AusBonsai

I cut this branch of last summer and stuck it into a pot to see if it would strike. There is only one major root and the saw cut has completely healed I gave it the tooth pick treatment and repotted, I hope this will develop more roots.

toothpick treatment? what is this technique?

closetbonsai wrote:toothpick treatment? what is this technique?

Hi closet
type in toothpick in the search box top right and you will get all the information.
Barry

Hi there,
how did the tree go
did it sprout new growth
or at least not die?

I have always loved these trees
and I've had many over the years
I find they can be a bit tricky but early spring is time for them to take off
I bonsai'd one many years ago ... but it didn't co-operate,just kept growing and growing LOL

did you use root growth hormone or anything else?

cheers Jason

gollum wrote:Hi there,
how did the tree go
did it sprout new growth
or at least not die?

cheers Jason

Hi Jason
The Brachychiton they are doing well.
After I posted this article I cut another branch of and cut the 60mm trunk of the root base, the trunk had three branches on it,
When I get home next week I will post photos
Barry

thanks

saw some very slender young trees at bu**ings yesterday... they were $50

gollum wrote:Hi there,
how did the tree go
did it sprout new growth
or at least not die?

did you use root growth hormone or anything else?
cheers Jason

Hi Jason
You will possibly not like what you are going to see, so I will tell you why first.
All the brachychriton’s I have seen are long and spindly and look like literati, I don’t think that style shows how they grow naturally.
I would like a bulbous base bonsai and that is what I am trying to achieve. Back in 2005 I dug this plant out of an old nursery the root were through the base of the 250mm pot and all green growth was through the shade cloth roof and this is what it looked like after getting it home and repotting. This photo wastaken in 2009, the right branch is the first I removed. This is the left branch. The trunk. My great hope the base.
I had less to start with 5years ago, and I use hormone powder now.
Barry

thanks for showing the pics Barry

I hope the base sprouts for you...I would give it a few shallow scratches in the hope it will spark a new shoot

I agree with your view on tall thin style,I have found they start off like that..
I have put the tall thin ones in the ground and in pots...
in the ground they will establish then fatten over the coming years
in pots they dont grow as quick but do develop large bulbous roots,especially if they have been lightly root pruned

I managed to germinate one from seed and for 3 years it was very slow on top, but under the soil it grew a really nice root shape
I try not to disturb them much and only use seasol,blood and bone and manure in small quantities
I also took a cutting the other day and despite having no roots it still sprouted new leaves in 5 days(!)
I was amazed... I thought it would die off but its still going fine in early morning part sun (when its not raining all day in Bris)

in your second picture that plant looks good, I would give it a year or 2 in the open ground, it would heal and fatten really well
and you can still prune and wire it if needed.

I will have to get some of my pics up when I get to it,
got a million other things to catch up with atm

as I promised a few pics



this was potted many years ago... I wired the branches about 3 yrs ago



close up of the roots exposed many years ago, they hardened off quickly and look good


heres a similar tree but it was planted in the ground 2 years ago... it has grown quite a bit now



this next one is really good

I was lucky to get this one germinated from seed I collected

the trunk / roots are looking really great better than the photos look





after this pic I repotted in a slightly bigger pot
the lower root system is really nicely formed aswell

I can't wait to see this develop

I think this is the best looking bottle tree bonsai I've seen

It is great to see you got the branch cutting to grow new roots. I recently bought a tall spindly specimen in the cheap section and chopped the trunk into 3 planting the top two hoping they would grow.

How are your brachychitons growing?