AusBonsai

Recently decided to chop this bottlebrush in my back yard.
Do these shoot back on old wood? or will the larger trunk become deadwood?

Old wood is unreliable for back budding. Soemtimes yes, sometimes no. give it a few weeks and see

Ken

Pray really hard cos if it does, it will make a nice tree. I have a few and some have backbud on really old wood and some didn't. I think it depends on the health of the tree before the chop.

kcpoole wrote:Old wood is unreliable for back budding. Soemtimes yes, sometimes no. give it a few weeks and see

Ken

Okay thanks, even if it doesn't I still have the other smaller bits I can grow out.

bonborn wrote:Pray really hard cos if it does, it will make a nice tree. I have a few and some have backbud on really old wood and some didn't. I think it depends on the health of the tree before the chop.

Haha yeah I'm praying, even if it doesn't I think it has potential


Thanks guys
Will keep posting its progress

I have "chopped" a few and they have all shot back on old wood, so I am confident that success is just around the corner.

Exciting
Thanks

Almost all of the ones I have chopped have produced lots of new shoots from the old wood. Sometimes it can take a few months, occasionally 6 months or more.
I have collected one which had small, narrow leaves and a really large lignotuber. It has produced lots of shoots but only from the lignotuber base.

I have no doubt that yours will grow lots of shoots all along the stump.

Should be right, I did one in the ground a few weeks ago and has back budded on all old branches/ wood. I would also cut the new growth right back just to be sure the tree doesn't direct more energy to these areas.

Awesome thanks guys
Pretty keen to see this take off

Good news
It has shot back.
Hopefully a nice tree comes of it.

Now the fun can begin.

Indeed

So this has taken off quite a bit now and I'm wondering if I should start to trim and select branches?
And when would be a good time to dig it up? Or should I just leave it for a while?
I think digging it up and putting it into a pot would help me style it though.

Anyone have any thoughts or ideas on style?

A quick sketch, this one is testing me

Hi Ben (?)
This one is a pro's and cons as to lifting.

Lifting;
Get to check out the nebari to assist in styling, if there is one at all.
It is now in a pot so work is easier, wiring, styling.
You now get to choose a front with roots/trunk exposed.

Leaving
Growth will even out the tapers better while new growth will power on.
Pretty much everything grows better in the ground.
You can dig around and see what roots you have at the moment.
You can "root enhance" while it's in the ground if existing roots are unacceptable.
It is still alive.

Not commenting on your drawing only as I think its too early to be thinking about what to do with it until it is lifted and you know what you've got.
Many trees will have a die-back on lifting and all your thoughts and planning go back to a bare stump anyway. And the chance is always there that on lifting, it dies.
Photos down low with a plain background would be of assistance in terms of a style to pursue but I am talking the basic live stump.

Just telling you what I know, there are many longer term bonsai enthusiasts on this site than I.

As to when to dig, if you were to want to do it now, I would probably say your at the far left of your window of good opportunity, so right now but no later, but again I am in NQ and growth would be fine for me. Not sure about NSW, maybe someone else can advise. If you decide to get it out, a good coarse draining mix kept moist with Seasol mix for the next 2-3 weeks would be my advise. I now use nothing but scoria and Diatomite, just me, not an instruction.
anyhooo...

Good luck on your future decisions with this tree.
Watty