Olive air layer and cutting or leave as it is

[giventofly]

Hi all,
so I got this olive, I cut to the lowest branch with leaves/branches but I still think it is too high and not with a good bend. My question is, should I air layer the top and cut bellow, or leave it as it currently is and wait for new buds to appear bellow and let the top "die" to make the characterist olive style ?

 

[leatherback]

I have no idea what the characteristic olive style it. BUT.. considering you just lopped the top off, and then expected the tree to pop new buds I would be a fan of allowing the tree to first grow and rebuild strength. But.. I am not on the iberic peninsula.

 

[giventofly]

I have no idea what the characteristic olive style it. BUT.. considering you just lopped the top off, and then expected the tree to pop new buds I would be a fan of allowing the tree to first grow and rebuild strength. But.. I am not on the iberic peninsula.

I think the lower buds won't come unless I chop the top, but I didn't want to risk to cut to lower, but I was also at first on the let it go grow stronger until next year, but the more I look at it I feel I should had made the first cut lower.

But for the next year, what do you think about the movement/cuts of it ? (btw, big fan).

 

[leatherback]

I would be curious what happens below the soil. Sometimes these have a very interesting base.

 

[giventofly]

I don't now how the nebari is for now, didn't do a repot to not avoid to increase the stress to the tree, but suposedly for olives the best time is during summer

 

[BrianBay9]

There's really nothing to air layer at the top currently. Just let it grow and see what pops.

 

[giventofly]

So stick with my original plan, thanks

 

[Shibui]

Definitely investigate the base of the trunk. Roots could be just under the soil or way down in the pot in which case the trunk may be much longer than it already appears and may have other bends, etc or just straight. All that will affect the look of the bonsai so needs to be considered before deciding anything else.
Seed grown olives develop a swollen lignotuber but cuttings don't seem to do that for many years.

No scale in the photo. How thick is the trunk now?

I concur with @leatherback Let it grow for at least 1 year to store more food and energy before chopping again. Good response to trunk chop hinges on how strong the tree is. A second chop now may not shoot. Strong growing olives often send out new shoots from the trunk even without pruning. I have to constantly trim unwanted new shoots off the trunks of my olives. If you let it grow strong this year you might even get some good shoots before chopping.

 

[giventofly]

Good tip on checking the roots, I kind of assumed it was right there near the top soil but indeed it was not and it changes my view of it.

Definitely investigate the base of the trunk. Roots could be just under the soil or way down in the pot in which case the trunk may be much longer than it already appears and may have other bends, etc or just straight. All that will affect the look of the bonsai so needs to be considered before deciding anything else.
Seed grown olives develop a swollen lignotuber but cuttings don't seem to do that for many years.

No scale in the photo. How thick is the trunk now?

I concur with @leatherback Let it grow for at least 1 year to store more food and energy before chopping again. Good response to trunk chop hinges on how strong the tree is. A second chop now may not shoot. Strong growing olives often send out new shoots from the trunk even without pruning. I have to constantly trim unwanted new shoots off the trunks of my olives. If you let it grow strong this year you might even get some good shoots before chopping.

It has around 12cm trunk, added a coke for scale.


So i took the chance and did a repot, I think I will cut those higher roots (yellow) and hope for new shoots and go from there. Maybe leave the big trunk for dead wood or chop it a bit but for now will let it rest for next year.

Open for suggestions too

 

[leatherback]

considering you just lopped the top off, and then expected the tree to pop new buds I would be a fan of allowing the tree to first grow and rebuild strength.

Let it grow for at least 1 year to store more food and energy before chopping again

Just let it grow and see what pops.

...

So i took the chance and did a repot,

ehm.. WHY?
WHY did you repot and not just let the tree recover?

 

[giventofly]

I was cleaning to see the nebari, it was a bit compact, the soil was not that good, I had to flip the plastic pot, and it got to a point of no turning back.

 

[AJL]

Good Luck!!

 

[giventofly]

I'll post updates next summer

 

[LuZiKui]

Olives are pretty robust, hopefully it'll rebound it might just be slow.

As the others said as it gets healthier it should start throwing off a lot of shoots. During the summer I probably get 10-15 new shoots every month from the base/root area. Once this recovers you should get plenty of options to work with.

 

[giventofly]

seems it adapted well and going strong

 

[It's Kev]

seems it adapted well and going strong

It’s nice when they bounce back hard, I chopped this bad boy less than 6 weeks ago

 

[czaczaja]

Any update since? Olives are so great for backbudding. I am myself planning on doing an air layer on my 2 olives as they are way too tall and skinny.

 

[giventofly]

Still alive, with some growth and I did the air layer on top, now I'm just waiting for the spring/summer to take it out, I'll post pictures at that point

 

[czaczaja]

Still alive, with some growth and I did the air layer on top, now I'm just waiting for the spring/summer to take it out, I'll post pictures at that point

When did you air layer it? I wonder if I should do it now or wait til spring. But your weather is considerably warmer than mine so you didn't really risk a frostbite.

 

[leatherback]

wonder if I should do it now or wait til spring

late spring, as it gets warmer and the olive is actively growing..