Help Scott pick his keeper

[markyscott]

So, how can you tell when your tree is ready for developmental work during the growing season? It's ready when the new growth has hardened off.

• Hardening means establishment of the cuticle - a waxy covering that reduces transpiration
• Early spring growth is light green and very soft. As it hardens off it gets firmer and darker in color.
• That’s the moment to work the trees - when the spring push has hardened, but the branch hasn't fully lignified so it’s soft enough to work.

Work your trees as soon as the spring growth has hardened off. They'll reward you with another flush of growth. When that's hardened off you can work it again. And again. And again. With luck and a long growing season, you can get in quite a few growths in a single season. this is number 3 for this tree.

Scott

 

[markyscott]

Another example. Consider this branch:



See how the interior leaves are getting yellow? Not enough light getting to the interior of the tree - it's getting shaded out.

Scott

 

[markyscott]

Same process:

1) remove old leaves


Scott

 

[markyscott]

2) Remove old wire

 

[markyscott]

3) Cut back to strongly growing shoots

 

[markyscott]

4) Wire new growth

 

[markyscott]

5) Style

 

[markyscott]

See? Now I have taper and ramification. Repeat this process over the whole tree and create taper, ramification and branch structure.

Scott

 

[markyscott]

Done for today and probably for the season until cut back.



Scott

 

[markyscott]

Here's a side-by-side. End July to end August.

 

[Victorim]

love it mate. no one shows cut branches like you. validates my choices.

 

[CasAH]

Here's a side-by-side. End July to end August.

View attachment 158346 View attachment 158345

Is there any way to get some movement in the smaller trunk? I see the lower trunk of it mimics the movement in the larger trunk, then it is just straight. Are going to chop it back or does it show lack of movement and taper on a 3D photo?

 

[markyscott]

Is there any way to get some movement in the smaller trunk? I see the lower trunk of it mimics the movement in the larger trunk, then it is just straight. Are going to chop it back or does it show lack of movement and taper on a 3D photo?

Hi CasAH. If you look back to the July posts, you'll see my attempt to do exactly that. It takes time with broadleaf hardwoods, though. I'll bend it some more with the jack soon.

S

 

[CasAH]

Hi CasAH. If you look back to the July posts, you'll see my attempt to do exactly that. It takes time with broadleaf hardwoods, though. I'll bend it some more with the jack soon.

S

Scott, went back reread the July update and see you did discuss this issue. I just remember the part about twisting the wire to strengthen it to spread the two trunks apart.

 

[markyscott]

I want to emphasize this post.

https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/help-scott-pick-his-keeper.21589/page-5#post-485493

To do this step, you must have healthy growth to cut back to. To keep interior growth healthy is the reason we remove the old leaves and allow light into the interior. I've seen many people learning bonsai make the unfortunate choice to cut off the interior branches - thinking incorrectly that they bend the branches of broadleaf hardwoods with wire to obtain movement. Or to let the exterior canopy get so full by pinching or shearing the new growth that the interior shoots die from want of light. Doing this will create straight taperless branches with no branching close to the trunk. This method of cutting back creates taper and ramification close to the trunk - it's what Boon means when he says to build the branches of deciduous hardwood trees from the inside out.

Scott

 

[markyscott]

Update on #2, the crowd sourced favorite. Fall was today. Next step is cutback. I’ll do that in early spring before the buds start moving.


I really like working with these trees so far. That are really easy to work with and develop very quickly.

Scott

 

[River's Edge]

I like tree three, broader base, better taper potential, varying size between trunks, looks like more possible fronts.

 

[markyscott]

I like tree three, broader base, better taper potential, varying size between trunks, looks like more possible fronts.

Thank you Frank. I’ll probably take it out of the flat and put it into a training pot while I work on tertiary ramification. I’ll re-evaluate the front at that time.

S

 

[markyscott]

Update on #4, the crowd sourced second favorite. I love working on this species.




Here’s a side-by-side comparison - Jan 2016 to Nov 2017.


Collected October 21st in Louisiana.


Water elm develop by far the fastest of any trees I’ve worked with.

Next is cutback and repot in late winter/early spring (for me that’s February). I’ll probably put a bit more movement in the secondary trunk. I’ve considered grafting, but water elm seem to callous poorly. Anyone have any experience grafting water elm?

Scott

 

[markyscott]

Here’s a side-by-side for #2, Jan 2016 - November 2017.



Both #4 and #2 have turned out well, but of the two, I still like this one better. It was also the crowd sourced favorite. I edited out the smallest trunk - it was originally a three trunk clump.

Scott