My Purple Cow

Velodog2

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This is lovely. Great movement and bark. And the roots aren't bad.

It is possible to get these to flower within the design. At least I was able to once by repeatedly cutting back the budding, and then cutting back the final raceme to shorten it to scale. More or less as others have described here. Very unfortunately this tree didn't survive the next winter. I may have exhausted it. So that may be something to be careful of. At least I got a decent pic. Good luck w yours ... I love crape myrtle bonsai.
IMG_0103.JPG
 
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just.wing.it

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This is lovely. Great movement and bark. And the roots aren't bad.

It is possible to get these to flower within the design. At least I was able to once by repeatedly cutting back the budding, and then cutting back the final raceme to shorten it to scale. More or less as others have described here. Very unfortunately this tree didn't survive the next winter. I may have exhausted it. So that may be something to be careful of. At least I got a decent pic. Good luck w yours ... I love crape myrtle bonsai.
View attachment 125131
Wow, unfortunate indeed, that is a beautiful little tree!
Kind-of similar style too, as to what I have in mind.
 

just.wing.it

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This is lovely. Great movement and bark. And the roots aren't bad.

It is possible to get these to flower within the design. At least I was able to once by repeatedly cutting back the budding, and then cutting back the final raceme to shorten it to scale. More or less as others have described here. Very unfortunately this tree didn't survive the next winter. I may have exhausted it. So that may be something to be careful of. At least I got a decent pic. Good luck w yours ... I love crape myrtle bonsai.
View attachment 125131
I have high hopes for this little Myrtle, can't wait to see how it looks this time next year!
Another Central Marylander I see!
I'm not alone!
Cool!
 

Velodog2

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Wow, unfortunate indeed, that is a beautiful little tree!
Kind-of similar style too, as to what I have in mind.
Thanks. I have no idea what cultivar it was but it seemed to be a 'tweener' similar to yours in that it didn't have the tiny dwarf leaves and internodes of some, but didn't grow like a full sized specimen either. So you should be able to achieve this.

Been in Maryland for almost 30 yrs out towards Hagerstown. Good to see others here. I am an occasional member of the Brookside Bonsai Society but don't participate in much although I was at their auction at Behnkes last spring.
 

just.wing.it

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Thanks. I have no idea what cultivar it was but it seemed to be a 'tweener' similar to yours in that it didn't have the tiny dwarf leaves and internodes of some, but didn't grow like a full sized specimen either. So you should be able to achieve this.

Been in Maryland for almost 30 yrs out towards Hagerstown. Good to see others here. I am an occasional member of the Brookside Bonsai Society but don't participate in much although I was at their auction at Behnkes last spring.
I have one tree from Ducky, from Behnke.
That's a great nursery, especially for that area....
Hagerstown is getting out to the nice part of MD!
I drive past you this morning on my way to Morgantown WV.
Beautiful out there.
 
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JudyB

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I would really think hard before cutting the green sub trunk off. You loose a lot of the charm of the tree in my opinion, but then I'm probably more into multi-trunk than most are...
 

just.wing.it

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I would really think hard before cutting the green sub trunk off. You loose a lot of the charm of the tree in my opinion, but then I'm probably more into multi-trunk than most are...
I hear you @JudyB, I was originally going that way, multi trunk.....I dunno, I still might keep it for a year.... I can always cut it off later I suppose...
Just throwing ideas around at this point...
It was very hard for me to keep my clippers holstered all year with it....can't wait to cut!
Who knows how many times I'll change my mind before March....
I even considered letting it grow wild another year.... but the main subtrunks are already a good thickness for what I want to end up with....so the crepe murder will commence in late winter, and repot onto a tile in early spring...is my plan.
We'll have to wait and see what I end up with as far as the subtrunks... I may leave em....for now...
 

Velodog2

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I agree with committing the murder this winter. You don't have to commit to removing trunks or any other design choices really. The biggest problem it has is the lack of taper much past the splitting of the trunks and that won't get better, so cut it back to what can be used and see what comes up. I've actually started cutting mine back this time of year, but I keep them above freezing also.
 

JudyB

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In your first image of contemplating the cuts, you could think about taking out the front facing (and crossing) branch/trunk, while leaving the right side pair of branch/trunks. That would leave you five, and none of them would be in the way of the other. Of course that depends on your front...
 

just.wing.it

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In your first image of contemplating the cuts, you could think about taking out the front facing (and crossing) branch/trunk, while leaving the right side pair of branch/trunks. That would leave you five, and none of them would be in the way of the other. Of course that depends on your front...
Yeah, I see what you're saying there!
I appreciate the input greatly!
 

just.wing.it

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Hello everyone, quick question....
Crape murder with 4-6 weeks of winter left, or wait until buds are swelling?
Is there any benefit to chopping now, compared to a few weeks from now?

I ask, because it's hard to find free time for tree time, around here....
And I could probably do the crape murder this morning....or just stand there and look at it again.
 

just.wing.it

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I notice that most of the crape murders in my area, which are done by commercial landscapers on commercial properties, are committed in fall....
Edit:
Just read like 6 different things saying that fall pruning is sketchy, basically due to possible damage over winter.
Everything I see says Feb-March is best for my area. Plus it's been in my garage all winter, temp is steady, no chance of damage.....
I think I might do it.
 
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sorce

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just.wing.it

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I keep thinking about the Smoke thing about chopping elms in summer or winter..

Like a good answer matters for healing/buds etc.

I'm going to look for answers.

http://www.bonsainut.com/threads/a-delivery-to-the-garden-6-new-large-crape-myrtles.20930/

Sorce
Thanks for that man, much appreciated.
I always respect John's methods.
I may have even waited if I had read that beforehand... the see is done, however, used thin coats of cut paste, looks good.
Pics shortly.
 

Velodog2

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Well done I say! Should get lots of buds. If you fertilize and pinch back the new growth you can keep new buds appearing for some time. Look forward to seeing where you take this.
 
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bonhe

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Hi Just.wing.it,
Very nice work! Now you need fertilizing to get a lot of shoots to choose for final design.
I have a white chocolate CM in the same pot as yours, Monrovia ! :)
Bonhe
 

just.wing.it

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Hi Just.wing.it,
Very nice work! Now you need fertilizing to get a lot of shoots to choose for final design.
I have a white chocolate CM in the same pot as yours, Monrovia ! :)
Bonhe
I have a tub of some 20-20-20 I was going to use on it! Mix it up real thick!
And thank you!
 
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