Bougie into a Cascade?

LanceMac10 · Nov 30, 2017

Heheheee.....If you look at it, as far as advice goes, who you gonna' listen to? Me or @Bonsai Nut ? I'll take his advice before my own!

Not trying to prove anything, this wood gets observed constantly. You grow it, I'm sure you can see the wood is soft. Absolutely something to keep an eye on.

Dorian Fourie · Nov 30, 2017

LanceMac10 said:
Heheheee.....If you look at it, as far as advice goes, who you gonna' listen to? Me or @Bonsai Nut ? I'll take his advice before my own!

Not trying to prove anything, this wood gets observed constantly. You grow it, I'm sure you can see the wood is soft. Absolutely something to keep an eye on.

Lol

I listen to everyone’s advice and then try to work it or adapt it to my conditions. Many people have advised me on protecting the wood. When I got it, I brushed off a layer of rot and painted with lime sulphur.

Going to do another layer on it shortly but with some ash mixed in to make it slightly darker. The white is just too bright.

Dorian Fourie · Dec 5, 2017

I had a good look at the tree and decided to cut back the long branch to a new developing bud. I wired the lowest branch too and brought it more forward and now no more work on the tree apart from cleaning up the deadwood.

Dorian Fourie · Sep 25, 2018

A quick update on this bougie.

Spring is here and the flowers are developing nicely on this tree. I am happy with how it is developing.

I have left this part to grow upwards as it is to become the new apex, but I am wondering if I shouldn't just cut it back and only leave the lower part

This to me looks much better with out it. Thoughts?

Carol 83 · Sep 25, 2018

I think it looks better without it. Very nice, love bougies!

bonsaichile · Sep 25, 2018

Dorian Fourie said:
I spent the afternoon yesterday treating the wood with lime sulphur. After cleaning off the rot, I want to preserve it as best I can.
Before
View attachment 134000
After
View attachment 134001

This morning it has already started loosing the yellow colour and turning white.
View attachment 133997 View attachment 133998

Then I realised that I had not put anything for a size reference so here we go. Monster Energy Can - 500ml (17 fl.oz.)
View attachment 133999

Hopefully you can preseve the dead wood. Bougainvillea's wood rots really easily. Be careful when watering not to wet the trunk. Beautiful tree!

CasAH · Sep 25, 2018

Cut it.

It is looking very nice. I really like your Bougie.

Dorian Fourie · Sep 25, 2018

bonsaichile said:
Hopefully you can preseve the dead wood. Bougainvillea's wood rots really easily. Be careful when watering not to wet the trunk. Beautiful tree!

Absolutely. Luckily this tree gets full sun for most of the day. Any water that does land on the trunk dries out pretty quickly.

I am showing the tree this weekend and next week, I will paint it again with lime sulphur.

I believe super glue is a great preservative but South Africa does not sell large volumes of it, only small tubes so I am out of luck on that.

Dorian Fourie · Sep 25, 2018

CasAH said:
Cut it.

It is looking very nice. I really like your Bougie.

I tend to agree. I am actually going to wire it down into the canopy and see what it looks like before cutting it. Maybe I can keep that branch.

I will post pics as soon as I have done it

Thanks

Dorian Fourie · Sep 25, 2018

Another option would be to develop the canopy more towards the base.

My Photoshop skills aren't the best but this is what the idea would be.

sorce · Sep 26, 2018

Branch....no Branch!
Who gives a knob cutter?

This is amazing!

S

Dorian Fourie · Sep 26, 2018

sorce said:
Branch....no Branch!
Who gives a knob cutter?

This is amazing!

S

Thanks Bud. Appreciate it

sorce · Sep 26, 2018

Ok...I think it only looks out of place because it is the same height as the trunk.
I wouldnt cut it. Just lower it...grow it in this canopy until it can be it's own.

RN talks about this in his supercritique Nellie posted.

Different renditions of a tree and letting it grow into the next one.

Keep it sure.

S

Dorian Fourie · Sep 26, 2018

sorce said:
Ok...I think it only looks out of place because it is the same height as the trunk.
I wouldnt cut it. Just lower it...grow it in this canopy until it can be it's own.

RN talks about this in his supercritique Nellie posted.

Different renditions of a tree and letting it grow into the next one.

Keep it sure.

S

Will keep you updated

cockroach · Sep 26, 2018

Mooi man!!

Coming along nicely. I think thickening the "new apex" branch and giving it the same character as the main trunk could look really nice. But like @sorce said, "Branch....no branch. Who gives a knob cutter?" It is still a fantastic tree.

Dorian Fourie · Apr 15, 2019

A quick update on this bougie

I had been leaving it to grow out and finally I decided that it was time to wire it down.

Before

After

A few weeks / months with the wire on will set the structure nicely

Dorian Fourie · Oct 2, 2019

It has been awhile since I updated this.

The cascade is flowering very nicely now and I am happy with how it is developing.

Hartinez · Oct 2, 2019

Dorian Fourie said:
It has been awhile since I updated this.

The cascade is flowering very nicely now and I am happy with how it is developing.
View attachment 265060

I’ll say. Excellent plan and execution. Are their green leaves hiding under that canopy of pink? Or did you remove all of those?

Dorian Fourie · Oct 15, 2019

Hartinez said:
I’ll say. Excellent plan and execution. Are their green leaves hiding under that canopy of pink? Or did you remove all of those?

Thanks so much Hartinez

All the leaves are under the canopy of pink. I am hoping in the next few years the branching will thicken up and I can cut it back and try to get a better branch structure in there. It looks amazing when flowering but very bad when there are none.

penumbra · Oct 15, 2019

I just followed this thread from start to present for the first time. You did a remarkable job and you had much excellent advice.

It is a joy to look at.

Bougie into a Cascade?

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