Ideas as to how to proceed with two projects

Bon Sai

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Hi, can you tell me what I can do with these trees?

One is an olive tree.

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I obtained it by air-layer.

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The tree now.

It's 16 inches tall and 1.6 inches thick, but an inch of earth should be removed to show the roots, so 17 inches tall. Now I think I should have shortened the branches a lot more but I didn't dare as I didn't know much what the tree should look like.

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I could cut it like this. The thinner branch on the left is so straight that it maybe should be cut very short. I would lose almost all leaves but it would be no problem as it would sprout back very fast. I would have lost one year's worth of growth, though. Another Idea I had is notching the thinner branch and bending it to the left. I've never attempted that but I think I could do it as olive trees are increadibly forgiving.

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By notching, I mean this.

Ok, now the other tree. It is an aleppo pine that was in the middle of a path and I collecteed maybe two years ago. Cars went over it without treading on it, and kept breaking the trunk so it kept making new trunks, which in turn got broken. I planted it, left it in a shadowy place and neglected it almost completely, barely watering it. This spring it is growing very fast. I've decandled it to promote branching.

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It had more trunks but I cut several. Maybe I should have kept more. It has a weird shape. I don't know if it can make a nice bonsai.

Well, that's it. Thank you to those who help me.
 

JoeH

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I agree with your cuts on the olive, just use that side branch on the thinner branch as the new leader, keeping it leaning sideways. You can see what happens with the thicker branch down the road. The pine is interesting, and has a great story behind it, hard to judge it from one pic, tho.
 

Potawatomi13

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Myriad interesting possibilities multiply as seconds pass by. The "weirder" branching is the better for Bonsai;). After such abuse tree deserves to live.
 
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Bon Sai

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I agree with your cuts on the olive, just use that side branch on the thinner branch as the new leader, keeping it leaning sideways.

The problem I see here is the new branch will never get as thick, or it will take decades, so you will always see it was cut. That's why I thought of notching.
 

Cadillactaste

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Once one understands your climate...they may offer more direction. If you would go to your profile and fill it in so we know your location. We might be better apt to offer direction,
 

Bon Sai

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Once one understands your climate...they may offer more direction. If you would go to your profile and fill it in so we know your location. We might be better apt to offer direction,
Done! It is the climate where olive trees and aleppo pines grow naturally. The trees on this thread I got from around my house. Anyway, I was just asking about styling.
 
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Cadillactaste

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Done! It is the climate where olive trees and aleppo pines grow naturally. The trees on this thread I got from around my house. Anyway, I was just asking about styling.
Proper seasons for techniques in any climate is very important. Which will help others with advice from here on out. Thanks for adding it. Europe...so you are in spring as we are then.

As for chopping...sounds like you understand the species. To lower those branches you offer a more stout trunk which is always a plus. I have seen the v technique applied by others with success. Will you do it so to bring the smaller branch toward the viewer as well? Or have you decided yet which direction might add more visual appealing once finally set? A lot to chew on...I would encourage you to either find something similar in style using google image...or a sketch of what you want the final tree to somewhat go towards in style.

The other...reminds me of a clump at this point.
 

Bon Sai

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Proper seasons for techniques in any climate is very important. Which will help others with advice from here on out. Thanks for adding it. Europe...so you are in spring as we are then.

As for chopping...sounds like you understand the species. To lower those branches you offer a more stout trunk which is always a plus. I have seen the v technique applied by others with success. Will you do it so to bring the smaller branch toward the viewer as well? Or have you decided yet which direction might add more visual appealing once finally set? A lot to chew on...I would encourage you to either find something similar in style using google image...or a sketch of what you want the final tree to somewhat go towards in style.

The other...reminds me of a clump at this point.

I'm thinking that chopping it now would stop root growth. It would maybe be a good idea to let it grow freely for another year so it makes a really developed root system, because I collected the tree in late summer, so it didn't have a lot of time till winter to grow roots. So, what I think is that if it has no leaves, roots won't grow, or at least will grow little.

Does it make any sense?
 

Bon Sai

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Well yes on the top post I'd said one year, but it's really a half.

By the way, 3 days ago I collected another air-layer from the same tree that I had made at the same time, but this branch had very little activity and it took much longer to grow roots.

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No leaves yet. It was 3 days ago.

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Some days ago I made 3 air-layers more on the same tree. Thicker branches. 2-3 inches.

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Why so much interest in this tree? I like its bark. And it also has a fine branching and thin leaves that I think can give a good result.
 
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