sp1tf1re
Seedling
Fantastic looking tree. Was all that calcium hard water from a previous owners water supply? It's amazing how the tree looks so much brighter and livelier after the cleanup.
My next raintree
- Thread starter c54fun
- Start date
Lobaeux
Shohin
I'd be interested to know if the leaves do come back a little smaller. The tree looks like it brought its leaves back very quickly.
Yes the calcium hard water was from the previous owners water supply. The trunk and leaves had so much hard water stains it had a dusty look from about 5 feet away. All fixed now. New style, new leaves and a good trunk and branch cleaning made a big difference.
This was the first time I have defoliated. Wiring was a snap not having any leaves on it. It had small leaves on it to start but looks like they may be smaller than before after the defoliation. Time will tell. I have some pictures of the leaves in my hand and once the new leaves are grown I will compare. Have a feeling the previous owner/owners may have defoliated.
All the leaves on this tree where dead and stuck open. Almost had a preserved look to it. Raintrees hate being shipped. Having to defoliate worked out great for me. Was able to see just what I wanted to cut back and re style and removing all the wire and adding my own was simple without tiny leaves and stems in the way. Problem I see with defoliation to aid in wiring is I just removed and re wired my other tree and the wire has only been on 30 days and needed to be removed. Next year I may defoliate my smaller tree and see if the leaves come back smaller just to see for myself.
Lobaeux
Shohin
I'm thinking wiring is the biggest benefit to defoliating the Brazilian. It was much easier to wire and dethorn without the leaves. I haven't noticed a reduction in the size of the leaves myself, but anecdotal evidence says the tree doesn't have a problem with it.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
I generally defoliate mine once a year, sometimes twice. Or once fully and partial a second time. Leaves don't reduce much with defoliation but do reduce when the tree is very full. More leaves =smaller leaves.
After seeing some of the growth It needed more of an apex. So I wired the top a little and trimmed some of the new growth going upwards. Getting a better idea of what it will look like. If the empty spot on the right at the top doesn't fill in I will shorten the apex and bend it over to the right. Plenty of work left to do but I like it so far. Its what I pictured in my head.
Was out tonight looking over my trees and taking some pictures. When I uploaded it I saw the bottom of the rain tree had some white cracks showing. Went back out and the bark flaked right off. Looks like it may do this in several spots. My other one has not done this yet. Must not be old enough.
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Did some more work today getting more taper in the branches. Cutting back on the top and stretching things out on the bottom. Also created some more spaces by cutting a few more branches off. Once the pads a full and lush they will be 2 or 3 inches thick.
Couple of the sides and a picture of it on the stand. Its pretty tall. Seems real tall when I have it inside on the table.
Couple of the sides and a picture of it on the stand. Its pretty tall. Seems real tall when I have it inside on the table.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Maybe too tall??? Could just be the pot with the tree height that makes it seem that way. If you had a wider pot, I think the image would be better at that height. Do you have plans to deal with the fat walking root at all?
No plans for the root. I don't care for the pot at all. A wider and not as tall pot would look way better but I think the tree would still be to tall but look pretty good.
The soil is very free draining and will keep it in this pot till the tree gets filled out. Once its all full and lush I will put it in a nice pot. My purple boogie is the same way. I nice pot would make it look much nicer but its not ready yet.
I've never done an air layer but it could be possible to make two trees from this. Could shorten the tree, grow a new top and have a small tree to train also. Maybe on down the road when I know more I can think about it.
I could also shorten the tree and make the top wider while also making the lower wider. More of a bonsai look. Something on the lines of the picture below. I cant get mine like it but could get the foliage shape similar. More of a fat squatty bonsai look. One thing at a time for now but most likely will end up cutting 1/3 or so off the top. If I'm going do do that I may as well try an air layer. Need to read up on all that.
Love this tree below.(Not my tree) Cant make mine look like this but I think I could get the silhouette similar.
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Big change in this tree. Chopped off the top and still working on widening the lower branches by about 3 or 4 inches. Need to grow and shape a new top. Starting to get buds clear at the ends of the branches which is great to lengthen them. Lots and lots yet to do but its getting there.
Net the best picture but shorter and will be wider at the bottom and a rounded top.
New extension on a lower branch.
Few more days and this can be wired to extend the branch.
This branch was set a few weeks ago.
Net the best picture but shorter and will be wider at the bottom and a rounded top.
New extension on a lower branch.
Few more days and this can be wired to extend the branch.
This branch was set a few weeks ago.
Wired some small branches at the top. You can just start to see what the tree may look like now. Domed top, wide bottom, branches turned down a small amount. Once it fills in I will choose a front and open it up some to see the trunk.
This will probably be the back side. Bottom branch on this side needs to grow out a lot so I've been keeping this side towards the sun. May or may not help. The one branch I want buds on just wont pop.
This will probably be the back side. Bottom branch on this side needs to grow out a lot so I've been keeping this side towards the sun. May or may not help. The one branch I want buds on just wont pop.
Early in the morning both raintrees point there leaves into the sun coming up. Like you would solar panels. Pretty cool seeing it do that. Both these trees are trimed real good but in the am they look shaggy because they are pointing the leaves at an angle. By noon they are nice and flat.
Early in the morning.
Early in the morning.
