Fiddle with Radiata

[Josh7]

Hi guys,
Thought i'd show a pic of this yamodori radiata i dug up a couple of years ago. I moved about a year ago, and completely forgot that i left it at the in laws house until just last month!
Anyway, it had a couple of leaders on it (which i've given the snip), and tried to reduce it to a nice compact size.
There is a nice bit of movement at the very base of the trunk but was then dead straight until the first branch. I have introduced a bender to get a bit of movement in there (first time i've used one - it works!).
Now it will just take some time to get the branches growing well and for some foliage to reappear after the needle prune.
Any constructive criticism, info or ideas are greatly appreciated!

04072010 (Small).jpg

[Mitchell]

Beautiful plants for bending arn't they!? I find you can hand bend them up to an inch thick. If you are careful you can feel the heartwood fracturing and thus control the bending point curvature. I tried bending a trunk on a radiata once but it crushed the bark even with padding, so now I generally try to use guidelines.

Looks like some good movement, are you going to crank it down further or is the pic how you want it?

Can't wait to see it finished.

[Josh7]

Thanks Mitchell!
This one's trunk is an inch thick, and the whole tree about a foot high. Surprisingly, it didn't make a sound while i bent it. I have since given the bender a couple more turns. I wouldn't have minded another half inch in the bend, but the bender is all the way out and i have only just thought that i could have put some extra padding or something wedged in there to extend it. I'm happy with the current movement though.
There is a knob on the left hand side (at the small low branch) that needs to be tidied up in time, but i thought i'd let it recover for a few months before i took it off.
Also want the foliage to make a nice canopy over this, with the lower left branch grown on and into a slightly downward position.

[anttal63]

Great job josh! this tree has now begun a promising trunk line. well done. The only thing i reccomend is to dramatise the bends now for later they stretch back out and relax.

[Josh7]

will try to put a soft block or something between the bender and trunk to get excessive bend to counteract any straightening when i take the clamp off.

[Tenka]

Gee some of you guys are rough with your trees, I feel brutal pruning anything thicker than a pencil let alone radical chiropractic treatment.

[anttal63]

Gee some of you guys are rough with your trees, I feel brutal pruning anything thicker than a pencil let alone radical chiropractic treatment.

Rough??? This is not rough! Just tickling it... How else ya gonna make good bonsai???

[NathanM]

Nice work Josh, i really like where this is heading

[Josh7]

Thanks Nathan. Even though it's 'just a radiata', i can't wait to see what the branches will throw out over the next few years. It might turn out o.k.

[Dario]

Hi Josh, any chance on an update on your Radiata?...or is it too early?
I wonder if you were able to extend the initial bend, and how it is filling out?
Thanks mate!
Oh by the way,I love radiata...[quote="Josh" Even though it's 'just a radiata'[/quote]...I am only stirring you! Possibly even "Joshing" you?
Yes, yes, terrible attempt at a joke...I just couldn't resist though
I hope it is doing well!!
Cheers, Dario.

[Dario]

Hey Josh, how is it filling out?
Cheers, Dario.