OAK

[rudy]

Hi,

I have had this tree since it starting growing from an acorn thing. Can anyone tell me what it is and where to go with it. I think it is an elm of some sort.

It has some nice trunk movement and the initial front has the two lower branches growing across the front of the tree blocking the view of the trunk. The other pic is of the rear of the tree showing a nice trunk but the branch on the right is now pointing to the rear of the tree. The branches are starting to get thick and i am wondering if it would be difficult wiring this towards the front. It also has an empty space between the top growth and the second layer of branches. I feel the tree has a lot of potential and would love some advice/tips on what to do with it.

Regards
Rudy

[time8theuniverse]

It looks like an Oak and they come from acorns. It also looks very good. Oaks tend to have heavy branches, so I would suggest wiring or pulling down the branches and positioning them a little better like you talk about.



... but in spring when you get new growth.

[shibui]

Hi Rudy,
Time8 is right- you have an oak tree and it is quite good too. Oaks get long, bare branches too easily if you don't prune enough.

I think your 1st pic is the better front. It is actually good to have the 2nd branch to the back and the 3rd one as the side branch. If you want to use the other front oak branches are quite flexible and they will move quite easily.
The empty sapce you are worried about is actually good. Bonsai should have 'spaces for the burds and bees'. As the branches develop you will find that the spaces start to get smaller anyway.

Keep up with the pinching and pruning to keep the branches nice and dense.

[rudy]

Guys thanks for the replys.
Yes i meant to say i think it was an oak and not an elm.
Last year I wrapped the branches and positioned them to the front so this year i will change the front and reposition the branches a tad.
I do notice that a lot of new growth is straight up and have been cutting it off. Also new growth can grow very long, good for whips and thread grafting which i have never done.
Do oakes back bud as i have never seen it do this and would like to make sure it does not get to leggy.
Regards
Rudy

[Guy]

Nice stock but with no taper---I would consider air layering above the first(at the line that looks like a wire mark) or above the second branch --two nice trees

[Beano]

Its lovely! How long have you been growing it?

[matlea]

Re taper... What about sacrifice branches... Grow out the lowest to thicken trunk an low branch? (And keep top growth under control)

[rudy]

Hi,

The tree has been growing for approx 8 years.
The taper is an issue but in the flesh does not look so bad. The last couple of years i have been keeping the top growth under some what under control but it does grow profusely in spring.
I really don't want to air layer as i have quite a few stock trees (but not many/any good) and do not want to accumulate anymore. Just want to do the best with what i have. I will repot into a styrene pot or the ground this year. I don't want it to get to leggy. Any suggestions on what sort of styling i should be trying to achieve.

I have a Radiata that had the hack when Hiro was in Ballarat and haven't done anything with it apart from pruning as i really have no idea of how to get it to what he saw. I will take some pics load his drawing and pics of the tree in the appropriate section when i can.

Thanks again for the comments.

[shibui]

I have had trouble getting buds on my old oak. Last year i cut all branches back but new buds only grew near the ends of the branches and a couple of shoots from the base of the trunk. My advice is to not let them grow long in the first place. I tried to air layer it as well. The layer made a large callus but no roots.

[Kyushu Danji]

This is very probably very unhelpful advice, especially because you have said yourself you do not intend to airlayer, but oaks do not have a good success rate with air layering here or in its native Europe/UK from what I have seen.

[rudy]

Hi,

Do they respond to defoliating to get the leave smaller.
Regards
Rudy

[arklan]

just a side note
whenever i type oak in to the search function at the top it returns nothing, saying theres no results to match oak

[miyagiman]

Hi, I have had good success with oaks re; back budding & ramification. The shoots that are growing straight up will make secondary or tertiary ramification if they are in the correct places, just wire them and get them down. Oaks need to be heavily fertilized in the growing season and you need to cut all the branch tips off. give them about 2-3 weeks and then total defoliation. If you feed them well enough, you will be pinching & partially defoliating every fortnight, with internal shoots up to 100mm long. This works for me extremely well with no set backs or losses, leaf reduction will happen fairly well after a couple of months, just leave the small leaves and remove all the large ones after they harden up every 2 weeks. I have had to defoliate my oaks every week at one point last season. This system does work. miyagiman.

[Josh]

just a side note
whenever i type oak in to the search function at the top it returns nothing, saying theres no results to match oak

Try typing Oaks. There are 16 pages of them.

Josh

[rudy]

Thanks Miyagiman, i will give it a go.
Regards
Rudy