From 6ft to 2ft in 4hrs

[Olivecrazy]

Oh my i like this im a big fan of big trees 5yrs time this tree will be out standing have you got a design that you are aiming for would like to see it if you have an by the way love the pot practicaly impossible to get them that big in S.A

[Watto]

Thanks for the kind comments. There is no specific design as yet, except to say its a split trunk style.
I have attached a photo of the nabari so you can see why I need a pot this big. Over time I should be able to reduce the extended roots and thus get it into a smaller pot.

[Bebbas]

As a Newbie and looking through this website, I am constantly amazed at what a tree can put up with!!
As you said, this tree had a hard life BEFORE you dug it up and tortured it but it continues to grow!

Looks fantastic though!!

[Watto]

Gee "tortured" is a bit harsh Bebbas, I prefer a chance at a new and better life.
If you want to see the full story have a look at my blog - https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/blog/Watto

[Andrew E]

Great progress watto, Looking good
Andrew

[Watto]

Thanks Andrew, its been a lot of fun. The growth is a bit course on this variety but hopefully I will be able to get the internodes closer and the leaf size smaller.
Olive - those big pots are not that easy to find so I'm happy to have a couple.

[Bebbas]

G'day Watto, Yeah mate your right. "Tortured" does sound a bit harsh! Its just all that chopping,cutting and grinding... its a hard for a newbie to get his head around!
"A new and better life?" Yessir!!! Your the man!!
Thankyou for the link to your blog. You are very talented and maybe, just maybe, I can reach your lofty heights one day.
Keep up the great work and I will look forward to more updates on the "lucky tree" soon

[Watto]

I thought it was about time I updated the progression photos.
The first one is from Summer 2013, some 18 months after its first proper potting and the foliage space is starting to fill up, which is pleasing.
The second photo is from Summer 2014, 12 months after the previous photo and shows the foliage getting close to OK. Still needs to have the ramification improved and some definition of its shape confirmed, but in about three years since the carve it is progressing well (my apologies for not having a background).
I have bought a new pot for it (a bit smaller) and the plan is to pot it in the coming winter so hopefully another update after that.

[masekeane]

Great work watto, loving the progression, you have given me some great ideas for a few olives that I have, time for the chainsaw to raise it's teeth again.
Thanks
Mase

[Ray M]

Hi Watto,
Looking good mate. Can see quite a change in shape from the 2013 to the 2014 photo. Will you do any work on reducing the leaf size, or is the leaf size fine for the size of the tree?

Regards Ray

[Watto]

Thanks Mase, I'll see you on Saturday.
Ray - hopefully with a continued emphasis on the ramification that will reduce the size of the leaves. That with the occasional removal of those leaves that are too big should improve the overall look. Getting the internodes closer together should also assist. That's the long answer, the short answer is yes I will be working on leaf reduction, but just with the normal bonsai techniques.

[Watto]

Time for an up-date. This has been a long progresion but fun for me. As I mentioned in the last time I posted, I bought a new pot for this and so in August I decided to re-pot this into the new and smaller pot.
The old pot was 900mm x 630mm and the new pot is 720mm x 550mm so that is a reasonable reduction in size and that has resulted in me needing to take a reasonable amount of roots off this bonsai.
Anyway, here are the new pictures and I hope you like the "new look".

[kcpoole]

Lovley tree Watto and developing nicely
A few more years to go and it will be even awesomer

Ken

[kez]

Great tree watto, fantastic job getting it to where you have and good for people to see what can be achieved with the sort of material this started out as!

If it were mine I would consider chopping the leader just above the second last left branch and using this as the left side of the canopy as I see a great shape from that point, as I said though if it were mine

Again great tree

Kerrin

[Watto]

The big reverse C shape in the apex will go but it is there for now to induce some better taper. I see the apex about 150mm lower than it now is but that will take a little bit of time.
Gee I should have cleaned the pot before I took the photos.