AusBonsai

Hi Jaime,
Judging by those two virts I would go for the single trunk (as long as the lower right hand pad is there to act as some covering). Although I think what you were talking about with the two trunks first then if that doesn't work go for the single, sounds like a great back-up plan!
Also, just curious as to whether the tree in question is an african or european olive?
I may have to get some..

thanks ash, thats nice, its well on its way :d how long has it been in training for???

bonscythe wrote:Hi Jaime,
Judging by those two virts I would go for the single trunk (as long as the lower right hand pad is there to act as some covering). Although I think what you were talking about with the two trunks first then if that doesn't work go for the single, sounds like a great back-up plan!
Also, just curious as to whether the tree in question is an african or european olive?
I may have to get some..

thanks mate as for african or european i have no idea, i havent had it identified yet, all i can tell ya is it is a small leaf variety and it grows rampant down in SA. and i think i have to have a back up plan, lately i have been a bit rough going for one plan and it hasnt work so from now on i am gonna have two plans at least for everything i do

jamie

Hi Jamie, my olive was brought back to Vic. about 25 years ago by Steve Jarrold from the Adelaide Hills. A guy in Korumburra had it for a while then I bought it about 15 years ago. Got it real cheap as it suffered dieback on the trunk (which I carved). I estimate 30-40 years old. It is 6" (15cm) at the base and 15+" (38cm) high. I have wired the left branch down since I took the pic.


Ash

Ash Barns wrote:Hi Jamie, my olive was brought back to Vic. about 25 years ago by Steve Jarrold from the Adelaide Hills. A guy in Korumburra had it for a while then I bought it about 15 years ago. Got it real cheap as it suffered dieback on the trunk (which I carved). I estimate 30-40 years old. It is 6" (15cm) at the base and 15+" (38cm) high. I have wired the left branch down since I took the pic.


Ash

funny you mention that ash, he asked about you a couple of weeks ago. he lurks here but we havent been able to get him to engage.

I was in touch with Steve a few weeks ago about another matter. I missed the last BSV exhibition due to health issues and the year before due to lack of transport. He would be a great contributor for this site. Maybe you should encourage him Antonio.

Ash

heres one for you jamie; it was at a club meeting last night. the base measure's approx 300mm across. one of the best i've seen in this country. it just got back from canberra.
ps. if ya wanna see some serious olives get on the spanish sites. their olives are by far the best in the world.

Single has my vote too. The twin-trunk virt is good but the actual twin-trunk wouldn't be as they are to close to one another for the foliage to have a good separation. So it wouldn't look much different from a single trunk's foliage. However,beter movement will be easier to obtain with a single trunk for this case.
Cheers,
DK

that is a sweet as olive antonio i love the way that canopy is, that is what i think will be striving for foliage wise, the pads are good but i would like them closer together than in the virt, just couldnt draw it right

thats true with the movement DK it gives me something to think about there too


jamie

hey guys, just an update, i have taken the layer of (enough roots to survive on its own ) and cut right back to what i need, i have put a "S" shape in the leader, i dont think it works, i will probably just wire it over a little, then withe the next leader go the other way and so on until i am happy with the height.
i have gone for the single trunk, twin just wasnt going to be feasable even if i wanted to

the other option would be to not worry about moving it over or putting movement in it and going straight up, dunno bout that either.

here we go.

jamie

Wow it's well on it's way jamie and great to see. That tree antonio is fantastic and inspiring to see.

cheers chris

i still need to chop some more but i think that i might need to use to dremel as this wood is HARD as!!


jamie

jamie111 wrote: thanks mate as for african or european i have no idea, i havent had it identified yet, all i can tell ya is it is a small leaf variety and it grows rampant down in SA.
jamie

If your Olive is one of those beautiful trees from the parks, streets and everywhere else in SA mate, it probably unfortunately can't be identified as any one single variety. The SA "wild" olives are so cross bred now identification is nigh on impossible, but what does it matter. I got some from the hills around Perth some time back and while some of those could probably be narrowed down to a likely variety, most "bush Olives" over there are heading the same way. But as I said, what does it matter, you just call it an Olve. If pressed for more, you call it a collected Olive. At the end of the day it is just a great tree to use in Bonsai culture - maybe even better than a Ficus (ooh, did I say that?)
And if you are going to use a Dremel on your Olive, I hope you have plenty of time on your hands. As you said, they are hard wooded plants mate. (I use a 4" Angle grinder on mine )

thanks for the tip graeme unfortunately this one is a little small for a 4 inch grinder really.. i will have to get some sharp carbide toothed cutters, i have a few but will be looking for something that is gonna rip in for sure
and yea, i am not overly phased about what sort of olive it is, its an olive and i am just chuffed to have one, well two now the air layer worked, and i have a few cuttings i am hoping strike

jamie

just a little update on this beast since last time, it has started to extend well now, and it is pushing some good growth, i plan on going over it today and removing the unecessary shoots to divert the energy to the leader and selected branches.
i am tempted to put it in a collander and plant out into my garden bed, but i am not sure how much longer i am going to be residing here so it might be a waste of time really, i could be moving in 6 months.

there will be some extensive carving aswell i think i talked about that before, but due to that root at the front being dead and the thick bark of the tree i think it will be necessary, my only issue is that it can take a long time for olive to roll over

jamie

Coming along nicely. Have you thought of carving a feature?