlings have overgrown their immediate potting mix in this time.
Note that even your tiny seedlings have fallen ill from lack of water.

To me it is more likely you have simply overlooked how long it was between a watering or it wasn't watered well enough the previous time.
I still would not disturb the roots right now and I'd make sure you are thoroughly watering it when it needs it, so the entire medium is saturated.

:beer:
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by MJL »

Noted. Thanks. I'll be very diligent with watering from now on... I use a watering wand, it may be that I have misted over them without proper attention. Cheers again Rory. :yes: :beer:
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by Ryceman3 »

Just as another thing to put in the mix when it comes to watering, watch windy conditions!
It may be overcast and not that warm and maybe a few patches of rain here and there but if it is windy for an extended period of time (as has been the case where I am over the last week or so) there is every chance your trees/pots are drying out as quickly as they would on hot, sunny days.
They do look to be dry (maybe worth a soak for an hour or two?), and you know about natives and water! Just something else to keep in mind perhaps... still got a lot of solid growth going though! :yes:
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Re: [NATURAL] Eucalyptus camaldulensis - River Red Gums - MJL(1)

Post by MJL »

YES. Looking me in the face.... can’t see the first for the trees... pun intended. Very windy!! Cheers for the thought. Thanks R3 and Rory for jumping in with advice. :yes:
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