Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 3945
- Joined: July 6th, 2009, 8:17 am
- Favorite Species: Plum
- Bonsai Age: 0
- Bonsai Club: Goulburn Bonsai Society
- Location: Goulburn
- Has thanked: 517 times
- Been thanked: 1097 times
Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
About 5 or 6 years ago I dug this tree in Canberra from a garden with the idea it would make a good bonsai. Either it has failed to deliver or I have failed to treat it correctly to bring out its best features. If that sounds like I'm a bit frustrated that would be correct.
I don't know if it is worthwhile persevering with it or not.
The option of chucking it is high as I can't see a future for it.
Chopping it down and creating a small bonsai with that low branch may have some merit?
Or is there a way I can make it look reasonable?
I would appreciate any and all thoughts.
I don't know if it is worthwhile persevering with it or not.
The option of chucking it is high as I can't see a future for it.
Chopping it down and creating a small bonsai with that low branch may have some merit?
Or is there a way I can make it look reasonable?
I would appreciate any and all thoughts.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Check out my blog at http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/blog/Watto" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- Raging Bull
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 835
- Joined: January 3rd, 2017, 9:29 am
- Favorite Species: Pines
- Bonsai Age: 5
- Bonsai Club: Gold Coast-Tweed
- Location: Gold Coast Qld
- Has thanked: 81 times
- Been thanked: 198 times
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
Would be a pity to waste it. I would chop it about where the small stump of broken branch is low on the trunk. The new shoot on the lignotuber is sure to grow, but dormant buds near the cut on the trunk may come to life. If they don't, the chopped trunk can be used as a Jin. Just my worth.
Cheers, Frank.
Cheers, Frank.
- Pearcy001
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1307
- Joined: February 8th, 2015, 7:23 pm
- Favorite Species: Natives and Exotics
- Bonsai Age: 0
- Location: Yarraville, VIC
- Been thanked: 81 times
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
Has it ever been out of that tiny pot so it can put on some actual solid growth? I haven't got anything for scale to see the size of it, but looking at the photos it appears like it's never been given a chance to grow and develop if that's after 6 years?
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
Last edited by Pearcy001 on January 20th, 2021, 9:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
- SquatJar
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 275
- Joined: September 26th, 2016, 9:43 pm
- Bonsai Age: 5
- Bonsai Club: SA Bonsai Society, VNBC
- Location: Adelaide
- Has thanked: 320 times
- Been thanked: 104 times
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
I might be alone here but I really like its sparse whimsy character. I would cut at these sites to try to remove the long straight sections, also a few years in a bigger pot to gain vigour and allow a few more frequent cut backs probably wouldn't hurt either.
Please don't ditch it, at worst give it to someone else or plant it somewhere infested with all the weed hawthorns and plums we love to dig
I really like the pot combination too, matches the tree beautifully. Is it a watto?
Please don't ditch it, at worst give it to someone else or plant it somewhere infested with all the weed hawthorns and plums we love to dig
I really like the pot combination too, matches the tree beautifully. Is it a watto?
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Life's too short for boring pots
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 559
- Joined: April 29th, 2016, 3:44 pm
- Bonsai Age: 4
- Bonsai Club: SA Bonsai Society; VNBC
- Location: Adelaide
- Has thanked: 521 times
- Been thanked: 199 times
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
I like the very low bend. If I owned this tree, I'd remove the small shoot from the base, repot into a larger grow pot to thicken up the trunk a little to make the transition from the base to the current trunk junction a little smoother (tapered) and then cut back to the red line on the main trunk to retain the "wiggles" and develop the next section of trunk. I guess if you want to keep the tree smaller, you could cut right away.
I have a base similar to this which is now sprouting new shoots after a chop a couple of weeks ago.
I have a base similar to this which is now sprouting new shoots after a chop a couple of weeks ago.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
- MJL
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 2840
- Joined: October 26th, 2014, 8:47 pm
- Favorite Species: Maples, Elms, Cedars and Pines
- Bonsai Age: 7
- Bonsai Club: Waverley Bonsai Group & Yarra Valley Bonsai Society
- Location: Melbourne
- Has thanked: 424 times
- Been thanked: 643 times
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
Squatjar did a meatloaf and “took the words right outta my ... keyboard”
+1 on what SJ said.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
+1 on what SJ said.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Tending bonsai teaches me patience.
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 480
- Joined: June 15th, 2015, 6:23 pm
- Bonsai Age: 31
- Location: Winkie
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 44 times
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
nice------I would use a couple of clamps to give the mid section a bit more movement--- as said before a bigger pot and let it run free for a couple of years. It has good potential for a really nice aussie literati especially if that is a normal foliage colour.
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 24
- Joined: May 10th, 2020, 2:27 pm
- Favorite Species: Maple
- Bonsai Age: 4
- Location: Hunter Valley, NSW
- Has thanked: 21 times
- Been thanked: 4 times
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
I agree with Squat!
I like it!
When you look at some Aussie natives around the place you see them long and leggy.
I’ve just purchased a Callistemon that has similar characteristics.
Keep it! Or I’ll take it haha
I like it!
When you look at some Aussie natives around the place you see them long and leggy.
I’ve just purchased a Callistemon that has similar characteristics.
Keep it! Or I’ll take it haha
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1106
- Joined: November 11th, 2009, 9:03 pm
- Favorite Species: Almond
- Bonsai Age: 2
- Location: South Coast NSW
- Has thanked: 278 times
- Been thanked: 397 times
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
Hi Watto. I would be tempted to wire the top section of foliage down hard to the left.. A kind of weeping look, I think it would balance well with the trunk. Cheers John.
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 3945
- Joined: July 6th, 2009, 8:17 am
- Favorite Species: Plum
- Bonsai Age: 0
- Bonsai Club: Goulburn Bonsai Society
- Location: Goulburn
- Has thanked: 517 times
- Been thanked: 1097 times
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
Thank you all so much for your time given and input.
It appears that one of the options I was think about is off the table, and that was the chucking option.
As I said this was a garden dig and I don't yet know which species it is. It was grown in a plastic pot for a few years and then planted into this pot (which is one from Graham Cook) in late spring 2018.
My take from the suggestions is that I should put it into a larger "growing" pot for a couple of years with the usual care of plenty of fertilizer and plenty of water. There are a few that say keep the current height (within reason) and a couple who think a reduction in size would be good. I admit I am a fan of the literati style so that has merit to me.
Again thank you and I will mull over this for a few days and let you know the results.
It appears that one of the options I was think about is off the table, and that was the chucking option.
As I said this was a garden dig and I don't yet know which species it is. It was grown in a plastic pot for a few years and then planted into this pot (which is one from Graham Cook) in late spring 2018.
My take from the suggestions is that I should put it into a larger "growing" pot for a couple of years with the usual care of plenty of fertilizer and plenty of water. There are a few that say keep the current height (within reason) and a couple who think a reduction in size would be good. I admit I am a fan of the literati style so that has merit to me.
Again thank you and I will mull over this for a few days and let you know the results.
Check out my blog at http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/blog/Watto" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- Starfox
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 349
- Joined: November 4th, 2015, 3:59 am
- Favorite Species: Eucalyptus
- Bonsai Age: 3
- Location: Costa Blanca, Spain, Zone4 Aust, 10bUSDA
- Has thanked: 95 times
- Been thanked: 53 times
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
For what it's worth I quite like it as is for what it is, a bit of wire here and there would shape it up a touch.
I'd have it and don't think I'd chop it just yet. I agree that maybe whacking it in a bigger pot or grow box would probably be beneficial to age it along.
I'd consider defoliating first before making any chops, maybe even twice over a couple of years. That should give you more options to play with as it grows out.
Do you know the species or did I miss that?
I'd have it and don't think I'd chop it just yet. I agree that maybe whacking it in a bigger pot or grow box would probably be beneficial to age it along.
I'd consider defoliating first before making any chops, maybe even twice over a couple of years. That should give you more options to play with as it grows out.
Do you know the species or did I miss that?
-
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 583
- Joined: January 18th, 2011, 9:21 am
- Favorite Species: Banksia, Fig, Jacaranda, Maple, Oak
- Bonsai Age: 12
- Location: Sydney
- Has thanked: 373 times
- Been thanked: 181 times
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
Depnds how far you want to push it ... you could try something like the comments above PLUS wire/pull the branch down, mock up below. Though this looks a bit too much like the number 7, just food for thought?
Hopefully it back buds along the way up the branch for some extra interest?
- Daniel
Hopefully it back buds along the way up the branch for some extra interest?
- Daniel
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
- Sno
- Aussie Bonsai Fan
- Posts: 1202
- Joined: January 16th, 2011, 12:26 pm
- Bonsai Age: 0
- Location: Crackenback NSW
- Has thanked: 495 times
- Been thanked: 621 times
- Contact:
Re: Chuck It, Chop It or Keep It?
Looks thirsty . Is Goulburn running out of water ? . The new shoot will suck the life out of the old trunk . The trunk is a few years growth so i would snip the young one . I like the style and pot but the tree is struggling at the moment .