Blue Atlas Cedar rehab - Inherited tree
- Thread starter Deep Sea Diver
- Start date
Bonsai Forest
Omono
Lovely BAC and nice clean work you are doing. I have a question. I am acquiring a BAC (3-4 years of age I think) that is roughly 3+feet tall and will have plentiful branches. In terms of the secondary branches that grow off the primaries, how do I prevent them from elongating too much? I don't want the foliage pads to be too far or too high off of the primary branch. How to keep short secondary and tertiary growth?
Deep Sea Diver
Masterpiece
Sure thing!
What’s your goal with this tree? Is it to trunk out?
Anyways, blue atlas cedar push out separate rosettes of growth throughout the year. These are both the branch origination points as well as styling/pruning points.
To get taper in any branch, trim back the branch at an appropriate rosette of growth and let the new extension grow out. Wire as needed. The same process is used for growing taper for the apex.
cheers
DSD sends
What’s your goal with this tree? Is it to trunk out?
Anyways, blue atlas cedar push out separate rosettes of growth throughout the year. These are both the branch origination points as well as styling/pruning points.
To get taper in any branch, trim back the branch at an appropriate rosette of growth and let the new extension grow out. Wire as needed. The same process is used for growing taper for the apex.
cheers
DSD sends
Deep Sea Diver
Masterpiece
Not so great news.
Got advice from a pro to use Mas Imazumi method of creating a tight bend in a BAC ….taking an appropriately sized drill, 3/16 for this trunk, and drill ar position of the bend, to give tight bend. It sure gave a tight bend, as with only light test pressure the top of the tree cracked. In retrospect, should have thought about this one! Live and learn.
Faulty on my part but the tree sure has a tight bend! Only down huge side is the tree is at risk and has 30% chance of making a viable bonsai here on out. In any event, if it does survive it will likely be 3-5 or more years before this crack heals. See area to right of 4th double turn of wire.
Tree looks good now, but it’s spring, what well kept tree doesnt look good in Spring? Summer is the run. That’s when the game is afoot!
More on the tree’s health over time.
cheers
DSD sends
Got advice from a pro to use Mas Imazumi method of creating a tight bend in a BAC ….taking an appropriately sized drill, 3/16 for this trunk, and drill ar position of the bend, to give tight bend. It sure gave a tight bend, as with only light test pressure the top of the tree cracked. In retrospect, should have thought about this one! Live and learn.
Faulty on my part but the tree sure has a tight bend! Only down huge side is the tree is at risk and has 30% chance of making a viable bonsai here on out. In any event, if it does survive it will likely be 3-5 or more years before this crack heals. See area to right of 4th double turn of wire.
Tree looks good now, but it’s spring, what well kept tree doesnt look good in Spring? Summer is the run. That’s when the game is afoot!
More on the tree’s health over time.
cheers
DSD sends
WNC Bonsai
Omono
Ouch! I think I’ll go at it the old fashioned way and just change the angle gently over a couple of years. I have seen folks do bends by making a series of cuts halfway through the trunk and then cranking it over but even that seems too radical for these trees. I don’t seeing any signs of buds popping on the tree is it still dormant or just waking?
Deep Sea Diver
Masterpiece
The tree is still viable. Buds are growing. The outside trees are just beginning to push buds seriously in the past week. We had a late series of frosty nights that set growth back.
In retrospect pretty sure one or a series of fine cuts vs wedges, underneath the curve would work much better to get the best bend.
cheers
DSD sends
In retrospect pretty sure one or a series of fine cuts vs wedges, underneath the curve would work much better to get the best bend.
cheers
DSD sends
Deep Sea Diver
Masterpiece
Went into the wound and cleaned out the cut putty while having a discussion about further actions with @River’s Edge. Thanks Frank!
Here’s the break, about 1/3+ through the trunk. Looks pretty clean
Cleaned out with a dose of H2O2, then made a drill shaped chunk of cut putty. This “drill” was fed into the hole from the bottom, pushed in with bent nose tweezers and the bottom hole sealed.
The top of the drill wound was packed with cut putty while holding pressure below. Finally ribbons of cut putty were packed into the wound lengthwise. The entire wound was sealed.
There is a concern an inadvertent accident would possibly break the tail off . guy wire was fed under the main wire and back to a sturdy branch to stabilize the break. Another may be added later.
Finally the wound was covered with parafilm to keep the cut putty moist. Might need a couple more wraps.
Finally, thinking on design of 180 degree pivot watering system so the tree can be watered , then turned upside down to trick the tree to shunt resources to the new “apex”. Hopefully will craft something in this vein next week.
Cheers
DSD sends
Here’s the break, about 1/3+ through the trunk. Looks pretty clean
Cleaned out with a dose of H2O2, then made a drill shaped chunk of cut putty. This “drill” was fed into the hole from the bottom, pushed in with bent nose tweezers and the bottom hole sealed.
The top of the drill wound was packed with cut putty while holding pressure below. Finally ribbons of cut putty were packed into the wound lengthwise. The entire wound was sealed.
There is a concern an inadvertent accident would possibly break the tail off . guy wire was fed under the main wire and back to a sturdy branch to stabilize the break. Another may be added later.
Finally the wound was covered with parafilm to keep the cut putty moist. Might need a couple more wraps.
Finally, thinking on design of 180 degree pivot watering system so the tree can be watered , then turned upside down to trick the tree to shunt resources to the new “apex”. Hopefully will craft something in this vein next week.
Cheers
DSD sends
WNC Bonsai
Omono
No matter what you do a break like that on the upper side of the bend, will persist as a weak spot. Even if it does heal over you’ll still have a big plug of putty under the bark and I would be afraid any downward pressure could snap it. Hoping for the best!
River's Edge
Masterpiece
Not necessarily, once it begins to heal on the edges it can be treated like a cavity.Remove the cut paste and fill with two part epoxy carefully, shape the outside to just below the cambium line and heal over the edges as one would a normal scar from branch removal. When the epoxy hardens it fixes in tightly with the broken tissue. This particular break has lots of fibre to mesh with the epoxy and hold tight when the epoxy hardens. One of the better epoxies to use is Oatey Fix It Stick.
When placing the epoxy use a small end of chopstick or other tool to press small amounts around the broken fibres and small spaces to fill as tightly as possible and mesh with the broken edges! this will strengthen the site considerably for long term.
