ATG's Privet Progression

[Aaron S.]

I have a privet that is sort of growing in my fence. Technically it is on my neighbor's side but then the neighbor built a wooden privacy fence about a foot from the original chain link fence and the privet is growing between the two fences. This past September I took a cutting from it and it rooted and it is the subject of this thread.

As you can tell from the pic, it is a large mighty, and ancient bonsai tree. I'm unsure of the variety of privet it is. Right now it is planted in homebrew compost. I'm going to keep it indoors over the winter and allow it to grow. Eventually, I would like to style it like Nigel Saunders Acacia styled Serrissa but in the end, it will end up being styled with what the tree gives me.
Yes, I know that it is nothing more than a small twig with a few leaves. I think it would be neat to show a tree's progression from the very beginning and follow along its journey until it becomes a respectable bonsai, or it dies. I don't know what is going to happen but it will be fun to see where this road takes me.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Privet is an winter hardy outdoor shrub. You really could just winter it outdoors. Set the pot on the ground, or heel the pot into the dirt in the garden up to just below the rim, leave it all winter in the yard. It will be fine.

Growing indoors for the winter, it might be okay. There is not particular advantage to wintering hardy trees indoors, often the warm temps indoors end up weakening the tree, rather than giving it a leg up on the next year. Unless you are an adept, experienced under lights gardener. Then you might get good growth. See threads by Cmeg here on BNut for an elegant under lights set up.

 

[Aaron S.]

Privet is an winter hardy outdoor shrub. You really could just winter it outdoors.

Yes, you are correct and it is good advice. I have several trees from the same parent plant and I have gotten mixed results on wintering them outdoors. I usually get the best growth from them during the winter under the grow lights. It is probably better for the long-term health of the tree to winter it outdoors so that it continues its regular seasonal growth patterns and give it it's winter break.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Privet is pretty "weedy", in that like Chinese elm, it may very well be an opportunistic grower, and grow just fine all winter without a rest. IF you have several, and a decent under lights set up, no reason to not grow it all winter under lights. Keep us posted as to how it works out.