Twisted Pomegranate

[nathanbs]

No matter what front, no matter what apex you choose you must cut out all the straight branches or cut them back to their first internode if they are short enough. There really is no two ways about branches that are too long, too straight, no taper, too thick to bend on a pomegranate.

 

[Poink88]

No matter what front, no matter what apex you choose you must cut out all the straight branches or cut them back to their first internode if they are short enough. There really is no two ways about branches that are too long, too straight, no taper, too thick to bend on a pomegranate.

Hard pill to swallow for most... but very wise advise (applicable to most bonsai plants, not just pomegranate).

 

[Poink88]

Once chopped, you cannot put it back. So, if in doubt...start with the taller/longer version. If you see it improving by going lower/shorter...do another chop.

 

[Poink88]

For your consideration.

 

[small trees]

No matter what front, no matter what apex you choose you must cut out all the straight branches or cut them back to their first internode if they are short enough. There really is no two ways about branches that are too long, too straight, no taper, too thick to bend on a pomegranate.

I know what needs to be done, I was just apprehensive about it I guess. I'll get it done when I get home.

For your consideration.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=48690[/IMrG][/QUOTE]

That's actually what I was thinking of for the apex and side branch :)

 

[nathanbs]

Once chopped, you cannot put it back. So, if in doubt...start with the taller/longer version. If you see it improving by going lower/shorter...do another chop.

You can always grow it back

 

[GrimLore]

Once chopped, you cannot put it back. So, if in doubt...start with the taller/longer version. If you see it improving by going lower/shorter...do another chop.

Or put it somewhere else on the specimen

Grimmy

 

[small trees]

Or put it somewhere else on the specimen

Grimmy

I might wish that I could after today. I have never made a lot of cuts on a tree that I am fond of before. I sat there for about an hour yesterday knowing what branches needed to go but I was extremely anxious about removing them.

 

[Poink88]

I have never made a lot of cuts on a tree that I am fond of before. I sat there for about an hour yesterday knowing what branches needed to go but I was extremely anxious about removing them.

With practice, it gets easier.

IMHO, the biggest hurdle a newbie have to pass is "letting go".
- Letting go of a bad tree,
- Letting go of a bad/misplaced branch,
- Letting go of a bad/misplaced root,
- etc.

You are lucky that the branches do not have nice ramification at the ends. Imagine a long straight branch with super nice ramified part at the end...and you know you have to remove and rebuild. It will be tough! I encounter those a lot on my collected trees.

Focus on the future...do what is best later not what it will look like now. Do not do it half way either...or you will regret it every time you see it. Do it right the first time. Some things you just have to destroy before you can rebuild. You will be fine.

 

[small trees]

With practice, it gets easier.

IMHO, the biggest hurdle a newbie have to pass is "letting go".
- Letting go of a bad tree,
- Letting go of a bad/misplaced branch,
- Letting go of a bad/misplaced root,
- etc.

You are lucky that the branches do not have nice ramification at the ends. Imagine a long straight branch with super nice ramified part at the end...and you know you have to remove and rebuild. It will be tough! I encounter those a lot on my collected trees.

Focus on the future...do what is best later not what it will look like now. Do not do it half way either...or you will regret it every time you see it. Do it right the first time. Some things you just have to destroy before you can rebuild. You will be fine.

I feel like that is you holding my hand over the internet while i do it.


Thanks lol, expect pictures in a few hours.

 

[nathanbs]

With practice, it gets easier.

IMHO, the biggest hurdle a newbie have to pass is "letting go".
- Letting go of a bad tree,
- Letting go of a bad/misplaced branch,
- Letting go of a bad/misplaced root,
- etc.

You are lucky that the branches do not have nice ramification at the ends. Imagine a long straight branch with super nice ramified part at the end...and you know you have to remove and rebuild. It will be tough! I encounter those a lot on my collected trees.

Focus on the future...do what is best later not what it will look like now. Do not do it half way either...or you will regret it every time you see it. Do it right the first time. Some things you just have to destroy before you can rebuild. You will be fine.

This is not just a big hurdle with noobs this is probably one of the most common problems in bonsai period. I see bonsai artists with 5-10-20-30-40 years experience not pruning hard enough to set the foundation. These are enthusiasts, nursery owners, teachers, etc.

 

[Poink88]

Watch this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9AQPVtnjyY

First time I saw it, I thought Goran and Sebastijan is crazy! But after a day, I watched it again and saw what the goal is. Turned out they know what they are doing.

That said, I would have kept some longer, esp the top.

 

[small trees]

Working on the tree now. I can't decide which left branch Iwant to keep. The lowest one has better movement, but the upper one has better placement IMO. It's straight though, and i don't really see anywhere where it would bud back if I cut it short. Thoughts?


edit: the small branch that is the third one up on the left could be trained to fill the space that the second branch currently occupies if I were to remove the second branch.

 

[nathanbs]

Working on the tree now. I can't decide which left branch Iwant to keep. The lowest one has better movement, but the upper one has better placement IMO. It's straight though, and i don't really see anywhere where it would bud back if I cut it short. Thoughts?


edit: the small branch that is the third one up on the left could be trained to fill the space that the second branch currently occupies if I were to remove the second branch.

looking good. Be careful as it looks that low branch may be the only thing keeping vein below it alive. Keep both for now, cut 2nd one up back further and eliminate the pitchfork, wire down the third one up, the fourth and perhaps the fifth , prune some of the long straight upper branches back more, wire down the first branch on the right and take a pic

 

[small trees]

looking good. Be careful as it looks that low branch may be the only thing keeping vein below it alive. Keep both for now, cut 2nd one up back further and eliminate the pitchfork, wire down the third one up, the fourth and perhaps the fifth , prune some of the long straight upper branches back more, wire down the first branch on the right and take a pic

I had already made my cuts by the time you posted, and I did remove the bottom branch, but in regards to the vein, it should be fine. The second picture is a view of the area where it was removed. I think that vein runs to most of the tree so it should be fine.

Anyway, how does it look? The first picture is a pretty interesting angle of the tree, or so I thought.

 

[nathanbs]

Watch this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9AQPVtnjyY

First time I saw it, I thought Goran and Sebastijan is crazy! But after a day, I watched it again and saw what the goal is. Turned out they know what they are doing.

That said, I would have kept some longer, esp the top.

I must have watched that video when they first uploaded it in 2011 because i was thinking about 3-4 years ago. This was in the very beginning of my bonsai journey. No wonder I love giant fat trees now.

 

[nathanbs]

I had already made my cuts by the time you posted, and I did remove the bottom branch, but in regards to the vein, it should be fine. The second picture is a view of the area where it was removed. I think that vein runs to most of the tree so it should be fine.

Anyway, how does it look? The first picture is a pretty interesting angle of the tree, or so I thought.

Bingo!! Thats your front! Vein will be fine. With a little more soil that root will be just fine in my opinion. Now wire those other branches down carefully, try to put some movement in them, at least at their beginnings as that may be all you eventually keep. Its easier and safer to put movement on the whole branch(it looks cooler too) Leave apex the way you have it just add a little movement mimicking lower trunk movement but on a smaller scale. Cut back everything but the apex to the first node to help promote back budding on the rest of the tree. Then let grow through spring. Wiring and pruning after branches have slightly hardened. One more little tip, use one piece of wire for 2 branches anchoring it once around the trunk

 

[small trees]

I must have watched that video when they first uploaded it in 2011 because i was thinking about 3-4 years ago. This was in the very beginning of my bonsai journey. No wonder I love giant fat trees now.

there is one more video of this one a year later with walter pall there.

Bingo!! Thats your front! Vein will be fine. With a little more soil that root will be just fine in my opinion. Now wire those other branches down carefully, try to put some movement in them, at least at their beginnings as that may be all you eventually keep. It easier and safer to put movement on the whole branch(it looks cooler too) Leave apex the way you have it just add a little movement mimicking lower trunk movement but on a smaller scale. Cut back everything but the apex to the first node to help promote back budding on the rest of the tree. Then let grow through spring. Wiring and pruning after branches have slightly hardened. One more little tip, use one piece of wire for 2 branches anchoring it once around the trunk

I did what you suggested and added a little soil around the base just for the picture so that you could see how the root will look.

The two circled branches I am unsure of. I'm not sure where they will go or what role they can play, as they both move directly toward the viewer.

 

[nathanbs]

I mention wiring and pruning after spring. This is actually harder than I make it sound. If you already know then ignore this but let the branches run longer this entire year and perhaps through a portion of next year to let them thicken and then you prune. But on your fat right branch let it grow out to 5-6 internodes and prune, repeatedly. This branch is ready to start building some ramification

 

[small trees]

I mention wiring and pruning after spring. This is actually harder than I make it sound. If you already know then ignore this but let the branches run longer this entire year and perhaps through a portion of next year to let them thicken and then you prune. But on your fat right branch let it grow out to 5-6 internodes and prune, repeatedly. This branch is ready to start building some ramification

I posted right about the time you did (look up for pics). I did prune them all back, but they were all new growth anyway, so it only set me back a week or two.