clerodendrum triple trunk

[Rod]

Jamie I`m not sure about that, I think it`s at the end of summer. Mine are usually that cut back they never get a chance to flower. Cheers Rod...

[Jamie]

cheers mate

i thought that might have been the case,if i want it to flower it might need to be left alone a bit and get leggy, which is a bit of a bugger as i think the whole tree covered in tiny white flowers would look cool, but i dont like to let them get to leggy either as they can quickly take over and look a mess in not much time, as you would know

jamie

[MattA]

cheers mate

i thought that might have been the case,if i want it to flower it might need to be left alone a bit and get leggy, which is a bit of a bugger as i think the whole tree covered in tiny white flowers would look cool, but i dont like to let them get to leggy either as they can quickly take over and look a mess in not much time, as you would know

jamie

Hey Jamie,

I dont know if it would work for Clerodendron but holding back on feed during spring may help it from getting too leggy and allow you to enjoy the flowers. I have used this technique on a number of species, the most successful being privet tho it also works with my Jacaranda's in grow pots and crepe myrtle.

Matt

[Jamie]

thanks for the tip matt

im not sure how it will go with clero either, they are thirsty and hungry buggers at the best of times, even though it is still mild in temperature here the triple trunk is needed to be watered twice a day at the moment, it is sucking up water like there is no tomorrow, my others are starting to do the same, the ROR is only getting one good water a day but i reckon by early summer it will need a good soaking twice a day at least.

maybe if it is fed with a high P and K fert no N so say - N-0 P-12 K-12 will help with flowering with out letting it get to leggy would love to see it in bloom even if it is just the once so i can get a pic of it at least. there is always plenty of time for me to see it in flower, this one is one of my trees that i will never move on!

jamie

[craigw60]

Hi Jamie, looking better all the time. Maybe when your tree is a little older and more ramified you can let it run a little and flower.
Craig

[Jamie]

hi mate, i agree that i should develop it further to at least have the branch structure sorted out before letting it flower, so much energy gets wasted on trees that arent ready in development sense and let to flower.

i think i will be close by the end of summer getting that lower left hand branch sorted

jamie

[Jamie]

hi guys, just a quick update, gave it a little trim to get it in shape, now its going to be left alone for a while, when it grows out, its gonna get a good trim up again, leaf size is around 15-20mm these days, the tree has never been defoliated.

TRIPLE october 8th 2010 A.jpg

jamie

[bodhidharma]

When that bottom left hand branch fills out it will balance the structure a little more. looks good Jamie.

[Jamie]

gday guys

I cant beleve I was so daft, I had a digital camera packed away that needed a new battery for it, so went and got one, got home and put it into the camera just to find out I needed an SD card. so got the girls little camera out (proper camera but needs batteries) and that had an SD! YAY!

so i did a little work on the clero and here it is today

clero.jpg

clero top view.jpg

when I last wired it I decided the branching was a little uniform so I put a few more kinks in, much better!

I am actually thinking of doing a drastic chol on the left trunk, just above or level to the first major branch, and growing a new apex. it would definately make this tree better.

thoughts?

[Gerard]

I like that thought Jamie, at present trunk 2 and 3 are too similar in height but you would need to fill the space with another branch perhaps a hanging branch

[GavinG]

Maybe stick a bag over the bit you're thinking of cutting, and look at the rest of the tree really hard...

For my two cents worth, (rapidly diminishing with inflation) I think it balances well as it is. If you cut the left trunk, there will be a gap. The middle trunk is actually a bit straight at that level, but you don't notice when there's a lot going on around it. The top is quite dense, and to have space under it might not be as good as what you've got.

I like it as it is. Kinky is definitely good.

Gavin

[Grant Bowie]

Maybe let the trunk on the right grow a bit taller and fatter.

Grant

[Jamie]

vert of what I am thinking.

clero virt.jpg

[Bretts]

Looking good Jamie but I am not keen on the bare section on the main trunk. Maybe it could be filled with some back branching and then side branching a little higher?

[Edward Scissorhand]

My God Jamie, this tripple trunk is looking good! I like where its heading.