AusBonsai

Hi everyone,
I enjoy Privets and would like to see what other members have created with them. They can be a good tree for beginners to have a go at creating a bonsai. They grow fast and you could see some real progress in a few seasons.

This is one of mine. I have been doing some trimming on this one and that sparked the idea to see what others have done with them.

Let's have a look at what you have done.
Regards Ray

Got quite a lot of them, but they are all in training...
Nothing finalized so far.

Hi Xavier,
Thanks for posting your photos.

They love to be fertilized. I'm not sure if you can get the same sort of fertilizers we get in Australia. I feed mine with Seamungus and Dolomite Lime. The Seamungus looks like Dynamic Lifter. The Dolomite Lime is a powder. After placing some Seamungus on the soil I sprinkle some Dolomite Lime on top. This needs to be watered through the soil. Don't leave it sitting on the soil, water it through immediately after applying to the surface.

The following are links to WEB sites, to have a look at the makeup of these two products.
http://www.neutrog.com.au/seamungus-2/
http://www.richgro.com.au/products/fert ... omite-5kg/

Regards Ray

Hi Ray Privets do make great bonsai, I have two one is a group that is on loan to the National Arboretum Canberra
cheers John

here's mine from this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=104&t=16810

Hi John and Qitian,
Thanks for the photos boys. They look good.
Keep them coming folks.

Regards Ray

Thanks for the other pictures guys, just shows how much more I have to go
@Ray : I use a liquid fertilizer that I can find locally. It does the job as far as I can tell.
The little weetrees are also heavy drinkers and considered an invasive species here lolz
They grow like weeds in the garden, most bird drops

Another one :



They are pretty fast growers ( between 2 to 4 growth cycles per year here )
How old are your oldest speciments?
Mine are mostly from seedling/birddrops and those are less that 5 years in most of my specimens.

One of mine from a garden hedge planted in 1947, no serious work till about 3 years ago and a cutting from the is tree. Cheers Pup

Here's mine. Literally ripped from the bank of a local creek a few years ago.
Does anyone in Australia defoliate their Privet?

Regards,
Steven

Steven wrote:Here's mine. Literally ripped from the bank of a local creek a few years ago.

2014 January (a).JPG

Does anyone in Australia defoliate their Privet?

Regards,
Steven

Hi Steven,
I haven't actually fully defoliated. I do selective defoliating. Every time I do a trim I also either pinch the large leaves or cut them off. This certainly works to reduce the leaf size. I would be quite happy to do a full defoliate. I would like to talk to Ken, (not kcpoole, another Ken), when School goes back. I'm pretty sure he has has done full defoliating on his trees.

Thanks to others who have posted photos.

Regards Ray

Ah, you mean Kenn. Now you mention it I remember seeing him defoliate his.

Thanks Ray,
Steven

Hi guys I have done a full defoliation, mainly in winter when the leaves start to blacken. I beleive mine is not the wild one you guys get, it is more the commercial,
as I said hedge.

I was tempted to this year when I did the olives and Figs, but coulda shoulda woulda, does not get it done.

Cheers Pup

Steven I have totally defoliated both japanese (large leaf) and chinese ( small leaf) privet as much as 4 times in any one growing season and they have always bounced back, they are almost indestructible as long as you don't let them dry out to much or make them drown in stagnant water from not repotting frequently.

Hi all,

I have to say there are some decent looking Privets above. I only have one a Large leaf Privet, which was given to me by a good friend.
*5' tall and a 2' base.

I honestly do not like Privet, never have and perhaps one day I might actually grow fond of them, but genuinely would be surprised. Thats not saying I do not appreciate or not like what others are doing with them (thought I had better clarify that lol).

Cheers

David