AusBonsai

Spring is in full swing now, despite the almost constant rain.
Crab apples in the garden are flowering and so is my crab apple bonsai. Not really much of a bonsai but quite spectacular in full flower I think.

The flowers are quite beautiful and well dispersed over the tree, so a job well done.
I'm a little bit jealous.

Lovely display there Neil

Ken

Hello Shibui,

Absolutely stunning.
I'd love to see more of this magnificent crabapple, especially in fruit (if you allow to fruit).

Kevin

A very spectacular display of flowers there Neil, well done. What sort of fertiliser regime do you use to promote this amount of flowering.
I have a crab apple of the same variety and it has flowered OK this year, nothing as good as this one.
What variety is this one of yours please.
Miyagiman.

I don't know the variety David. I grafted this many years ago with a piece I got from Nell Saffin. If anyone knows a variety that has really small yellowish fruit please let us know.
I try fertilise my flowering bonsai with a 'flowers and fruit' fertiliser from about Feb through to leaf drop to promote more, better flowers. This one flowers well regardless of how I fertilise it. Apples, including crabs, need to develop mature, fruiting spurs to be able to flower so correct pruning is essential. Sometimes it is just a matter of time for the tree to mature enough and produce enough fruiting spurs.

Getting a photo of crab apple with fruit is not always easy Kevin. The rosellas here keep a close watch on any apple trees, including this one. Apples are usually gone before they are ripe but I have found a couple of old photos for you.

Beautiful tree Neil, lol just realised your in Victoria thought you were based in Sydney. Did a google search to see where yackandandah was and its still a 3-4hr drive

Beautiful display Neal. I have one shohin crabapple I grew in the ground from scratch . It is non grafted . I'm working on its branching and it has thrown a few flowers out but the rain of late has spoiled some . it is 19cm tall. Lst year I got about 20 crabapples on it but it was the black birds eyeing them off