Repotting of a Babingtonia

[NAHamilton]

I've finally got around to posting some things on here. This is a Dwarf Babingtonia (I can't remember the new name, I still call them Baeckea) I bought from a local nursery early last year.

I plan to get some wire on and spread the movement more evenly on the left in a broom sort of style. I want to get it settled into the pot first though, as it was only repotted yesterday. The wire currently on there was from the previous potting angle and no longer much to do with the new design. Just too lazy to take it off yet.... I also plan to cut it back pretty hard in Spring to reduce the legginess.

All criticism and comments welcome.

Thanks,
Nigel

[kcpoole]

I like the wired sections as they are actually
The straight branches on the left need to be shortened by about 1/2 to reduce them and get movement.

I still call them Baekea too, but I think they are something else now anyway
I dug another one of mine i had in the ground here last week. hopefully recovering OK

Ken

[Jason]

I like the wired sections as they are actually
The straight branches on the left need to be shortened by about 1/2 to reduce them and get movement.

I still call them Baekea too, but I think they are something else now anyway
I dug another one of mine i had in the ground here last week. hopefully recovering OK

Ken

They are known as Sannantha now, but I still see them labeled as Baekea everywhere. Keeps us on our toes

The tree is coming along nicely mate, very natural feel to it

[Mount Nasura]

Great tree, I also like the pot. Where did you get it?

[hugh grant]

lovely little tree!
love baekea/babingtonia/sannantha myself as a specied for bonsai, they respond very well.
Tip with the wiring, try and make your angles in the turns more towards 6o degrees.

[izzykay]

How far towards the back is it potted because it looks weird in the photo lol.

[NAHamilton]

The straight branches on the left need to be shortened by about 1/2 to reduce them and get movement.

Would you try and get some buds further down first Ken? or do they generally shoot back after being chopped?

Great tree, I also like the pot. Where did you get it?

I'm pretty sure it was Bonsai Northside, a little north of Brisbane.

lovely little tree!
love baekea/babingtonia/sannantha myself as a specied for bonsai, they respond very well.
Tip with the wiring, try and make your angles in the turns more towards 6o degrees.

Thanks for the tip, I will try it out when wiring it.

How far towards the back is it potted because it looks weird in the photo lol.

It's just behind the centre line. Now that you've mentioned it, it doesn't even look like it's in the pot

[bouquet]

The straight branches on the left need to be shortened by about 1/2 to reduce them and get movement.

Would you try and get some buds further down first Ken? or do they generally shoot back after being chopped?

As the question suggests, do these react like a deciduous tree, that being back bud on bare wood if the chop was given?

[kcpoole]

The straight branches on the left need to be shortened by about 1/2 to reduce them and get movement.

Would you try and get some buds further down first Ken? or do they generally shoot back after being chopped?

As the question suggests, do these react like a deciduous tree, that being back bud on bare wood if the chop was given?

Sorry missed that earlier.

Yes they do backbud on old wood. I will cut back leaving some green foliage, then once get shoots, cut back again further, but that is just me being cautious I guess.

Ken

[bouquet]

Thanks Ken.

I don't have any Australian Natives in my collection. I have just found a liking for flowering trees/shrubs and when I seen a picture of this species with the small white flower I think I'll be seeking to find a few at a nursery.

One will be a sacrifice tree. In that I mean I will be feeding it with a fertilizer that breaks the "no more than 2% Phosphorus" rule on Oz natives, just to see. One may also get the bare rooting treatment so I can place it in an open mix, maybe something like I use on my pines. Might even try it on 100% diatomite.

If anyone as done any of the above on this species of tree I would love to hear. Otherwise once I find a some to trial on I will post some results.

[kcpoole]

I have mine in my normal Diatomite / Zeolite mix.
Gets my normal fert of Charlie carp / Miracle grow liquid,a nd Neutrog Sudden Impact for Roses on the surface.

Ken

[bouquet]

I have mine in my normal Diatomite / Zeolite mix.
Gets my normal fert of Charlie carp / Miracle grow liquid,a nd Neutrog Sudden Impact for Roses on the surface.

Ken

Thanks ken. I notice that the Miracle Gro liquid is NPK = 2.5/0.66/1.2, thats if it is the seafeed 3 in 1. I purchased some of the Miracle-Gro MaxFeed Flowers & Blooms Soluble Plant Food which has much higher rating NPK = 16.6/7/17.8 Now I may need to use this at half or even 1/3 strength but I also might try it at full dose. If I get a couple cheap nursery stock trees I'll be using that.

[NAHamilton]

That one is just in straight Diatomite Bouquet. I use Powerfeed, Native Osmocote and a powdery/flakey one called Native Kickalong. All pretty often and all with alot of watering.

Walter Palls explanation on medium, watering and fertilising was the easiest to follow so I went with his technique. Plus I really like the way he talks and writes things like "You have to think for yourself" and "Oh well, Jeremy, it is allowed to use common sense", I reckon he'd be a good beer drinking partner .

[NAHamilton]

So this one died after the landlord hit it with his whipper snipper. He smashed the pot too which I was more dissapointed with.Not to worry, I got a new pot from a show in Brisbane and a new tree to go in it.

It's in need of a bit of a tidy up. When I do, the right hand branch will be lowered and left to extend further. Possibly a reduction in the apex too. If anyone has some better suggestions, I'd love to hear them

Still using my phone hence the low quality photos

[Ryceman3]

Liking your new tree but not sure I'd be so understanding when it came to losing the original...! (I get sentimental & possessive I guess!) That was a beaut, hope this one can live up to the legacy - can't see any reason why not, good luck with it!