AusBonsai

Hi,
This is a Banksia integrifolia I have had for a few years now growing in a ceramic pot. Bad move when I look back at it now, as it had a mass of roots which were formidable, but all in the bottom 2/3rds of the pot.
I found it in the back of a small nursery for around $8 and grew it on from there. Has been neglected (only watered and fed) for around 2-3 years. Today I noticed some rotting on one side of the trunk so I decided to give it a big cut back and root prune and into the only decent pot I have in my collection for the mean time.
Any advice or opinions welcome
Took a bunch of cuttings off that.. I'm trying to thicken that right hand branch with the meristems still showing. Should I worry about the rot when watering?

Any thoughts/opinions welcome!
Cheers

Edit: Subject line

Bit hard to tell in the phoyo lacertilian but I can't see rot. I can see what looks like an expansion crack in the bark (After2) - this is normal on thicker barked trees that are growing rapidly. Are you certain it is rotting?

The after pics look good. You should get an explosion of buds from around the pruning cuts and all over the trunk but not sure how well the cuttings will strike. It can be done because there are a fewspecial varieties that must be cutting grown but I have not done it yet.

shibui wrote:Bit hard to tell in the phoyo lacertilian but I can't see rot. I can see what looks like an expansion crack in the bark (After2) - this is normal on thicker barked trees that are growing rapidly. Are you certain it is rotting?

Ahhh, I think you may be right with the expansion cracks. As when I checked all my Banksia had these cracks appear since last Autumn, ever the pessimist, I believed that it was something bad happening like borers or some sort of rot
I'll have to go outside and take some close-up photos just to make sure.

Does it look like it has a future in it's current structure?
Please let me know if any of you approve or if it needs to improve (style & technique wise)
Thanks

I reckon it's a great looking trunk. I really like the split in it too-- got lots of character. I'll be interested to see how it progresses once the new growth comes along. Nice one!

shibui wrote:Bit hard to tell in the phoyo lacertilian but I can't see rot. I can see what looks like an expansion crack in the bark (After2) - this is normal on thicker barked trees that are growing rapidly. Are you certain it is rotting?

Ok, so I took a closer photo of the largest cracked area. The outer bark in this area is very brittle and flakes off if touched. What's inside looks like a honeycomb lattice structure that's been exposed. Looking at it now, I'd say you're spot on with the prognosis
I've seen cracking in the bark before from growth but not like the deep fissured stuff on my Banksia(s) at the moment. It just had me worried...
Phew..

Looks like a nice little tree in the making there
If you wan tto you can lightly wire the new branches to shape so when they lignify they will stay put.

ken

kcpoole wrote:Looks like a nice little tree in the making there
If you wan tto you can lightly wire the new branches to shape so when they lignify they will stay put.

ken

Thanks Ken!
I have just wired it now, I'll be checking on it regularly as I didn't cage wire (is that the same as light wiring?). I also tip pruned the lowest branch, as I think the freshly opened buds would die off anyway after such a hefty root prune.

Thanks for the replies everyone,
Ok so I have had the tree in morning sun only and haven't noticed any fresh buds forming, should I move it out to full sun to try and promote budding or let it wait in morning sun only till it shows signs?

shibui wrote: The after pics look good. You should get an explosion of buds from around the pruning cuts and all over the trunk but not sure how well the cuttings will strike. It can be done because there are a fewspecial varieties that must be cutting grown but I have not done it yet.

Hi shibui,
I have struck Banksia integrifolia cuttings before so I have my fingers crossed, although I had more time to spend checking on them in previous attempts.

Pruned on Oct 28 and you are worried because there are no new buds on Nov 2 A little patience will go a long way and may save you from a nervous breakdown in the long run. It might take 3 or 4 weeks to show buds but i cannot see why it would not bud for you.
Morning sun should be fine for now but your idea of morning sun and mine, and the next person will all undoubtedly be different. The generally espoused best 'aftercare' is sheltered position not in full sun and this works for most people so should work for you. I have been putting most of my repotted trees straight back on the benches in full sun but that may only work here under my conditions. I have not tested this treatment fully enough in enough different places to recommend it to everyone.

Thanks for the info shibui (& others), the tree has been popping along since, not anything remarkable but far from 'sulking'.
I'll take a picture if I get a chance today and post later..

Hi all,
I had some time to take more photos of a few of the trees I'm working on. Here's a little update on the Banksia integrifolia - The new leaves are taking a while to harden off, not sure if it's because I'm keeping the water up to it or maybe if it is just because of this particular plant. Regardless, it's moving along well in full sun with worm 'tea' and some y@t3's Fruit & Flower.
The bottom branch has one or two small buds forming back along the branch so hopefully I can fill out that void back towards the trunk. I think it has struggled to back bud on that branch as it was underneath the mass of older branching before my original cut-back, and thus has a longer internodes where it was trying to search for light and got a bit leggy The leaf size seems to be reducing well and should be ok for shohin, what do you think?
Thanks

Oh yeah, forgot to mention...my temporary wiring job was terrible. Feel free to show your disgust.

New shoots and buds, what more could you want? The lower branch is the best spot to have long internodes. It will be the longest and should have shoots spaced a bit further apart to match.
B. integrifolia has juvenile and adult leaves. Juvenile leaves are smaller and fit better on a smaller tree. Pruning will help to promote more juvenile growth so keep cutting whenever larger adult leaves appear.

Hi all,
It's been a while since I posted, just spent a minute to prune this little Banksia integrifolia yesterday and took a couple of quick pictures. I think it's time for some more wiring, especially on that lowest right branch. I had wire on it orginally but was being too gentle, in the hope of getting some back budding along it. Only one bud has popped over the last year and it's not developing, all the sap flow seems to go to the terminal meristem.
I will repot this tree later in the year so it doesn't sulk ( ) too badly.
Cheers

I like it.

When you repot you could perhaps lift the tree a little higher and expose some Nebari?
It looks a little low and shallow to me.

Good progression.