AusBonsai

About the only tree I have that colours up in Autumn is this Pin Oak i collected a few years ago. IOt is Quite a challenge to get the leaf down in Size, the branches spring back after wiring, does not want to take an approach or thread graft, but has nice colour

Collected from a Council worksite near home in 2005, and cut back real hard to a stump and regrown from there. Need another branch along the trunk on the left, but it does not want to back shoot there so tried grafting one in but they have failed too.
I will keep trying.

My biggest failing ( so far) was neglecting to wire the initial Shoots when young to get good movement in that section. I had to go to great lenths to try and bend it after it was thumb sized.

Enjoy
Ken

Interesting Ken! Your post could not come at a better time as I'm considering digging one of these to make a broom style tree. How short do you manage to get the internodes? Do you find it to be a vigorous grower? Very interesting post Ken! The one I'm looking to dig is about 10cms at the base a dead straight, so it has the potential to make a good broom. It will definitely be a big tree though so leaf size is not too much of a concern.

Thanks,

Andrew

Cool Andrew, Love to see when you post.

The internodes are a bit big but will reduce a little with work, A bigger tree will be OK tho.

Ken

This is the one I'm trying to secure permission to dig Ken.

Nice colour and definitely not native there

Ken

Good on you Gentlemen, keep at it I put mine back in the ground after deducing that i was never going to get leaf size down after defoliation and i could not get leaf coverage. Great Autumn colour though. We need a "banging your head against the wall" emoticon here.

OK Bodhi, it's official - BHOW. Bang Head On Wall. It should get plenty of use.

Gavin

Got permission to dig it - whoop whoop.

I took an updated pic today as it showing quite nice colour this year

I have grafted a branch in the bare section last season and that is taking well, so will start to actively work the tree this year to improve ramification and hopefully get the leafe size down a little. I will have to find a shallower pot which may also help

Ken

Nice one Ken!

I'll try and get organised to start a thread on my Pin Oak. Can you tell us a bit about the graft?

JaseH wrote:Nice one Ken!

I'll try and get organised to start a thread on my Pin Oak. Can you tell us a bit about the graft?

It is just a thread graft thru the main trunk near the top. I could not get a shoot to grow there, so first tried an approach graft and after 2 years still had not taken.
I grew a long thin branch after last winter and threaded that tru a hole in the trunk during the summer.
The grafted branch has been thickening nicely but has not grafted in yet, but it will do so nicely I hope

Ken

Update today.
The thread graft is progressing though I do not think has quite taken yet. I will give it another season to graft in properly.
I threaded it through a previous trunk chop so it will help grow over that are and hide it. That will slow down the graft itself though

The grafted branch has a few nicely coloured leaves on it already, and is quite weird why only that branch? Either way the tree will be repotted this winter.

Ken

I have one which I have been neglecting. The leaves do really seem to be hard to reduce.

timi99 wrote:I have one which I have been neglecting. The leaves do really seem to be hard to reduce.

Yes they do not reduce much so think a larger tree is the key to them.

Ken

This one needed a repot as I have not done it for a few years, and decided to put into a Bonsai Pot to continue its development.
On the weekend went and visit Ray and found a nice unglazed ( Japanese) Oval put that would be a good size

the more i look, the more I think the top section is too tall and especially in the photos that is highlighted.

Going to take to School tonight to wire and trim back the shoots from last year.