Not sure how to get started

[mattbastin]

Hi
I've bought a new crepe myrtle from the nursery because my first carked it. I've learnt my lesson - I didn't give enough attention over the winter.
Now, however I have a Lagerstroemia indica x L. fauriei Sioux rather than the dwarf variety.
But I'm not sure how to get started with this one as a bonsai if at all.

DSC00678.JPG

As you can see from the picture it is a bit tall and gangly. Can I confidently cut the branches back now and should I cut back lower than the initial leaves? Any suggestions and advice would be most welcome.

[Elmar]

G'day Matt,
First thing I've learned as a newbie, never cut past the green stuff!
Apparently they are leaves and make the trees food! Once you know better about the tree and it's proper care, you'll know what to do!
But if you don't do anything, you learn nothing!

Good luck.



Cheers
EZ
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Brad75]

Hi mattbastin,

You have chosen a good plant to start with as they are very hardy. If I was you I would look at the two lowest branches and make a decision to a.) keep the lowest as a suicide branch to thicken the trunk and b.) use the second lowest as the new leader ie. new trunk. Wire it up straight or curved, however you fancy then water and fertilise until late summer (February) with Nitrosol or Seasol. Let it grow a bit before styling.

That's what I would do!

Cheers and keep us posted on your progress!

Brad75 aka Brad Jackson.

[shibui]

Hi Matt,
You have a Crepe myrtle. You can cut them back as hard as you like. They sprout prolifically from anywhere bare wood or with leaves. Usually pruned in winter while dormant but as long as it is reasonably healthy you should be able to cut at any time of year.
As well as being tall and gangly your plant is pretty skinny. What do you want to grow? If you prune now it will still be skinny but a bit shorter and will stay skinny for many years. If you allow it to grow a bit bigger it will also develop a fatter trunk sooner. There is the dilemma: a small but skinny bonsai now and for many years or a thicker trunk in just a few years?????

Note that I do not think much of Lagerstromia as bonsai. They have beautiful bark and nice flowers but just too difficult to grow a really attractive trunk and branches -

[Rory]

I have the exact same species as yours, Lagerstroemia Sioux, and purchased from nursery stock as a young starter too mattbastin. I cut back hard in winter, and as soon as spring came along, it shot like crazy, just like shibui says, it shoots back from hard wood very happily, and quite profusely. I have very little experience with them, but I have a few different Lagerstroemia to experiment with. The flowers are simply beautiful.

Lagerstroemia Sioux



Lagerstroemia Indica