Thought i would show my favorite tree and a tree i would love to emulate as a bonsai using an olive , if i was to dig up an olive to carve like this should i leave it for a year to recover after flat bottoming it or should i start to carve straight away
king regards
peterb
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Hi All
sorry i know it's not the right time to dig up olives now i would just be using the time now to scout for the right tree , but just want to know what people suggest about starting this type of project
peterb
Hey Boics i've actually got a copy of that book signed by peter chan , went to his nursery last year when i did the in-law thing with the missus, fantastic nursery it is and i met peter chan and had a cup of tea with him as i had to drop something of for him from someone he knows in adelaide . sounds like alpineart is the guy i need to contact for advice on olives . thanks for the replies and advice guys , need to go find a tree now
regards
peterb
Hi Peter, you can dig the olive now...collect anytime of year in Adelaide, but olives it is suggested to collect them when it is warmer.
If it were me, I would flat bottom and then let it recover for a year to establish roots. I could be wrong but my logic tells me why risk carving when you are not 100% sure that the live areas left after carving will shoot and not die back?
To me makes more sense to see where it shoots first, establish some roots and energy via foliage etc. Then do your carving...you may also get some new design possibilities when you see where the green is?
If there are any deadwood areas when you collect it, you can start to work them a bit at the same time as flat bottom cut.
I know olives are vigorous, but there is no rush and what is one year in bonsai terms immediately after collecting a tree.
As I said, that is just the way I would go about it...each to their own though:2c Best of luck!:
Cheers, Dario.
using a thinner based trunk olive---after flat bottoming and re establishment would it be possible to split the trunk from underneath and then spread using wedges then carve if necessary--firstly would the tree survive -and would it look natural enough for your needs
Hi Peter,
Mate, I completely agree with Dario. That would be my approach. I remember when I dug my first Olives, Clinton Nesci suggested leaving the trees alone for at least a year. I followed this advise and now have very vigorous trees that I would now feel comfortable in doing anything to them.
i would collect the olive flat cut with chainsaw then cut up from the bottom making the spit trunk design an anything els you want to do this is how ill do it. My reason for this is they are free an every where why wait a year for it to recover then hit it with major surgery if it dies it dies just go get another olives are very tuff just go for it an next yr it be well on its way
thanks for all the input guys , you're right olivecrazy here in adelaide they're everywhere i've thought about it and think i'll go both ways i'll collect a few and 1-2 i'll do straight away and 1-2 i'll leave to recover so cover all bases . so i think i'll be on a win win
i'll keep you's filled in how it goes . does anyone out there have any trees similar to what i'm wanting to do , would love to see them just so i can turn a little green with envy just till mine is under way
kind regards
peterb
I'd like to ask what are the different types (species, if you will) of suitable Olives for Bonsai ?
I have been gifted a Olive Verdale and its lanky as Heck! Looking for images on Google to get some inspiration, I don't seem to find similar trees turned into Bonsai …
Any guidance? Can this Olive of mine be turned into a successful Bonsai or should dI just put it into the garden?
Hi,
The olive cultivar 'verdale' is a variety grown for fruit/oil production. Without seeing the tree, a course of action is hard to guess at.
If you are ever in Adelaide, perhaps take the opportunity to collect an olive or two as they occur widely to the point where they are considered a pest/weed species.
Perhaps the best question to ask Adelaidians is where the best spot to collect olives is?
After roughly 20 years of growing bonsai, I reckon I might just be starting to get the hang of it...
Did Peter b end up digging the olive? Olive will survive transplanting at any time of year, but recovery time will differ. If you dig in the middle of a hot summer, you might lose all leaves and send the tree into dormancy until the next spring.
Dig in winter or spring and it may not blink an eye...
with any tree you dig, you would probably do best to leave it alone for minimum one year to build a new set of feeders. This will give it the strength to recover quickly from heavy work.
If you can minimize recovery time, you get more growing time... Which means, better bonsai quicker.
Hi Webo
No mate didn't dig up a tree yet went off to Tassie for a month on holiday , had a great time, have a lot of work ahead in the garden and with my trees so think i'll wait till autumn to dig up some trees , mate if you're careful you can find great trees next to the road ( but i didn't say that )
regards
peterb
i would collect the olive flat cut with chainsaw then cut up from the bottom making the spit trunk design an anything els you want to do 
olives are very tuff just go for it an next yr it be well on its way 
) 
