Next step? Spiny Black Olive.

[PRNDL]

Ok, I was able to get things started. I’m not sure where to go from here with my Spiny Black Olive plant. I’m not sure what to do with the branches. I’m the video above that SWFlorida added, the guy says to “steal up the branches”. I think I’m going to use wire to pull all the branches up and toward each other like a cone. I like whens these little trees lean over more two one side. Like my small Juniper thumbnail in my profile any ideas? It’s weird how the trunk splits in all directions. Here are some pics....

 

[PRNDL]

The truck runs straight up the splits in all different directions. One video advises to “steal up” one branch to make it turn into the main branch. I may do that on one side only.

 

[ShadyStump]

Still a noob myself, and no experience with olives, but I an just rich enough to give my two cents to everyone.

There are the three branches that almost come straight out of the same spot, then the one coming out exactly opposite them. You could take that one and wire or brace it around in a semi-horizontal curve until it sits roughly attop the center of the trunk. As it fills in and fills out, the result should be something akin to a windswept style, with all the branches pushing in one direction, only imitating something more like the tree grew out of a steep hillside in the shade and is reaching for sun. Angling the trunk more in the same direction would complete the image.

Otherwise, yeah, wire the smallest branch upward to become the new apex as it fills in. You may wind up with some reverse taper issues in the future either way, so if you get luck with some backbudding low on the trunk, leave it as sacrificial branches for a couple years to thicken the trunk.

 

[PRNDL]

Ok, let me see if I follow. Based on the picture below..

1. leave the three branches on the left alone.
2. Wire and or steak up the branch on the right that splits into 2 like a Y.
3. let that branch on the right become the higher main leader until it curves back around and faces back towards the same direction as the other three?
4. Then they will all be facing one direction like a windswept.

Does that sound

I like when these are not symmetrical.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Here's one...

 

[PRNDL]

What do I have to do with the big ball of roots in order to get it to fit on such a low pot?

 

[Forsoothe!]

Sneak up on it. You can repot every June and remove the lower ~half. If you go to the upper right hand corner and click on your Icon, you can add your location and people will be able to customize advice for you.

 

[PRNDL]

Cut the lower half of the roots?

 

[ShadyStump]

Ok, let me see if I follow. Based on the picture below..

1. leave the three branches on the left alone.
2. Wire and or steak up the branch on the right that splits into 2 like a Y.
3. let that branch on the right become the higher main leader until it curves back around and faces back towards the same direction as the other three?
4. Then they will all be facing one direction like a windswept.

Does that sound

I like when these are not symmetrical.

That's essentially what I was thinking. But you're much better off taking advice from @Forsoothe! than me. I have a decent grasp of theory and aesthetics, but I'm a long way off from being able to tell you how to do it.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Cut the lower half of the roots?

They grow very slow up here, so it takes me longer to do anything, but keep nibbling the root mass/shape down to what you want. Naturally, if you don't get side-ways growth that looks like it is prosperous, you cut off less, but if you get the normal respond of growth you take off some from where you don't want it in favor of leaving it where you do. I have an organic media and I have to water it often, but it doesn't show a lot of wilting when it is dry. It does slump a little, but the leaves are thick and glossy so they don't show signs until they start dropping leaves. I water basically every other day in winter and they do OK. The leaves get tired towards the end of summer and drop when I bring it in, but the best growth seems to be in early winter and carrying thru to looking nice when it comes time to put it outdoors in early May. I don't know, but speculate that it goes thru(responds as though the hottest season is dry rather than a growth season) a dry season in the heat of summer and begins regrowing when the photoperiod begins to increase in winter. I water everyday it doesn't rain outdoors. This is 20 years old from a pencil, and you can see it's still has a pretty thin truck. I prune it to grow side-ways and it does for the most part and you can let it grow straight up from almost anywhere if you want it taller, I don't. I do all hard pruning when it is growing strong in May or June. Here it is in 2005, not as compact...

 

[PRNDL]

Wow! 20 years? I like that spherical pot.

What do you think I should do with the shape of my tree? Have you seen my pictures above? I like the idea of slowly bending up and over the thicker branch that splits into a Y. Any other ideas?

 

[Forsoothe!]

The one thing you can do with branches that are too long is to wire them into a wind-blown. Unfortunately, your branches are beyond that. You need to fill in the center with foliage & branches in concert with the characteristics of the species, which you can see are skinny branches and tiny foliage. That means this needs to be a compact design/style. I count 6 branches which are luckily 6 sizes. Consider turning them into 5 layers and a leader: 5 steps in a spiral staircase and any one that can be turned both most upright and tallest as leader and with the remaining 5 being set in layers according to thickness. After you get the layers in-place, trim those long branches back, -way back, to where they fulfill the new role they play. Mostly, that will be back to very little foliage. Your new front will be a default of the best view of the leader. Just something to think about...

 

[PRNDL]

Thank you for the great advice!

I’m still a bit confused because I’m still new to this.

The 4 on the left: Use wire to stagger their heights. Like a stair case. Based on thickness. So, thinner ones go low and thicker ones higher? A spiral staircase. Lime

Windblown. So the wind would seem to be blowing to the right or left?

The 6th branch on the right, I can bend up as a leader? Or let something grow vertical from the center?

Once I push the foliage way back, let the foliage fill the center of the branches?

I’ll draw what I think you describe.

 

[PRNDL]

Which way does the wind blow. Or simulated blow?

 

[Forsoothe!]

Windblown post

 

[PRNDL]

This is how I wired it up. Do you think this will work?

im not sure I understand “windblown post”. Sorry

 

[Forsoothe!]

Windblown principals, from here...
To here...

 

[PRNDL]

Thank you. I’m still learning plus learning the site. I hope I’m not too annoying. Thank you.

how’s my wiring job look?

 

[Forsoothe!]

Your tree doesn't have branches that are going to make the turns, and the foliage is too far away from the trunk. So windblown is out here and more appropriate to long thin branches, but not as long as yours. Your trunk below the first branch is also too straight and too tall. So windblown is out for you and this existing tree.

The spiral staircase is centered on the trunk. Attached is a primer on basic bonsai.

 

[PRNDL]

Will more foliage grow towards the center so I can push it all back?