Radermachera sinica,(china doll) advice on shape

[ace2weather]

This stuff, I use it on my fruit trees, strong as and doesn't damage the trunk..
I'll leave it tied up like this for a few weeks and then I'll tighten it some more..

[Ray M]

This stuff, I use it on my fruit trees, strong as and doesn't damage the trunk..
I'll leave it tied up like this for a few weeks and then I'll tighten it some more..

Hi ace2weather,
I would also put another tie about half way down the smaller trunk. This will apply more pressure to the bottom of the trunk. You need the bottom of the trunk to move as well. If you just have the tie at the top there is a danger that it will spring back when you remove the tie. When tightening, make sure you pull both ties in with even pressure. As mentioned before, I don't know how brittle this species is, so be careful.

Ties-2.jpg

Regards Ray

[ace2weather]

Roger....
Trunk is quite flexible thank god...

[ace2weather]

Little update on this..
Its been a week now and it looks like a success.
Looking closely, you can see what looks like buds swelling on the main and smaller trunks.

The trunks are slowly coming together as well....

[ace2weather]

I HAVE LEAVES....

[Rintar]

Woo hoo good to hear mate.

[ace2weather]

I was kind of worried cause I had to cut heaps of the fibrous roots to fit it in it's pot and it wasn't a healthy tree to start with.
The main trunk has leaves as seem in photo and the smaller trunk has buds swelling, so they'll open soon..


Hopefully with the trunks tied, they'll keep in place once the ties are removed. But that'll be later....

[Pearcy001]

BUDS! Congratulations Ace.

Hopefully will make a great slender tree over time.

I do have one query. As the trunks were already formed (not grown into this angle) and you are only using a somewhat stretchable material to hold it, are you expecting it to spring back apart at all?

You may need to have the gap between the trunks even small (especially the lower one if possible) so as when you release it, it will open to where it is now?

I have no experience with this, just what I'm guessing will happen is all.

If I'm wrong can someone please correct me so I know for future reference too.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

[ace2weather]

I don't expect to close the gap right up, but if I remove that tie now the gap is half as much as it was to start with.
II would be happy with the final result been the gap it has now.
I can tighten the top one up to pull it in a few cm's, but the bottom one is at Max.
I'm giving it a little break before tightening, want to make sure the smaller trunk has leaves.

[Rintar]

Id defiantly expect some spring back but wouldn't know how much.

[ace2weather]

I took them off today to tighten and to my surprise, it hardly sprung back at all, maybe 5mm at most!
So I managed to tighten then bottom one another cm or so and the top another 2cms with the 2 trunks almost touching...
I'll give it a few more months and hopefully completely remove then in the hope they don't spring back..

[Rintar]

That's great news

[ace2weather]

A photo is worth a thousand words they say.. I'm not sure what to do with it at this stage as in leaf reduction or stuff....

side 1 and the trunks have come in nicely



side 2


side 3


and finally side 4


Going to need some root work to remove those cross over ones on the right.....But I kind of like it...
As in display view, I like side 1.....

Ideas and thoughts appreciated of course...