Developing a shohin Ume

[thumblessprimate1]

Lookin' nice!

 

[Nybonsai12]

Agree with thumbless. Looking good nice base. Good stuff Dave. Fun time of year for you! Repots and riding the high from that super bowl victory!

 

[Dav4]

Agree with thumbless. Looking good nice base. Good stuff Dave. Fun time of year for you! Repots and riding the high from that super bowl victory!

Yes, it HAS been a good start to 2017!!

 

[Paulpash]

I would have thought a thread graft was the most reliable way of putting new shoots on a Ume? Easier to get the cambium to match, self sustaining scion etc

 

[Giga]

nice ume! - I got a massive one this year. There alot of fun to work with

 

[Dav4]

 

[bonsai45]

@Dav4 how is this tree doing? did the thread grafts take?

 

[Dav4]

@Dav4 how is this tree doing? did the thread grafts take?

It's growing well this year and has been cut back and wired a few times. The thread graft didn't take, though... the branch just withered one day before I had even thought of beginning the separation process. I'll try to get some new pictures up shortly.

 

[Dav4]

A picture from this morning. I need to figure out how to keep those lower branches strong which is hard to do when you’re developing the upper canopy as well and need to let everything grow.

 

[Dav4]

The wiring was tweaked today and the first real carving was carried out over the weekend. The cascading branch was deliberately left long to build more strength and will likely be cut back later this year. Depending on how it grows, I’m very likely to remove most of the existing apex and build a new one from the wired upper branch. Will get repotted after taking the MIL to the docs

 

[Dav4]

Finished for now, new pot by Ryagaku. I’m kind of liking the new tree pot combo, though I will probably be able to get that into a smaller pot down the road.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Sweet looking ume! I definitely would've grafted a bunch whatever cut off.

 

[Dav4]

Spring work done for now. The new apex needs to thicken up and the old apex needs to be carved down, but we're headed in the right direction with hopefully getting some ramification closer to the trunk. I can't lie... several branches cracked during the wiring but I'm optimistic they'll be ok.

 

[JoeR]

Finished for now, new pot by Ryagaku. I’m kind of liking the new tree pot combo, though I will probably be able to get that into a smaller pot down the road.
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What soil did you use for this last repot? Last post said akadama, curious if that worked well for you or if you switched to something different. Your ume has developed very well in the last few years, nice work on the carving

Also, have you found the key to keeping lower branches strong? I have one in the grow beds that I've retained several good lower branches on, but the 6'+ extentions I've grown on the other parts of the tree have definitely slowed the lower branches.

 

[Dav4]

What soil did you use for this last repot? Last post said akadama, curious if that worked well for you or if you switched to something different. Your ume has developed very well in the last few years, nice work on the carving

Also, have you found the key to keeping lower branches strong? I have one in the grow beds that I've retained several good lower branches on, but the 6'+ extentions I've grown on the other parts of the tree have definitely slowed the lower branches.

This one is in sifted Clay King, an imported mix which is essentially Akadama/Pumice/Lava and it does seem to like it... though my other ume is in a turface mix and grows like a weed in it. I suspect the key in maintaining the strength of the lower branches is by allowing them to grow while restraining the upper branches. At least, so far so good . Honestly, now that this one is in refinement mode and doesn't have those long extensions, I'm hopeful to maintain even strength throughout the canopy. Then, we'll be hopefully seeing a bit more ramification and some flowers.

 

[Dav4]

Look at who I found touching up the deadwood on this one. The fat SOB actually did a decent job …