Rhaph- a progression

[Craig]

Thanks Bodhi, i only drilled half the depth i really wanted, as i didn't have a long enough spade bit, your right about being branches in the way latter, oh well, can't win em all ,

[kcpoole]

Craig you can get extension bars for Spade bits. I have about 3 metres worth so can drill right down thru a stud wall. Make mincemeat of your Mel

Ken

[Craig]

Thanks Ken,

[Craig]

Hi All, just over 1 months growth and here it is looking better already, just pinching, watering and feeding ,and a little wiring,

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thanks for following

[Steve Warren]

Looking very nice, please keep us posted. I am very keen to the development of this tree.

Reagrds

Steve W

[Dario]

Hi Craig, after looking at the last pics that you posted at the start of November, I can't believe how good it looks in just a month! lots of growth
Keep up the top work and be sure to keep updating please!
I really like this one mate
Cheers, Dario.
EDIT...forgot to ask...did you have to use any techniques to balance the growth between the two trunks? I ask because the lower trunk has filled out fantastically as well as the higher one! Did both trunks just develop like that?
This one looks good from all angles

[Craig]

Looking very nice, please keep us posted. I am very keen to the development of this tree.

thanks Steve,i will mate, i'm very interested in it's development aswell. It's a great little tree


Dario, i was going to post a comparo pic so you don't need to go back to the first page, here it is ,

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forgot to ask...did you have to use any techniques to balance the growth between the two trunks? I ask because the lower trunk has filled out fantastically as well as the higher one! Did both trunks just develop like that?

No special techiques ,I just vary the amount of pinching each area gets at any one time. The taller part could be more vigorous, but it's not bad, i really wanted a few more branches on the tall trunk, but these damn Rhaphs are so unpredictable mate. You;ll get many shoots where you don't want them and none where you do, I'll sort something but i'm a little dissapointed to date . The one thing i do need to do is repot this tree. When i first put it into this pot, the roots filled it in only a month or so, in summer this thing drinks something like 20-30 litres of water easily in 1 day, it's ridiculous. Cheers mate


P.S--, In regards to back budding/shooting on this partitcular rhaphiophylla, of the 19 new branches which have grown, none have come thru very thick bark. The new shoots emerged either very close to where the bark had been removed totally , from under or ontop of an existing branch stub , or an old area with only a very thin bark layer(e.g- a healed over cut that hadn't grow thick bark again) , 5 shoots from these types of areas on my tree. The other 14 shoots emerged from areas where i had removed several layers of old bark,, in these areas i peeled about 2mm or so of old bark leaving it still quite thick(maybe 5-7mm) but thinner , .So what the trunk has is areas with the thick older flakey bark and areas with that bark removed, the shoots on this tree didn't break thru the thick older bark.

[Dario]

Thanks for all the details Craig...very interesting re the bark and where majority of new shoots emerged from!
Sorry to here it hasn't gone totally to plan mate. I hope you get some new shoots where you want/need them on the tallest trunk!
Sure is thirsty let us all know how the repot goes please!
Cheers, Dario.

[Craig]

Dario,.

[Craig]

All, today was the day to start some carving, spent a few hours drilling ,carving and pulling fibres to get a nice start,,lost a couple of branches along the way aswell,

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Then it was out with the oxy kit to char the deadwood/carved areas, It's quite black at the moment, i charred it good and proper,

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Tomorrow i will almost definately repot this tree, Thanks for following

[kcpoole]

Nice Progress Craig.
Love the charred section

How often do you Pinch new growth?

Ken

[Craig]

Nice Progress Craig.
Love the charred section

You must be the only one Ken, thanks mate.

I pinch out some new growth everyday, The tree has been repotted into a pot about 6 times as small and wired , it has come up great ,

[GavinG]

Very interesting indeed.

I thought that the carving was too deep and not contoured enough, but after the blowtorch it makes a lot of sense - fire does hollow trunks out like that. Please keep posting- I'd like to see this after a couple of years, when the edges have rolled over a bit. Very Australian.

Happy New Year,

Gavin

[Dario]

Happy New Year AusBonsai all the best to all!!
Hi Craig, top work mate! I would love to see the tree now that it has also been wired and potted in a considerably smaller pot...what shape and colour is the pot?
This is a lovely and inspiring Aussie bonsai
Cheers, Dario

[harry]

Hello Craig, I like this tree very much it has that definitive Australian touch, as you say at the moment very dark. When it settles I would suggest you use a wire brush to put some shading into the areas.
I think some one has suggested this before. I would like to see it in the smaller pot also.

Please keep up the good work I am getting to like the Natives more and more, thank you for posting. Harry