AusBonsai

Got this from the adelaide bonsai show on the weekend. I payed more than i wanted but i was only there sunday so missed out on the better trees that sold on the saturday and had to take what i could get on the Sunday. It cost 50 so lets hope i can make something out of it. So far not sure on a front. I like the first pic as a front but there are no shoots on the back for 3 quarters of the tree if i do that and the tree will need repotting so it leans more toward me instead of away. On the other hand if i chose the second photo it has loads of back branches but the left and right branches are a little 2 far to the back? On another note though if used the 2nd pic would not have to change the planting angle? Anyway will sort something. Here are the pics of the plant

If you can grow some longer branches (looks like there are some) you could thread graft to get branching at the 'rear'.

matlea wrote:If you can grow some longer branches (looks like there are some) you could thread graft to get branching at the 'rear'.

Yep, agree. Patience is the key with stock like this... I know this because i lack said patience

In the second pic, you could use the branch on the right as the new leader, that would give nice taper, and could change the planting angle to compensate for the chop.
Just another option but good solid stock-I think $50 is a great price!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree with Isitangus - go with the second front, tilt the planting angle and wire the branches to angle forward. Something like this:
I've found the best way to tackle these olives is to select the shoots you want, remove the rest and wire the shoots so the first couple of centimetres are at the angle and direction you want, then wire the tips so they point straight up to encourage growth. Don't touch them until the base of the new branch is at the thickness you want (probably 2 or more growing seasons for the lower branches), then prune right back to the first couple of centimetres and do it again for the next lot of resulting shoots. This results in branches with good taper. Too often I see people wiring the shoots into a branch, cutting off the tip at the final length and then start the ramification, resulting in thin unnatural looking branches with no taper.

Anyway good luck with the tree. I look forward to future posts.

Matt.

Thanks for the feedback guys. I do like isitangas's idea and nice vert matt. Before i make the big chop anyone object to is or have an alternative. Once its gone it anit coming back in a hurry

Update

It's looking great!!!!
well done

Did some work on this today. It continues to grow so in return i gave it some work. Long way to go but someday it may look ok.

What a beautiful tree!

I just dug up a wild olive tree and thought I might ruin it by sawing off the main branch, but on your tree it looks excellent.