Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

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MJL
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Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by MJL »

Howdy,
I was going to put these Kunzea ericoides in the current native competition but we debated whether they were native (perhaps NZ) and also, there are one or two clumps which would have been in the border of 1cm ... so I am posting them here as a way or recording progress.

Seedlings were purchased at the Sandbelt Indigenous Plant Nursery - Heatherton Rd, Clayton South. I believe they were grown from seed by the volunteers at that nursery.

When I purchased them, I potted them together ...on an angle so that their roots would knit that way from the very start.

I have always like the idea of the windswept, rugged, cascading look that you often see in trees by coastal locations. This will be my inspiration for this group.

They have been in this box for a while now so I’ll soon repot into another training vessel. Training wise, all that I currently do is clip and grow; shaping accordingly.

It’s hard to see from the photos but I have purposely created a slope in the training box to allow the trees to grow off the side of the slope accordingly.

I like where this is heading - I imagine it’ll end up in a crescent pot or a pot that has a design that is higher on one side.

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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by Max »

Howdy MJL

will you be thinning this out now, or next summer? I was also wondering, because there are so many in the one box, if room for roots will run out fast, causing some to become weaker than others. Would you grow them separately in their own pots, this way they can be wired and twisted without the hindrance of the other trees. Then once ready, grouped together, then you would only have the tips to wire/prune? :lost:
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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by MJL »

Ah, Max -you’ve touched on something here! You use logic, I’m not sure I do. And that makes me rather daft.

Let me try to explain. I probably should grow all these Kunzea separately - probably in the ground too. As you say, easier to wire and work ... and they will thicken faster too. And the weak will have a chance to thrive.

But...

I have a theory ...he says, raising his voice and heightening his tone and pointing his finger at Hadley the dog like a knowing lecturer. And it goes something like this ... with very little evidence to back it up.

My theory. Bonsai forests and groups - designed and planted together from the very start of each trees life - will - all else remaining constant - look better and more natural than something grouped together later. (Note: evidence would point to this being bullsh!t because there are many, many wonderful group plantings that have used mature trees planted together later.)

As I have started with trees all the same age ... I think the natural weakening of some and strengthening of others (and new shoots that eventuate) will create the age story - over a very long time. (I’m fifty, one hopeful that some of my forests look ok when I’m 80; if I can see them at that age!)

I’m very interested in the natural root structure/nebari that forms in my seedling forest floors, naturally and how I can influence that to look wonderful over time too.

So .... I am a walking, breathing test bed of young forests and probably wasting valuable time!

And I’m a hypocrite because I am also now ground growing stock and I am and have created forests from different ages stock.

So - probably because I am stubborn - I intend to grow and manage these all together from the get go and you’ll all see my trials and tribulations and probable failure as time passes.

Oh, and when I eventually split them or add more mature stock - as I have done with one of my Japanese Maple forests for example ... please don’t judge me too harshly.










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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by Max »

:lol: I turn 50 in May and can see TOTALLY where your coming from :lol: I look forward to your next update 8-)
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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by shibui »

Many years ago I took potted stock trees to a workshop with a Japanese master to make a group. He grumbled that they had not been grown close together so would be difficult to use in a group. (He still put them together and made a fine group which I still have nearly 30 years later)
There are some characteristics of forest trees that only come from having been grown close together so I think MJL is on the right track with this project. It may take a couple of extra years to develop the trees but I'd expect to see a better forest because of it.
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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by MJL »

It is certainly peak growing time for natives. I have already cut back these Kunzea once this year and I reckon I'll go again soon. I'll need to repot shortly too. They have been in this grow box a while now.
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It is pleasing to note that I am slowly get some ramification too... I think I am figuring out these natives... (hmmm dangerous words, perhaps not figuring out but they seem to be responding to current care methods.... water heaps, fertilise often, trim regularly .... and then water heaps more. Repeat.
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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by MJL »

Cheers to 2020 AusBonsai folk.

A question to the native lovers. This group is growing well; flourishing. Yet they have been in this grow box for coming on two years and I feel they are due for repot. Not because they are showing signs of ill health rather with rampant growth of the past two years surely they are becoming pot bound and I want to repot before vigour is affected by constricted roots.

Any thoughts on repotting timing would be appreciated. And when repotting, do kunzea mind their root ball being cut back or should I take care with the root ball?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts. Here’s a photo back from April 2017 and this morning.
ImageImage

Cheers,

Mark

PS - By the way, how good to kunzea smell when you rub the leaves? Fantastic.


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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by GavinG »

Scratch around and see if the roots look congested, otherwise leave it alone. I'd be more worried about the long bits that have no leaves - you won't be able to cut them back easily, unless there are side branches I'm not seeing.

And a happy new year to you, although with much of the east coast ablaze, there seems to have been much less appetite to celebrate this year.

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Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by MJL »

Cheers Gavin. My poorly worded post was confusing ... those long bits with no growth were a few years back ... when I first put the group together from separate seedlings. Here’s a few more pics from 5 minutes ago. ImageAlso - the surface is very dense with roots but ... the water is seemingly going though so perhaps it’s best to wait another year and repot next summer?!ImageImageImage

And Happy New Year back at ya.
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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by CraigM »

Love Kunzea, smell as well. Have found they cope with being root bound, and small containers, you should be fine if still draining.

Have found them to be temperamental when working on the roots, so would proceed cautiously first time around. I normally place into a misted greenhouse after collection / repotting, follow the same for a number of natives.
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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by MJL »

Thank you for the response Craig. Image I’ll take care with the roots when the time comes in 12 months or so. No greenhouse here but a move from full sun to dappled shade when I repot will have to do. :-)


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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by boom64 »

Hi Mark,
I have been repotting Kunzeas this week. I do yearly as I have several large gums around me and seem to get a a few curl grubs. This is the best time to catch them before they do to much damage. BUGGERS..
I trim about 30mm of the sides and bottom, then keep in dappled light for a week or two. Spraying as often as I remember. They look pretty healthy ,well done. Cheers John.
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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by MJL »

Ok, I am leaving my River Gums, Paperbark and Moonah until next year but my gut feel was to repot these Kunzea. These have been in a grow box a season or two longer and I was a little worried about them being too constricted.

In the end, they were not root bound...so perhaps I should have left them .... but I am happy that I did repot. Why? I wanted to scratch the itch! On a more serious note, I feel better for having investigated the roots, re-spread them, cleaned up the trees so I can see what happening and re-freshed the soil. I also re-wired some of the trunks (and indeed, I have just noticed one loose piece of wire which bothers me - so I'll fix that up later.) Also, note to self - when wiring young seedlings - remember to put more aggressive curves into the trees - they have a habit of straightening up when the wire comes off.

I did not cut much off the roots and I feel confident that this repotting will not set the group back. Alas, I may be wrong and I certainly let folk know if this all goes pear-shaped.

The group is only roughly styled... in part to let light in and in part to sense where I am heading (or more accurately, where these trees are taking me. :). It was my first crack at a native group and it is going ok, I think. (@Ryceman ... you'll see that I added a little dude, a sure sign that I don't mind the progression ... or at least the little guy does ;) ).

Seems to heading in the right direction - at least towards what I initially envisaged albeit, I wish there was a little more movement/flow in the trunks ... it's there but side-on it looks a little straight. And ... it has moved away from semi-cascade and more simple wind-swept. The bare trunks on some are not ideal but make more sense than the photo's show ...the trunks searching out the light ... at least that's my rationale. :whistle: Also, each tree has growth down near it's roots so... they are both back-up trunks and may help fill out the bases over time too.

The pot is purely another training pot that I had on hand. It's reasonably attractive and probably deep enoughto allow a few years growth until the next repot. I am not sure what pot this group will end in... initially I was thinking these trees would look good escaping a crescent-shaped pot but now, I am not so sure - a decision for another time.

Of course, happy to take any feedback.
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Cheers,

Mark

PS - And yes, for those entering the 'Forest Tale' competition --- I am still learning too. :lol:
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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by boom64 »

They should be fine Mark ,probably will crack a few buds on those exposed trunks as well.
When things settle down wire those secondary branches. I know a lot of work. :o I time these tasks to do during my favourite radio show on public radio. Relaxing. Cheers John.
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Re: Kunzea Semi-cascade Group

Post by MJL »

Thank for the suggestion John, will do. It’ll certainly help with the flow of the composition. And .... I’ll bang on NPR in the background and tune out .... if you get what I mean. One of the things I like about bonsai is that it’s slow .... there’s worse things to do than spend time wiring and listening the the world in the background.


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