Help with a pomegranate

[grizzlywon]

I won this pomegranate at the recent Toko-Kazari show in the auction. It is a large cutting that has a lot of dead wood and carving.

I have some questions for you experts out there.

How should I treat the wood? Wood hardener or lime sulfur? I have noticed that the wood at and below the soil level is rotting.

Also, what do you think is the best front? Please help on this.

 

[grizzlywon]

I took it home, wired it and pruned it back to two leaves on most branches.

I also repoted it. The roots were totally pot bound, so I cut off about 10% of the massive root ball and put it in a larger more shallow pot. I wanted to go light as to not shock it too much.

I'm thinking that the last photo of the tree in the black pot might be the best front?

Thanks for your help on this guy.

 

[grizzlywon]

40 views and no help. I miss Bonsai Talk...

 

[milehigh_7]

I don't have the knowledge to help you even though poms do great for me all mine are pretty young and comparatively small. I am hoping someone experienced with them will chime in so I can learn as well. I think Attila mentioned experience with Poms.

 

[bonsai barry]

Looks like you found a nice piece and have a good start on training. My only thought is that the upper branches may grow to be too heavy compared to the lower ones and might need to be cut back.

 

[shohin kid]

grizzly won,
I like the material, looks like it has great potential. I am not expert, and I don't have any poms, but I would now let this tree grow. From the looks of your pics I like what you have chosen to be the front. The tree needs to fill in more, so that is why I would suggest letting it grow. How tall is it? I would almost either take off that top branch or wire it down near the other branches.

 

[bonhe]

Hi Grizzlywon, looks like its trunk is finished and now you should concentrate on its branch development. You should read Bonsai Today issue 107 and 56 to get information. I have one almost as same as yours, and it's in training now. I will post its picture in other thread in the near future.

Regarding to the dead wood, wood hardener may be a better choice. I have a large bougainvillea with very bad decayed wood due to termite. After killing the termite, I used wood hardener to save the wood, and it works very well. Oh, remember to finish carving before using the wood hardener.
Bonhe

 

[milehigh_7]

Could you post a picture of the wood hardener? Seeing it would be helpful in getting the right product.

Thanks!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Don't let the deadwood keep you from making good design choices. What is your vision for the final tree? I think you have chosen the correct front, but I'm not sure that your branch placement is the best. However it is hard to tell - it looks like some branches are projecting straight forward, and some are crossing over the front of the deadwood? I am not seeing your vision for what the final profile of the tree we be.

Also, lime sulfur will keep rot from spreading, but will not fix wood that has already rotted. What is the wood hardener? (thin epoxy?)

 

[grizzlywon]

Thanks for the tips. Bonhe I'll post the hardener that I have. I also wonder if this pic might be a good direction to go?

What do you guys think? I think this design would add a lot of taper that the tree really lacks at this point? It would also allow me the ability to carve out some of the rotting wood.

I assume I don't' want to get the hardener on the roots or into the soil. Do you just set the tree on it's side and use a brush and paper towels to keep it from running where you don't want it to go?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I assume I don't' want to get the hardener on the roots or into the soil. Do you just set the tree on it's side and use a brush and paper towels to keep it from running where you don't want it to go?

Depends on the hardener. If you use a product with a very thin epoxy base, you need to make sure the wood to be treated is bone dry, then you take a brush and touch it to the wood and the epoxy is sucked into the wood like a sponge - where it hardens.

Be cautious about one thing. Every wood hardener I have used has discolored or darkened the wood. It is very apparent where the wood hardener was used, versus untreated wood. I would experiment first on old stock, or on old wood branches (that are not part of any bonsai) until you feel confident that you know what the finished product will look like, before you use it on any of your trees.

 

[bonhe]

This is a wood hardener which I used. It's is thin liquid and you can squeeze it into the small hole. I used it for bougainvillea. At that time, I didn't have a time for a work on it, so that I just treated the decayed wood (whole cavity area with this solution). At first, the area had a ivory color, and almost a year later, I see some area with rusted color, and that's what I like for the old tree. Bonhe

P/S: At the lowest part of the cavity, I temporarily filled it up with wood glue to avoid the remaining water

 

[Dano]

Hey Grizzlyone,

Your pom gives me a good idea what to shoot for in my own plant. Right now, I am just letting the limbs grow a little wild for girth and will trim back later. You have a good looking tree. Thanks

Dano