Lavender Twist Redbud stump

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Hi guys sorry if this is the wrong place but I am very new to this. Recently we purchased a lavander twist redbud tree that was about 5ft or so. The dogs decided it was a toy and broke it into a stump. To my amazement it started groing a sprout that turned into what I think was a new sappling. It got to about 3 ft and maybe 3/8 thickness. Though this was below a grafting line so I believe this would have been just redbud. Anyways dogs got to that again so I have a stump. Now we had the idea to turn it into a bonsai. So my question is am I wasting my time trying to bring back this tree for the second time? Will the transfer into a pot be too much of a shock? Will a redbud even make a decent bonsai, it had really large leaves? Anyways thanks for any help and I apologize for the massive ignorance on my part.
 

jradics

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At this point, you have nothing to lose. Keep the pups away from it and do some research this winter about repotting. In the spring, do a major root reduction and put it in a pot
 

Gabler

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Hi guys sorry if this is the wrong place but I am very new to this. Recently we purchased a lavander twist redbud tree that was about 5ft or so. The dogs decided it was a toy and broke it into a stump. To my amazement it started groing a sprout that turned into what I think was a new sappling. It got to about 3 ft and maybe 3/8 thickness. Though this was below a grafting line so I believe this would have been just redbud. Anyways dogs got to that again so I have a stump. Now we had the idea to turn it into a bonsai. So my question is am I wasting my time trying to bring back this tree for the second time? Will the transfer into a pot be too much of a shock? Will a redbud even make a decent bonsai, it had really large leaves? Anyways thanks for any help and I apologize for the massive ignorance on my part.

Start by training your dogs not to mess with it. This isn't really a dog training forum, so I won't go into details, but there's plenty of free online resources for dog training if you're not sure how to prevent your dogs from chewing trees outdoors.

In the meantime, the tree will hopefully regrow. You don't have your location in your profile, so I don't know if it's currently spring or fall where you live. Regardless, let the tree grow for at least a full year, and then dig it up in the spring after it has recovered. Ensure it isn't crowded by neighboring plants, so it has ample access to sunlight, water, and soil nutrients.

When you dig it up, put it in a regular flower pot to start, and then gradually reduce the rootball to fit it in a bonsai pot over the course of a few years. Don't try to cram it into a bonsai pot right away.
 

Underdog

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There are a few threads floating around about them. Assuming your root stock is Cercis canadensis, the eastern redbud... Let us know where in the world you are. I have a couple. Leaves do reduce but root are touchy IMExp. I let a tap root get away one year and when I cut it, half the trunk died. There is a thread of mine w/in this one below.

 
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Maiden69

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It would help to know where you are located, please update your profile to show your location/USDA zone so people can give you better advise.

If you are in the northern hemisphere, since we are in fall or close to it I think you should be ok with it surviving as is. If the new foliage was from below the graft, then yes, you will probably end up with whatever redbud they used as root stock. Also, pictures will help a lot.

I agree with @Gabler in the needs to training your dog... but in the mean time you could use an easy to set up fence around your trees if you are able to. I use a pre-made cedar fence from Lowes around all my above ground trees. My Schnauzers are very intelligent, but they don't care too much about trees and will pee on anything the can get close to in our yard.

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