AusBonsai

Hi,
I was wondering if someone can give me a helping hand with this Liquid Ambaar I recently purchased from a kind member here on Ausbonsai.

I have read up on these species and from what I have learned they seem a hardy species which has nice autumn colours. Currently I am having a pleasant time looking at it and tending to it.
But as someone at the workshop said the other day, a good part of bonsai is making decisions that will fit in with a future plan or direction for a tree. So with that in mind, I have posted some photos of the tree.
I have looked for photos of amabar bonsai and they seem to all be large and have a nice dome (similar to a maple i guess?) indicating an attempt to emulate an older tree.
this photo below is what I am aiming for sometime in the future.
My tree (see photos below) has got a very nice base and nebari and some taper, although its a bit straight towards the top of the tree. As you can hopefully see, there are a number of branches, one which crosses the trunk in the front view.
Can anyone suggest any first steps to start on the road of achieving something similar to the photo above?

Trunk chop and choose a new leader and is so where?

removing branches that cross the trunk or each other?

anyway, any help is greatly appreciated as usual.

cheers
Adrian

Hi Adrian,
I think you will need to reduce the height of the tree as it is fairly uniform in thickness. From the photo I would think the top branches are to thick to work with. The following is a suggestion.

Cut off or layer at the red line to create a new leader and branches to create the shape you want.
Regards Ray

Hi Adrian,

I really like the future goal. I too have something in mind for my own Liquid Amber.

Ill let someone else with a little more experience suggest what you should do with this tree.

But if you dont mind ill drop a few points as to what i have noticed with my little guy over the last two seasons.

* The leaf size can be reduced quite quickly and maintained with regular tip pruning or total defoliation.
* Back buds all over!! Which will really help when trying to get some branches a little lower on your Amber.
* Ive found the branches to be quite brittle when trying to bend them. Although new branches (still green) are quite flexible. Ive resorted to clip and grow.
* Obviously Autumn colour is Wicked!!
* Mine is really Apically dominant!

Hope this helps Adrian.
Hopefully someone else might come along and chime in with some styling options
I see RayM has suggested cutting off not too far from the bottom. I
Ray, if Adrian is looking for the goal in that picture, isnt the trunk straight in that one? Maybe he should be trying to get some new buds popping down the bottom (reduce everything up top)?

Dave

My bad, the trunk chop is for taper.
Good point

Hi..Adrian...Here's a plan... feed it some low N fert, Sip some of that wine whilst enjoying the Autumn colour, then when it is pumping along next mid spring, put an air layer on it about the area Ray indicated ,and you should end up with two to work with as well as some air layering experience! ....Dog.

bonzaidog wrote:Hi..Adrian...Here's a plan... feed it some low N fert, Sip some of that wine whilst enjoying the Autumn colour, then when it is pumping along next mid spring, put an air layer on it about the area Ray indicated ,and you should end up with two to work with as well as some air layering experience! ....Dog.

Hi Neil. that sounds like a sensible option. especially the wine drinking bit. should I keep this tree in its current bonzai pot or re-pot into a grow box of some sort?
as for low nitrogen fertilizer - any brand/type - all i have are Charlie Carp and Powerfeed - both of which are pretty high in nitrogen,
thanks again for your help

I like your idea for this tree. I would chop at red lines now. This should set up some back budding for next spring and then use those branches to aim for a finished height the blue line.

Good luck

Bretts wrote:I like your idea for this tree. I would chop at red lines now. This should set up some back budding for next spring and then use those branches to aim for a finished height the blue line.

Good luck

liq.png

Hey ya Bretts,
thanks for your input.
I notice that you have indicate that I cut further up the tree whilst a previous reply from Ray who suggested a trunk chop down much further. also in your virt the cop requires keeping one of the branches or am i reading this wrong?
cheers for your help on this!

ADrian

For this plan the branch that is left should be wired and used as a new leader. Let it grow strong then cut it back hard next growing season. You should be able to get a convincing apex under the height of the blue line.
The red lines are somewhat misleading. I would recommend keeping the back branch as well. The chop should actually utilize this by being on a 45 angle from one branch to the lower. The lower branch can help heal the scar if nothing else and could be removed later but I think it could be of some use in the design.

Ray's plan would give you more options for the future but I believe my plan will get you the tree you want in a much shorter time at the moment. Liquid amber is a fun tree to work with and I think this will give you plenty of enjoyment for years to come.
Many ways to skin a cat they all have their advantages and drawbacks.

Adrian, it's too bad these small shoots are not still there,
all of the advice given sounds feasible, good luck with it

Craig wrote: Adrian, it's too bad these small shoots are not still there,

P1130820.JPG

all of the advice given sounds feasible, good luck with it

Hi Craig, thanks for that
ah well, by the sounds of it they shoot back pretty easy so its all good. you live and learn I guess

cheers

Adrian

"should I keep this tree in its current bonzai pot or re-pot into a grow box of some sort?
as for low nitrogen fertilizer - any brand/type - all i have are Charlie Carp and Powerfeed - both of which are pretty high in nitrogen,
thanks again for your help "

Hi Adrian...I would check if it needs repotting by pushing your fingers into the edges of the pot/soil to feel for compacted roots ,or clipping any tie down wires and tilting the tree to see if it's root-bound, only if it is ,would I then slip pot it into something slightly larger,lightly teasing the roots and re-tie back in. something like thrive flower and fruit 15:4:26 would be ok which has some trace elements that would also be beneficial...This is by no means excluding the possibilities suggested by other ausbonsai members,(and much respect to them) but I'm just thinking of setting up the tree to really hammer next growing season. ....Dog.

bonzaidog wrote:

"should I keep this tree in its current bonzai pot or re-pot into a grow box of some sort?
as for low nitrogen fertilizer - any brand/type - all i have are Charlie Carp and Powerfeed - both of which are pretty high in nitrogen,
thanks again for your help "

Hi Adrian...I would check if it needs repotting by pushing your fingers into the edges of the pot/soil to feel for compacted roots ,or clipping any tie down wires and tilting the tree to see if it's root-bound, only if it is ,would I then slip pot it into something slightly larger,lightly teasing the roots and re-tie back in. something like thrive flower and fruit 15:4:26 would be ok which has some trace elements that would also be beneficial...This is by no means excluding the possibilities suggested by other ausbonsai members,(and much respect to them) but I'm just thinking of setting up the tree to really hammer next growing season. ....Dog.

Hi Neil,
thanks for your help on this. I'll give what you suggested a go and get it healthy ready for the chop come spring. in the meantime there are plenty of other trees I can bother
have a good one!

cheers

Adrian