Pomegranate potensai

[Djs19992]

I Had a most glorious trip to ray nesci's nursery at dural and after assuring my mother i wouldn't come home with any more bonsai i came home with a pomegranate and Japanese quince potensai. The Japanese is pretty straight forward its got lots to little trees so it will be a forest but I'm a bit stuck on my pomegranate. It doesn't have the knarly look of some trunks but i kind of like it smooth trunk. The main issue is that there's a part of the trunk thats bigger than the base of the trunk and I think thats a bit of a no no. I'm also not sure what the front is. Its back budding really well and I've already pruned it quite a lot, for ramification and such but haven't taken any branches yet. Once it loses its leaves I will wire it but any advice or thoughts would be very much appreciated!

Thanks a bunch!
Debs


















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[kcpoole]

Welcome Debs

I assuem the reverse taper you mention is at the lowest branch?
If so then you could carve it to reduce it or just let the branch there grow unhindered and use as a sacrifice. This will thicken the trunk below it and reduce the effect hopefully

As of the rest of the tree, you could trunk chop at the lowest branch and regrow it from there, or more likely higher up (above the second branch), and then regrow a new upper trunk so you get taper at each section.

Ken

[Djs19992]

Thanks so much for that advice ken! With my lowest branch which is the sacrifice branch its growing lots of little branches out from it and things. Would it be alright to cute everything back save for the branch itself? Also when is the best time to undertake the trunk chop?


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[Jason]

Welcome to the site Debs! I can't offer much advice myself, still being a newbie I don't think it'd actually be possible to visit ray's and leave empty handed

[kcpoole]

Hi deb, yes keep only 1 branch and remove all the little shoots

Ken

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[mtarros]

Hi,

If it was my tree i would trunk chop it to the first branch then grow the top out to thicken the trunk more and use the small branches that are starting to grow to make the tree structure.

I think in the long term you would get a better tree this way.

Thanks
Michael

[Djs19992]

What is the best time of the year to trunk chop.


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[kcpoole]

You can trunk chop any time but preferrably in Autumn.

https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... hould_I%3F

Ken

[Djs19992]

Thanks for the
Ink ken. I also read the article on trunk chopping which mentions applying a cut paste however ive not seen such an item for sale at bonsai nurseries and the like. Must it be applied?


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[kcpoole]

cut paste and whether to use it or not, is a controversial as potting mixes
I use the japanese tube paste on every cut I make as i think it allows better / faster healing.
Many use the paste in the jar as their preference

there are many alternatives you can use or none at all.
some are described here in the wiki https://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... =Cut_paste and there was a great thread about it a while ago

ken

[Guy]

-before anything else I would remove the topsoil and see what the nebari is doing----also is the bulge below the first branch a graft point--could possibly affect any decision---I would airlayer just below the third branch(possible twin trunk) and then trunk chop above the first branch

[Djs19992]

I went nebari hunting...
After so thoroughly exposing the roots and finding so little i decided i might as well put it in its new pot as ive had everything assembled waiting for the leaves to drop

Ive run wire through the pot but will wait for the leaves for that.

How long does air layering take guy?

Thanks everyone!


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[Guy]

I went nebari hunting...
After so thoroughly exposing the roots and finding so little i decided i might as well put it in its new pot as ive had everything assembled waiting for the leaves to drop

Ive run wire through the pot but will wait for the leaves for that.

How long does air layering take guy?

Thanks everyone! Starting bonsai is such a baptism of fire but I feel like ive found a fire blanket with you all and at the end of the day im loving every minute of it! I feel like picking it up at 22 ive got a lifetime to improve


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first up- barerooting while still in leaf can be dangerous--airlayering should take only one season----it's worth reading up on

[Djs19992]

It wasn't my intention i was looking for the nerbari and i just couldnt find it. i didnt trim the roots just put in fresh bonsai mix and watered it. Should i fertilise it i fertilised it a couple of weeks ago but i can again if it'd help...

[kcpoole]

It wasn't my intention i was looking for the nerbari and i just couldnt find it. i didnt trim the roots just put in fresh bonsai mix and watered it. Should i fertilise it i fertilised it a couple of weeks ago but i can again if it'd help...

No fertiliser for a month
You can use Seasol tho a few times a week

Ken