Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
*The scar adds to the story of it appearing older.
Too late to repot this old crab apple?
- Thread starter dacoontz
- Start date
cwilhelm
Sapling
I like the last one. It's has a rounder profile than the first, which might look nicer with the deciduous tree. Toss-up on the color -- I prefer the light blue on its own, but I think the dark blue of #4 might provide richer contrast with the flowers and fruit.
dacoontz
Mame
Here’s other angles. Tree’s growth very left sided.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
I don't see the side I am envisioning. It may not work. This side in red. Straight on shot with that as the front please? See how the tree is leaning that direction? It is leaning towards the viewer if one stood on that side of it.
dacoontz
Mame
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
That would be the side I used to show the various pots.
I'm sorry...so the tree does come towards the viewer there. 2D images does leave a lot of dimension out of ones vision. Now that I know it leans toward the viewer. I agree this is the front. I went back to see the base of the tree earlier. Its an above view. Thats what puzzled me. I expected to see more of the inside scar. Assumed it was hiding just out of my vision. Its there. Just see it from another angle.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
The original pot...?
The first new one is OK I suppose. But I prefer the first, oddly enough.
The first new one is OK I suppose. But I prefer the first, oddly enough.
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
FROM...
TO.....
..had to wait a season or two to get it healthy, had mildew, fungus, scale...you name it. Crabs attract all manner of bugs and are very susceptible to fungal issues.....
May '13..
...see the milky colored leaves around the little visitor? Little bit of mildew, cedar-apple rust...etc....
Try not to use TOO deep of a container and you can see I used an akadama, pumice and lava mix. Doesn't stay too wet for too long, good aeration and seems to create a more consistent, stronger root ball. "Cheap soil" might not drain as well, and I find a heavier soil leads to fungus problems followed by scale and wooly aphids....especially in a deep pot.
Just have to water accordingly, more often, if that makes sense. In flower/fruit? At least 3-4 times a day in spring, summer and fall.
Don't concern yourself too much with placement in regards to the "top view" right now. Place it right in the middle with equal space around the root ball. Let the roots grow to ensure one side doesn't get stronger than another. Going for health here, not aesthetics. Not yet. Later, you can 'sus out the front and just orientate the pot that way when you prune. Put a toothpick or something in the soil to indicate your intended front.
You can see, you can be fairly aggressive when it comes to reducing the root ball. With your material, due to all the weeds, I might even go nuts and rinse out the roots. Liverwort and such things can be pretty stubborn.
I find early spring as the tree buds out is a good time for a light ant-fungal treatment. Fine in tandem with re-potting. Fall as well, but not sure if it's as effective as in spring. I site crab apples in full sun. Seems to help with the fungal issues and the flowers seem to like it....
...May 2019...
TO.....
..had to wait a season or two to get it healthy, had mildew, fungus, scale...you name it. Crabs attract all manner of bugs and are very susceptible to fungal issues.....
May '13..
...see the milky colored leaves around the little visitor? Little bit of mildew, cedar-apple rust...etc....
Try not to use TOO deep of a container and you can see I used an akadama, pumice and lava mix. Doesn't stay too wet for too long, good aeration and seems to create a more consistent, stronger root ball. "Cheap soil" might not drain as well, and I find a heavier soil leads to fungus problems followed by scale and wooly aphids....especially in a deep pot.
Just have to water accordingly, more often, if that makes sense. In flower/fruit? At least 3-4 times a day in spring, summer and fall.
Don't concern yourself too much with placement in regards to the "top view" right now. Place it right in the middle with equal space around the root ball. Let the roots grow to ensure one side doesn't get stronger than another. Going for health here, not aesthetics. Not yet. Later, you can 'sus out the front and just orientate the pot that way when you prune. Put a toothpick or something in the soil to indicate your intended front.
You can see, you can be fairly aggressive when it comes to reducing the root ball. With your material, due to all the weeds, I might even go nuts and rinse out the roots. Liverwort and such things can be pretty stubborn.
I find early spring as the tree buds out is a good time for a light ant-fungal treatment. Fine in tandem with re-potting. Fall as well, but not sure if it's as effective as in spring. I site crab apples in full sun. Seems to help with the fungal issues and the flowers seem to like it....
...May 2019...
dacoontz
Mame
Decided to keep it simple and use a bit wider pot. Not the final pot most likely but will be good for a little contrast and help give it some space to develop better roots. Roots weren’t terrible but not fantastic either. Had one large thick root that had wrapped around the perimeter of the pot but no major broom of smaller roots coming out from the trunk.
Cadillactaste
Neagari Gal
Absolutely love the pot! Perfect! Good job!
Don Blackmond
Omono
Now that you have the repotting question answered, the next question is what are you going to do with the tree? Just enjoy it for flowers and fruit? If you style it, what will you do?
dacoontz
Mame
I think I’ll just enjoy it for a little while and see what it does. Hoping it will push some new branches and eventually fill out a little. It feels a little out of balance at the moment.
I should add, branches don’t feel all that malleable right now so don’t know if this is due to its age or vitality. Worry that any attempt to style it will be futile.
I should add, branches don’t feel all that malleable right now so don’t know if this is due to its age or vitality. Worry that any attempt to style it will be futile.
Crab apples have very brittle branches in my experience. For styling, cut-and-grow cycles are a better option than trying to do significant wire work on older wood.
leatherback
The Treedeemer
Many trees withdraw sap from the wood during winter. In mid-spring to late-autum the branches should have a very different feel to them. Not pine-like putty, but still mallable.
That being said, I prefer to wire the branches as the grow; so I do a lot of mid-spring wiring (But that is for all trees I have)
That being said, I prefer to wire the branches as the grow; so I do a lot of mid-spring wiring (But that is for all trees I have)
Don Blackmond
Omono
They generally don't fill in. You usually have thicker branches that don't ramify. Let it grow for a season so you know what leaf, flower and fruit sizes you're working with. Then you can decide what style/look will compliment it.
If you want to use the upward growing branch as a new trunk, which appears to be what the previous owner planned, then you should consider putting it back in the ground. You'll need significant unchecked growth and chop cycles to fix the taper problem.
I would consider making it shohin/chuhin and remove the right-growing branching just above the scar. That would solve some problems.
dacoontz
Mame
Just an update on my crab apple. Seems to be taking well to the new pot. Thanks again for alll the advice.
Second pic shows it hanging out with my Privet under some cover. Still having a cold night in the low 30’s now and again. Although I think that will pretty much end next week as it continues to warm up.
Is it common practice to partially defoliate these to achieve ramification? If so, when to begin.
Second pic shows it hanging out with my Privet under some cover. Still having a cold night in the low 30’s now and again. Although I think that will pretty much end next week as it continues to warm up.
Is it common practice to partially defoliate these to achieve ramification? If so, when to begin.
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