I got this crab apple from the Roland Folse collection sale at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Spring of 2021.
The tree was in poor health and underfed. Many branches were dead and rot was untreated and spreading, endangering some critical branches.
2021 May. We think this is the intended front based on the branch and apex positions.
This region was all rotted and a major branch was dead. The large branch in upper left was 50% cut off by the rot and very weak. I immediately carved out all the dead wood and sealed the live edges. I fed the the tree heavily all year.
2022 Spring. The tree was moved into a wood box and all the heavy feeding the previous year led to a massive bloom. Due to the rot carving, this became the (temporary?) front.
2023 Spring. After freely growing for 2 years the branches were cut back. I moved the tree into an oversized ceramic pot. I started two thread grafts to fill in canopy gaps
2023 Sept. a nice crop of apples. The apples ripen in late September but the leaves don't drop until November and by then the apples are dropping. So I don't think it will show well with apples.
2023 December after cleanup and light styling
This is the temporary front. It definitely works and could always end up the front, but I prefer more dynamism and there is no interaction between the trunks and the smaller trunk is in front.
This is what I think will be the final front once the rot is healed up. You can see the grafts are taking. More grafts will be done next year. I like this front because the main trunk will loom over the smaller trunk and then the branching makes sense and its more dynamic.
The rotted section is rolling over well and I expect it to close in 3 or 4 years. The bark does exfoliate. I'm growing this tree very hard for the next few years.
Stay tuned!
The tree was in poor health and underfed. Many branches were dead and rot was untreated and spreading, endangering some critical branches.
2021 May. We think this is the intended front based on the branch and apex positions.
This region was all rotted and a major branch was dead. The large branch in upper left was 50% cut off by the rot and very weak. I immediately carved out all the dead wood and sealed the live edges. I fed the the tree heavily all year.
2022 Spring. The tree was moved into a wood box and all the heavy feeding the previous year led to a massive bloom. Due to the rot carving, this became the (temporary?) front.
2023 Spring. After freely growing for 2 years the branches were cut back. I moved the tree into an oversized ceramic pot. I started two thread grafts to fill in canopy gaps
2023 Sept. a nice crop of apples. The apples ripen in late September but the leaves don't drop until November and by then the apples are dropping. So I don't think it will show well with apples.
2023 December after cleanup and light styling
This is the temporary front. It definitely works and could always end up the front, but I prefer more dynamism and there is no interaction between the trunks and the smaller trunk is in front.
This is what I think will be the final front once the rot is healed up. You can see the grafts are taking. More grafts will be done next year. I like this front because the main trunk will loom over the smaller trunk and then the branching makes sense and its more dynamic.
The rotted section is rolling over well and I expect it to close in 3 or 4 years. The bark does exfoliate. I'm growing this tree very hard for the next few years.
Stay tuned!
