Hand me down J. beech----help

[ABCarve]

I just have been enlisted to "save her bonsai". She wants me to have them (but not just yet...hmmm) because she can't take care of them anymore. She's been doing it since the mid-60s. So I've got this J. beech or E. beech ( she can't remember) and in dire need of chasing back. The trunk is about 1-1/4 dia. I've never worked with beech before. What's the best way to proceed? I was going to repot, get the weeds and old soil out, and cut back to one bud per branch. Too drastic?? It must have been a small forest or multi-trunk at one time from the stumps around the trunk. Wadaya think ---potential?

 

[Poink88]

Check BVF's thread

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?4704-Japanese-Beech-quot-choose-your-own-adventure-quot

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Your plan sounds solid. Here's about how I'd prune it back. If the right primary branch has buds, I'd cut back to the first bud on each of its secondary branches; even if the buds are pretty small.

I think you could get pretty aggressive combing out the roots, but I'd avoid pruning them back too far.

They are really late to break bud, so the timing is probably very good.

 

[ABCarve]

Your plan sounds solid. Here's about how I'd prune it back. If the right primary branch has buds, I'd cut back to the first bud on each of its secondary branches; even if the buds are pretty small.

I think you could get pretty aggressive combing out the roots, but I'd avoid pruning them back too far.

They are really late to break bud, so the timing is probably very good.

Thanks Brian. I've been following your progression thread...great work. I'm not sure this one will fall into that formal upright style though.

 

[ABCarve]

signs of life!

Well.....June 17 and its budding out. After digging thru 4 layers of repot screen, rotten roots, dead stumps and broken down saturated soil.......it's alive!! But I don't know for how long. Funny, the person that gave this to me was a director of ABS back in the early 70's. I guess that why they gave it to me. Anyways....any advise on nursing care for the tree?

 

[GrimLore]

Nice save Man they take a long time to break bud - I would have thought it was dead honest

Grimmy

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Wow...very slow to respond. They're late bloomers, but this one really took its time. I'd let it grow all summer, and keep everything that does grow until fall. Once it finishes growing for the season, move it to some afternoon shade and let's get another look at it around mid-September.

Feed heavily, but watch water, mine isn't too thirsty and I site it with azaleas and J. Maples. I mist the foliage daily, but it doesn't need water daily.

 

[ABCarve]

I have it set so it gets morning and late afternoon sun...filtered in hot high sun. Do you think it should get full sun now? There really wasn't a lot of root left when I got done.

 

[ABCarve]

Nice save Man they take a long time to break bud - I would have thought it was dead honest

Grimmy

I hear ya.....I could see a few buds swelling but I gave it a 10% chance. I can still see it leafing out and turning up its toes. But I'm hopeful it doesn't.

 

[GrimLore]

I hear ya.....I could see a few buds swelling but I gave it a 10% chance. I can still see it leafing out and turning up its toes. But I'm hopeful it doesn't.

That would have been a tree that I would find growing in the compost at the end of the season and I am a patient man

Grimmy

 

[JudyB]

Do keep it out of the wind, they respond badly to wind with new leaves, and frankly anytime they are stressed. When the tree is healthy, after the leaves harden, it's not so critical. but this year.... I'd protect it from any strong breezes.
Nice save, you will have a nice tree out of this.

 

[ABCarve]

Do keep it out of the wind, they respond badly to wind with new leaves, and frankly anytime they are stressed. When the tree is healthy, after the leaves harden, it's not so critical. but this year.... I'd protect it from any strong breezes.
Nice save, you will have a nice tree out of this.

Today is an extra windy one here and I've moved it....Thank you!!

 

[JudyB]

Yeah, here too. I keep mine in one of my buffered areas. These trees are worth the trouble....

 

[ABCarve]

I was just out poking around at it and noticed this. Seems a little weird for brand new leaves. Rust? Bonide? Or am I being over-cautious.

 

[JudyB]

Could be fungus, could have been a bug inside the bud. I had this last year, and it was a huge problem.
I spray regularly with a fungicide. This looks like EU beech. Their leaves are super fragile when they come out, it could have been something small.

 

[JudyB]

I'm going to place a link here with some really good info to have about beech, it's a thread over at IBC.
Please read what Marcus Watts has to say about beech and how one year effects the next. This is applicable to all beech, as most only get one flush.

http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t15495-japanese-beech-slowly-dying-can-anything-be-done

 

[ABCarve]

I'm going to place a link here with some really good info to have about beech, it's a thread over at IBC.
Please read what Marcus Watts has to say about beech and how one year effects the next. This is applicable to all beech, as most only get one flush.

http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t15495-japanese-beech-slowly-dying-can-anything-be-done

It could be an EU beech. She couldn't really remember. Thanks for the link!

 

[ABCarve]

I read the thread........hmmmm .....Now I'm wondering about the species JB or EB.

An added thought...I noticed the black tinge to the bark thinking it was sooty mold, I scrubbed it with soapy water and a toothbrush....alas it is still there. Does this help identify the species.

 

[JudyB]

Whichever it is, you can pretty much treat them the same as you learn how to care for it. I would not do too much to it in one year, as it really is true that you'll see those results in the following year.

 

[ABCarve]

Update

Here's a new pic. There were a few buds that just popped about 2 weeks ago and a few still trying. Bizarre!!. I thought it would just leaf out for its last horrah. The leaves are few, tiny and nasty looking, but if you look closely, it's forming next years buds. At first I thought they were some kind of scale. Just hope it they pop a little sooner next spring if they do at all. Any advise?