Couple olives i repoted today

[maroun.c]

Had those 2 olives since a while so reported them today.
First one is a dead trunk and few branches emerging from base.
I cleaned up most of the branches and left a few only to pull yo the trunk as fake branches and gine it a nice shape


End one has a nice fluting base and branches coming out in clusters as it was shaped in the nursery as a pyramid.
Had a huge stump below the soil that was dead and roots coming down from operation part so spent an hour tonsil it off.
A said I live the fluting base but the cylindrical trunk is horrible, not sure if I should chop.and regrow or hide it with branches



Appreciate any suggestions on how to go forwa

 

[sorce]

I'd ask an olive keeper but I don't think you should waste much time with the long straight top on that one.

Nice.

Sorce

 

[maroun.c]

Indeed the straight trunk is whats bugging me.
Have to options in mind:
- chopping at the base which will leave a huge scar and require years to thicken new branches to look realistic as well as not getting branches at chop site which might be challenging.
- carving the trunk to around the lowest front branch to create taper and use the branches up to that level. Might try that first to experiment with carving and chop later if I mess up in carving.

Any other options to consider ?

 

[ConorDash]

We wouldn't want any scars now, would we?


But seriously, I'd say just shape this tree how you want. Old Olive's are a bit more unique in that the more gnarly, holed up, scarred, mad, wild, weird looking; the better!

 

[YAN]

Hey Maroun nice ones,

first one looks wild olive as leaves are smaller then second one is that true?

what soil did you plant in?

very interesting deadwood on first one but second one maybe needs a chop to the lowest branch or carving for taper as you mentioned.

good luck.

 

[Shibui]

Agree with @ConorDash Olives are great with dead wood including hollows. They do not heal over cuts very well so you might as well show off the scars and try to create one of those really ancient gnarled trees.

You don't need to chop as such to get low shoots to sprout. Just carving the trunk will kill the top and force new shoots lower. That way there is not just a huge scar but leaves some dead wood for interest and character. If the dead wood/carving does not come up to expectations you can carve down further or the whole trunk can be cut off later.
I would start option 2 and see what happens but I would not do that yet. You have just done a really serious root prune. The tree needs time to recover and to grow some roots. Olives are slow. They need a couple of years to get going again after an operation like that. Leave everything alone for the next year at least. Let it grow as tall and as much as it can in that time. Plenty of time to do cutting after it has better roots.

 

[maroun.c]

We wouldn't want any scars now, would we?
View attachment 326325View attachment 326326View attachment 326327

But seriously, I'd say just shape this tree how you want. Old Olive's are a bit more unique in that the more gnarly, holed up, scarred, mad, wild, weird looking; the better!

Amazing trees. always shocked with how few olive Bonsais i see.

 

[maroun.c]

Hey Maroun nice ones,

first one looks wild olive as leaves are smaller then second one is that true?

what soil did you plant in?

very interesting deadwood on first one but second one maybe needs a chop to the lowest branch or carving for taper as you mentioned.

good luck.

Yes 1st one had branches die and all whats left is the mostly dead trunk (hoping some branches will sprout from the trunk, and the branches which emerged from the base and im using as branches. So basically believe the living part is wild hence the small leaves. Planted both in pumice, lava and few small clay balls.

 

[maroun.c]

Agree with @ConorDash Olives are great with dead wood including hollows. They do not heal over cuts very well so you might as well show off the scars and try to create one of those really ancient gnarled trees.

You don't need to chop as such to get low shoots to sprout. Just carving the trunk will kill the top and force new shoots lower. That way there is not just a huge scar but leaves some dead wood for interest and character. If the dead wood/carving does not come up to expectations you can carve down further or the whole trunk can be cut off later.
I would start option 2 and see what happens but I would not do that yet. You have just done a really serious root prune. The tree needs time to recover and to grow some roots. Olives are slow. They need a couple of years to get going again after an operation like that. Leave everything alone for the next year at least. Let it grow as tall and as much as it can in that time. Plenty of time to do cutting after it has better roots.

Thanks for the info, yes I'll begin with carving and chop if it doesn't look realistic I'll just chop lower and retry i guess. no rush at all will give them till next year and only if I'm seeing good growth

 

[John P.]

I’d chop here and then try some carving with the top. It’ll root if you plop it in soil.

 

[maroun.c]

Interesting as the top of the trunk would also make a nice tree.
That would leave the bottom with a single tiny brank on the trunk of the lower half. Do u think I'd be risking the lower half which has the nicer base ?

 

[sorce]

plop

Sorce

 

[John P.]

Interesting as the top of the trunk would also make a nice tree.
That would leave the bottom with a single tiny brank on the trunk of the lower half. Do u think I'd be risking the lower half which has the nicer base ?

Not one bit. That remaining branch would be your new trunk (leader) for an informal upright. These olives are resilient buggers. This would be a good time of year to go for it.

 

[maroun.c]

Not one bit. That remaining branch would be your new trunk (leader) for an informal upright. These olives are resilient buggers. This would be a good time of year to go for it.

Thanks. I have bare rooted and worked out the roots to fit in the pot guess ill give it till next year to recover and chop then.