Help with First Native Bonsai

[senseijames]

Hello people, can I please ask for help with styling etc on the Melaleuca Bracteata Rev. Green, I am not sure if the photos are good enough but lets see what you say, some details.....longest trunk is 900mm high ..shortest is 600mm.. trunk at base is 30mm dia .. the pot is a std 200mm .. the plant is totally root bound in the pot, hard as a rock. I have never attempted a native before, so I have no idea on the Modern techniques as far as root pruning when the tree is root bound ( how much to cut off ) I know not to do the work on it till Spring, and generally what should I chop and what not to, on the branches and foliage, ??? what style or shape ?? may I get some help on ideas please, " Pup ?? ... anyone ?? " Thanks
James

Melaleuca Bracteata Revolution Green Front.jpg

Melaleuca Bracteata Revolution Green back.jpg

Melaleuca Bracteata Revolution Green side 1 009.jpg

Melaleuca Bracteata Revolution Green side 2.jpg

Melaleuca Bracteata Revolution Green trunk #2.jpg

Melaleuca Bracteata Revolution Green trunk #1.jpg

[senseijames]

bump

[craigw60]

Hi James, with regards to root work I can't really advise you but I suspect in your climate you can do it any time of year, its barely making double digits here. I wouldn't even think about styling your tree yet, It needs to be cut down really low to get some branching further down the trunk (which probably should be done at the same time as the root work). Then re-grown and styled once the new wood has hardened off a bit. You might have to think of it as a bit of a long term project. Bracteata make great bonsai so it is a good choice of species.
Craig

[senseijames]

Hi James, with regards to root work I can't really advise you but I suspect in your climate you can do it any time of year, its barely making double digits here. I wouldn't even think about styling your tree yet, It needs to be cut down really low to get some branching further down the trunk (which probably should be done at the same time as the root work). Then re-grown and styled once the new wood has hardened off a bit. You might have to think of it as a bit of a long term project. Bracteata make great bonsai so it is a good choice of species.
Craig

Thanks Craig....at last I am getting some feedback....I thought that might be the case, before I started any serious work on it.
Thanks, cheers
James

[senseijames]

Anyone else like to give me some feedback..please feel free to do so...need all the input I can get.Thanks
James

[ozzy]

Its not very good starter material. plant it in the garden and get something else more interesting.

[Scott Roxburgh]

cut it back to the lowest branches on both trunks and feed! btw i wouldn't cut yet wait until it is active again.

depends on the style that you want, it is an ok candidate for twin trunk

[Jamie]

gday james

im not great with natives, but i beleive that you mel. should be fine to cut back low, i would cut about 2-3 inches above where you want to get a new leader, then i would let it grow on, from what i understand most natives can have up to 8 growing spurts a year so you should be good

[craigw60]

I am with you on that one Jamie it will shoot back freely. I think Ozzys judgement is a little harsh, with a young plant like yours there is always somewhere to go as long as your prepared to put the time into it.
Craig

[Jamie]

thanks craig

given that it is a mel, i would have to say that if James didnt want to grow it on for a few years then a reasonable mini/shohin could be made from this tree, check out pups gallery he has a plethora of mini mels.

jamie

[senseijames]

Thanks guys, I was intending on letting it grow on, but my main concern is that it is root bound and I do not want to plant it out in that state and am a bit worried about cutting too much of the root ball away.
James

[alpineart]

Hi James , "its hard to get good help" .I'm no expert in natives nor any other species but i have just collected several Melalucea's and they were root pruned and chopped back quite hard . I potted the up and sat them in the bonsai bath and off they shot . That lends itself to a nice twin trunk , if it was mine i would reduce the top of each trunk by 50% Father/Son configuration , repot and sit in a water tray .Now thats if it was mine .

Hopefully someone with some knowledge of natives might chime in and set you on the correct path .I dont mind losing a tree or 2 learning the process however i have hundreds to play with .I have lost 2 mala's out of 12 using this collection , trim and soak method , not bad for an amatuer. Cheers Alpineart

[Jamie]

from what i know of natives which i learnt from the koreshoffs books, most are fine to work on just before bud break as they are swelling. root work should be ok if you dont take to much off, especially planting it out, if you tease them out and plant out you should be good from what i have found

[senseijames]

G'day Alpineart, Thanks for the input , I was considering a twin trunk, not 100% sure yet, what time of the year did you do the cutting back especially the roots, what worries me is the tree is totally root bound.Cheers
James

[FlyBri]

Gday James!

I've taken the liberty of merging your two threads. At the moment it might not make a lot of sense, but when I (or one of the other Mods) get a chance to edit, it will be more clear. Please do not double post in future as it becomes very confusing for everybody, and please try to show a little restraint on the 'bump' thing: there is no emergency here...

By the way, you have received some very good advice all round. I wouldn't be too concerned about removing too much root mass: you can probably get away with removing at least half if you do it carefully in conjunction with a major top prune.

Thanks.

Fly.