AusBonsai

This was a large root cutting from my big elm , taken many years ago .It was 1 of the stay root that had grown up against a solid rock 200mm from the main trunk .It was like a club root .It is about 130mm x 100mm at the base , a 50mm trunk and about 300mm high .I had a good canopy on top quite a few years ago with 7 leaders but it was too confined so last year i removed 4 leaders .I potted it into a red scoria and pine bark mix and sat it in a water tray . The whole canopy was untrimmed for this season hoping to produce some roots to work with .A quick selective trim and it onto the butchering

Now its out with the drill and into some hollowing out of the trunk i drilled from underneath first then down from the top using a clean cutter spade bit .Some pilot holes were drilled into the side to aid carvingWith the drilling done its onto the carving and hollowing of the trunk .

Out with the mini grinder and into the detailingWith the carving finished its into the pot .

Potted up and its another good trainer or a bonsai in the making Cheers and Happy Bonsai .Alpineart

Hi Alpine, great work mate , really nice base on your elm, are you going to reduce the height of the 3 main leaders?,

Hi Craig , i hoping to rotate the leaders around 90 degree's and remove the thick ends of the original leader sections from the canopy . It certainly needs some serious wiring but that will wait until i have a few to wire .That way i will get into the right frame of mind ..Cheers Alpine

hi alpine

I did just write out a few things and went to post and my reply just went out into the huge world of the internet, bloody computers.

basically what I was trying to say without being negative is I beleive that the leaders and canopy is somewhat a little distant from the main trunk. I think it needs some serious backbudding to fill the gap or some heavy wiring, which I know your capable of doing it either way. the carving is definately the way to go with this tree and has made a decent sized trunk quite interesting. I reckon a bit more of an offset "v" inbetween the main leaders will balance the tree more with the removal of one of the main leaders as the 3 is throwing the balance somewhat.
I have an irratic internet connection at the moment but I will try and get a pic of your tree to do a virt (first one I have done in a long time some might be a touch rough ) but will try and show where I think this potential broom could be in the next 5 years

will get back to you soon

J.

Hi Jamie , unfortunately i cut the leaders off with the lower growth but they were thin ugly buggers and didn't suit my plan .I will put a padded strap around the base of the leaders and compress the trunk to give it a better taper . Done bun can't be undone . I don't want a twin leader tree or i would have carved the entire side out of the trunk .For a single leader i could fuse the 3 leaders together . Some serious wire work will make it or break it , might even put it back 5 years if it turns out wrong .Plenty of options even now that its hacked and chopped .Cheers Alpine

Too cold to go to work so i decided to wire and trim the trainer .I added some raffia to the trunks then wired and rotated each one about 90 degree's . Guess there was an OH BUGGER moment or two but it can grow on for another season and i will see what i have left for the final design .I had to be extra careful not to dislodge the trunks from the stump , rotating in the sort distance wasn't easy .Now just put it away and find another requiring work and there's plenty of them .Cheers Alpine

gday Alpine

after seeing what you have done with the tree after wiring I now have a clearer picture of where you are going and why you kept the three leaders, works very well champ!

this was something along the line of what I seen in the trunk, sorry its a tad rough. this is the first virt I have done since coming back online and being a new computer I lost all my virtual parts and pictures which was a rather extensive collection which I aquired over a few years.
what ya reckon?

J.

Hi , Jamie not bad mate .But you can't read my mind , i'm actually seriously thinking of fusing to 3 leaders together with some hollows included between the trunks ..Try a vert for along those lines .It will become a single leader and increase about 100mm in height .The trunk and the leaders will need more compressing .Cheers Alpine

cool matey

will give it a whirl for ya, will be good to get the practice in give me a bit of time and I will see what I can come up with, if you go with a fuse will you be planning in an informal upright style or stick with a broom variation?

J.

Good progression Alpine.

I like your style, you think of doing a project and then just go for it - and no pussy-footing around! Where there's a will........

Be interesting to see this with those three leaders fused together. Do you think there would be a danger of snapping them all off the remnants of the trunk?

Great work alpine!
Did you use a wood hardener on the inside of the trunk that you hollowed out to stop future rot?
If so, what do you use for deciduous trees?
I am asking becuase as I understand lime sulphur is mostly used on conifers, but I am not a fan of it on deciduous trees even if it is diluted and coloured etc...
Cheers, Dario

Jamie wrote:cool matey

will give it a whirl for ya, will be good to get the practice in give me a bit of time and I will see what I can come up with, if you go with a fuse will you be planning in an informal upright style or stick with a broom variation?

J.

Hi Jamie , i think a broom style canopy , however i like the branches hanging down to form pads lower down .Light and airy around the base with more of a broom style apex . . I may have to thread graft a few new branches above the lower first , second and rear branches to fill the voids with a more substantal branch without cluttering up the mid section .Cheers Alpine