3 new trees

[maroun.c]

Far from perfect trees I only got these for the visible age in the trunks. I'm fne leaving them with the issues they have and enjoying them in the garden till my trees are there in few years... as said we dont find aged trunks and that's the only reason for getting those and if u can help me improve them.a bit that would be great.

Cedrus lebani 35 yrs old.
A tiny bit of reverse taper accentuated by the flaking bark but loved the trunk and the main shape is there. A crossing branch to the side which I can remove and develop the small branch behind it and push it to fill that space ....


Pinus Nigra 30 yes old
Not a fan of the roots but can hide most of them.in next repot by going to a bit deeper pot and maybe using the back side as front as it shows them less. Not sure of the species is thos the black pine or other researched it and it says Austrian pine it not sure if this is to be treated as single or multiple flush pine . Main structure is there I guess but appreciate advislce.on how to regrow.and work.the branches for more.rramifocatin, appreciate a yearly plan as I have no experience with pines .



Back side showing less roots



Olive 25 years
Not crazy about the branches but loving the older base. Chop.and restart? Or work on getting re budding and more ramification ?




All three will gradually move to better soil.
Thanks

 

[August44]

I am assuming you bought these already in the pots as shown?

 

[maroun.c]

Yes they had been worked as bonsais already. Not crazy about the style or soil but much better trees than what I can find here.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

You're right - all of these need significant work, but all of them have potential. My opinions:

(1) First tree a lot of trunk character is due to a large scar on the trunk. It will hopefully continue to heal and close... but it will also continue to cause swelling at the wound site. I think the future of this tree will be based on building a new trunk line from the lowest branch. I would turn the front of the tree counter-clockwise so the wound does not face the viewer. Then I would wire the front right branch so that it bends sharply upwards and becomes my new trunk, while slowly shifting strength from the old trunk to the new one. Reduce leggy growth as much as possible and push foliage in.

(2) I think this tree is pretty easy. The future of the tree is the lowest branch, so you need to wire in the design, and then focus on constraining the top of the tree while letting that branch grow strong. Eventually (in a couple years) you will eliminate the upper part of the tree, but you will probably want to leave a medium height jin.

(3) This olive is a missed opportunity. When they did the original trunk chop, they didn't leave any deadwood, but rather a flush-cut stump. The entire right side of that stump is dead, so there is no chance of new growth enveloping and healing over the old trunk. Hopefully the trunk will start to rot, or you have decent carving skills, so that the old trunk begins to look more natural. Otherwise, when healthy olives will bud back from next to nothing. This tree I would reduce the trunk to a point below all the other scars, so you are left with only worrying about a single scar that needs healing Make sure you create an angled cut, with the cut facing the back of the tree.

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks for your input, indeed was wondering why the trunk on that cedar looked like that and I can see few points that still have sap on them. Must indeed be an old injury.

 

[Forsoothe!]

One of the things you can do with branches that are too rangy is to bend them all over the place. The Cedar is such a tree with a lot of long branches and a lot of character throughout. There could be a windswept in there, or an enchanted tree, -a one of a kind.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Must indeed be an old injury.

Here it is with a little more detail. Once you reduce the trunk, wire the top branch up, and the bottom branch sweeping down to the left, you would want to detail wire all the smaller branches so they work with the new lines. At least... this is what I would do if it were my tree.

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks for the great info.
Couple questions, is it possible I will still have branches die off because of that injury ?
If I'm to proceed as u suggest I would assume.plan as follows ?
Fertilize this year moderately till dec
Start transition to better soil around mar next year
Start taking out branches idle the branches to be kept show good response and start building up post flush harden around june jul next year ? But then might have to much sap bleed ? Wait till April year after which means transition to better soil will be delayed by one more year ????
Would the plan be the same for the pine as well ?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Couple questions, is it possible I will still have branches die off because of that injury ?

I don't think so. That wound has been healing for quite some time - several years at least. What causes the swelling is callous growth around the margin of the wound, which is the tree sealing off the injured area. Over time, as long as the tree continues to grow and thicken, the wound will often close. Either that, or it could form a hollow where the inner wood rots a little and forms a void space. However the important thing is that the tree has sealed off the injury.

Personally, if it were me, I'd start bending those two branches as soon as possible because they aren't getting any younger or thinner As it is, you might need to use rebar and heavy wire tie-downs.

 

[maroun.c]

Proposed new front

Any more rotation and I start seeing the side branch in front and unfortunately only front gas nice bark as back has been stripped or it might have peeled of. Not sure if front has bark glued to it to hide scar.
Oblique and back

Just for my understanding of the thought about this, what is the advantage of raising that crossing branch vs removing and using the already existing and tapering top which already has aged and textured trunk. Checked and I can drop side branch till as the green line


If I am to use the lower branches as said this will be the bending limit.


Does cedar air layer to use the to section as a separate tree ?

Thanks for all the help

 

[Forsoothe!]

I like the proposed front, but can't see the whole tree, of course. There's a lot of trees in there...



Sky's the limit!

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks but how about that crossing branch in the front ? Isnt it a nasty one to keep

 

[Forsoothe!]

Only a person with 3-D vision can see that. It's hard for me to see it from 10,000 miles away. Looks interesting in a photo, but we all have trees that look great in person and photograph like crap, or vice-versa.

In The World According To Jim Doyle, what is the best feature of the tree? He sez that after you find that, all else you do accentuates that best feature, and you eliminate or hide anything that gets in the way of your quest.