My Jaboticaba has arrived!

[thellamattina]

Well, my first bonsai tree just arrived. It is a Jaboticaba and I'm very excited about it!

First impressions, It's a beautiful looking tree - It appears to be quite over grown though and needs some trimming/shaping.

For now - I removed it from the box, gave it some much needed water and it is now sitting outside getting some also much needed sunlight.

Questions:

#1 - Should I go around the top and trim up the ends sticking out everywhere and round it up a bit more?

#2 - Can I trim some of the lower branches off?

#3 - Are there certain branches that would be BAD to cut off? Or is it like the hair on your head and even if it looks ugly after you trim it, "it will grow back!".

#4 - I see that there is lots of discussion on types of pots to use. And apparently the "blue" ones are cheap and not very good. How can I tell if the pot it came with is adequate and good?

#4 - Should I remove yellow/dead looking leaves?

 

[thellamattina]

P.S - the pot that it came in is a brown clay/ceramic material... not plastic!

 

[aml1014]

Welcome to the nut house
This is a healthy tree, remember this is a tropical so it will need to live indoors during winter. As far as care this variety of tree goes I've never had one so I wouldn't feel comfortable giving advise. All I can recommend is that you just keep it alive for a month or two and figure out how to take care of it, and let it acclimate to your environment, and in the meantime do as much research as you can on your tree, you can go ahead and remove dead or yellowing leaves but I wouldn't do to much right away. This art is like nothing else and it will suck you in so be ready for it.

 

[thellamattina]

Thanks aml1014, I appreciate the information.

I am aware that this tree must live inside in the winter and I have ordered a grow lamp to place above it all winter (I have a separate thread regarding that).

I will wait for someone to chime in about trimming it possibly.

I'm sure I will have lots of questions as time goes on.

Anyone know at what night time temperature low must I start bringing this tree inside?

 

[thellamattina]

Also, I realized that some of my leaves have spots on them. I took a picture to show you guys. Is this something I should be worried about?

 

[aml1014]

Also, I realized that some of my leaves have spots on them. I took a picture to show you guys. Is this something I should be worried about?

Those are just old leaves you can tell where it was trimmed last so you can remove them without worry of harming the tree.

 

[thellamattina]

So should I trim off any branches? The lower portion just seems a bit overgrown to me..

 

[aml1014]

If your gonna completely remove branches back to the trunk or primary branches the tree won't tell thw difference only divert the energy, if your jist trimming shoots back then I would wait until I personally saw new growth.

 

[sorce]

Nice.

I'd let it all grow.

Leave the top on to fatten the trunk, and start designing your tree within the range of those first 3 branches.

You can airlayer the top.
But eventually it's gotta go IMO.
Years.

Sorce

NoCuttin!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Also, I realized that some of my leaves have spots on them. I took a picture to show you guys. Is this something I should be worried about?

Check the undersides of those spotted leaves to be sure no sucking insects are/were hanging out there.

 

[thellamattina]

Nice.

I'd let it all grow.

Leave the top on to fatten the trunk, and start designing your tree within the range of those first 3 branches.

You can airlayer the top.
But eventually it's gotta go IMO.
Years.

Sorce

NoCuttin!

Thanks for the info.

I'm very new to this and not sure what you mean by Airlayer.. also what part has to go? The entire top of the tree? Or the odd length branches.

 

[thellamattina]

Check the undersides of those spotted leaves to be sure no sucking insects are/were hanging out there.

There was some small round thing stuck to the bottom of one leaf when I plucked it.. but as soon as I plucked the leaf it fell off and I lost it so I couldn't see if it was a bug or just some dirt etc.

 

[sorce]

Thanks for the info.

I'm very new to this and not sure what you mean by Airlayer.. also what part has to go? The entire top of the tree? Or the odd length branches.

First, it's good to have another ILLI on here. Welcome!

Where did this tree come from again?

I don't know anything about them horticulturally. Didn't even know they flowered!

But. Being your first tree,(yes?) I think it would be cool if you had a good plan, and executed it. Its just, so many folks post trees with all the good branches already cut off. Or ready to cut em off.

Again, I don't know these trees, except for now, you want to style it in a fashion to best show off the flowers, (see also when to prune).

But to me, you also have to make a decent tree out of it, and I think that is gonna be all within here.

You'll find Airlayering a fun propagation technique, after you make a thousand, you will begin selecting only good starts to air layer, ie movement, taper, branching.

Sorce

 

[coh]

Sorce's idea about using the bottom as the entire tree might be a good approach, but there may also be something nice to be done with a taller, more sparse tree. It's hard to tell from the photos, perhaps if you posted a series of pics from 4 sides we could get a better idea. In any case, don't remove any branches until you have a definite plan in place.

One thing to be aware of, jaboticaba seems to be reluctant to grow new branches from the trunk. At least, that's what I've found to be true on mine. I've had to resort to grafting to try and fill some gaps. So if you remove those lower branches, you may not get anymore in that area. That's fine if you don't want them...unless you decide later that you do want them

Chris

 

[thellamattina]

Sorry for the late reply. So you guys mean actually removing (cutting off) the top half of the tree?

And then growing a smaller/shorter tree from the branches down on the lower half?

 

[coh]

That is one option.

Can you post more pics, maybe one from each side?

 

[sorce]

late

Late? That was like half a growing season! Lol.

How's it doing?

Sorce

 

[thellamattina]

I work 2 different jobs and am always busy when I'm not working. So I rarely have time to come online!

It's doing well so far. Getting new growth (see my post about brown leafs growing overnight) and I'm keeping it watered. It seems to like the grow light above it.

I will post some pictures tomorrow of all sides.