AusBonsai

Thanks guys. Thinking about it, it's kind of a shame I wasted the first 3 months of the comp just cutting it back now haha. Ohh well... Bring on the Spring growth!

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

But that's winter man. You can't do too much otherwise you might kill it. The comp goes for 18 months, you've got time, this guy will go crazy over summer.

Jarad wrote:But that's winter man. You can't do too much otherwise you might kill it. The comp goes for 18 months, you've got time, this guy will go crazy over summer.

Definitely don't want to kill it, but it seems to have had constant growth spurts straight through no matter what the weather, even Winter. I definitely wouldn't have done any root work until it's warmer, but I think the top may of been able to handle it. Sometimes I play it safe but other times I think the only way to learn it to try. All depends on the mood I guess.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Pearcy001 wrote:

Jarad wrote:But that's winter man. You can't do too much otherwise you might kill it. The comp goes for 18 months, you've got time, this guy will go crazy over summer.

Definitely don't want to kill it, but it seems to have had constant growth spurts straight through no matter what the weather, even Winter. I definitely wouldn't have done any root work until it's warmer, but I think the top may of been able to handle it. Sometimes I play it safe but other times I think the only way to learn it to try. All depends on the mood I guess.

That's why you buy two at a time. One is a practice tree/torture victim and the other is the play it safe tree.

November update.

After cutting it back somewhat it has backbudded a little. Its great to have the new buds but I could really do with a few more in a couple of places!





Birds have been active about my yard of late. I went outside to find a snapped branch the other day. Between the birds and the possums I'll never get through a season untouched haha.

Cheers,
Pearcy.


Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Just got home from work and remembered the date! It is a horrific photo, but never the less it is still a photo.

Cheers,
Pearcy.



Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Still just waiting for this one to power on further to thicken a few select branches.

No real change more of just a waiting game.

I was having trouble getting any backbud on the straight side branch. I decided to damage/Shari some of it. As a result of the damage to the branch a couple days later buds popped up either side of the damaged area.

Still a very long way to go for this one. In the end the foliage will be thinned too.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Here is a little clearer photo from the other day.



Cheers,
Pearcy.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

This one took a step backward the other day.

It dried out completely this week on a windy day while I've been on nightshift and the ends of the shoots have wilted.

I left it submerged in a tub of water for around 10 hours but that hasn't seemed to have helped, the shoots are still wilted which makes me think there may be some other issue also.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

I removed all the fried and dead shoots today. Also thinned the foliage/branch structure to give me a better idea of the final tree.

The trunk was a little bit too smooth and boring, so I put some slices into it in an attempt to create some texture.

Not long to go now!! Good luck to all in the final months.


Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

It will be a nice tree Pearcy but one of those branches has to go....I would remove the left one. And at the next repot, the crossing root.

I know one needs to be removed, yet I seem to be putting it off treeman haha. Roots will also be sorted at repot, it will also then be placed into a final pot that I have had in mind from the beginning.

Plan was for a windswept tree with it being tilted to the right. I will wire up some long sweeping branches once the existing shoots extend. I think keeping all the branch for a wild windswept tree should work, but time will tell.

Nevertheless the shortening of that branch over the last few months has been an improvement in my eyes, maybe even shorter to the new lower shoots will work pending it's possible removal.

Only one update to go!!

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Final competition update!

Due to my decision to cut it back hard last September, I wasted the first couple of months... The tree has still developed some movement in that time and I have kept to the original idea of a windswept tree.

Due to the time restraints I opted to leave the flowing branches as originally planned, rather then attempting pads this time around. Instead I worked on initial movement of the branching, along with attempting to thicken them. The foliage was also kept thinned out inorder to see some form of flow to the right rather than a cluttered mess.

Eventually I will probably remove the long branches and bring them back into a more defined windswept pad with the main upper trunk thickened and slanted.

After the possums, the cut backs, and the severe drying out causing dieback earlier this year, I'm surprised this one has managed to continue to push on happily :Aussie:

The other day it was potted up into a Marie Hewartson pot, which although a bit large for it at the moment, still suits the tree in my opinion.

Hope you like where it's at at the moment. It's quite hard to capture any depth while taking photos outside on a mobile phone, so apologies for the photography. Tree currently sitting around the 210mm mark.

Cheers,
Pearcy.



Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

A very nice, original result! I bet it's the only windswept bottlebrush bonsai in existence.
I just hope you can keep up that design.

Lisa

LLK wrote:A very nice, original result! I bet it's the only windswept bottlebrush bonsai in existence.
I just hope you can keep up that design.

Lisa

Haha thanks Lisa, glad someone likes it

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk