Olive tree

boguz

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Hey nuts.
This olive is in this pot for 2 years. I like its shape but i have some problems with brunches. It has several brunches coming from each buds. Should i decrease them to 1, what do you think?
Thanks
 

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Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
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Nice looking olive, good start. Nice for a tree new in the bonsai training process.

Where you have multiple branches coming from the same point, yes, you should reduce the number to just one branch at each point along the trunk.

Keep the branch that points in the correct direction to complement or complete the design.
 

ConorDash

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Maybe Im short sighted but I think that base deserves a better trunk. The base is cool, ugly, wide, interesting and has character then.... there's the trunk. Pole like, straight, no taper.
If it were mine, and in my climate it would take a number of years due to slow growing for olives... I would chop to the lowest branch, grow it out to help transition as a next trunk section, then do 1 or 2 more sections. Build that trunk.. Longer term idea but I think in the end, would result in a better tree. Personally.
 

Shibui

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Lots of possibilities.
Remove excess branches any time on olives. Where there are several branches close the tree's resources are divided. If you remove some the energy will then go to just one branch at each place and growth and development will be faster.

The base is typical of seed grown olives but I agree with @ConorDash that the trunk is a bit too straight and has no taper (maybe even some reverse taper) but I think pruning back to the first branch is too extreme given that olives grow very slowly.
Dead wood is often a feature of older olives and can be used to reduce the visual weight of an old trunk and give an impression of taper without going to extreme of trunk chop and regrow.
 

ConorDash

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Lots of possibilities.
Remove excess branches any time on olives. Where there are several branches close the tree's resources are divided. If you remove some the energy will then go to just one branch at each place and growth and development will be faster.

The base is typical of seed grown olives but I agree with @ConorDash that the trunk is a bit too straight and has no taper (maybe even some reverse taper) but I think pruning back to the first branch is too extreme given that olives grow very slowly.
Dead wood is often a feature of older olives and can be used to reduce the visual weight of an old trunk and give an impression of taper without going to extreme of trunk chop and regrow.
I like this more. Trunk chopping would take a long time to regrow. And deadwood is a much better idea! Olives suit deadwood very well in my opinion. Good luck buddy
 

boguz

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Thank you for all comments. As you say, trunk is top much straight. But chopping it till first brunch is too much for me, i am not as brave as it is 😬 @leatherback your desing is cool, but scare will be too much🧐
 

B.uneasy

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Maybe a long interesting shaped Uro would suit this tree well?
 

Colorado

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I think something like Lestherback’s design is the way to go. Carve a shari/ hollow into that trunk and either lose the top or jin it.
 

B.uneasy

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In my book, I would create an interesting uro and let it sit for a while. Let it heal over for a while. Of course that picture is a different species of tree but it would give your trunk some real ngnarly character. And over time one of those branches can become a new leader and you could create an old weathered look. Something very realistic. Screenshot_20201219-093821.png
 

misfit11

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I agree with @ConorDash and @Shibui about chopping this down. The base is nice but the section above it is straight and has zero taper. I think you should chop even lower than @leatherback suggests.
Screenshot_20201219-081046~2.png
I collected a very similar Olive from my neighbor's yard last spring. I immediately chopped it right where the basal flare stopped and the tree went up 20 feet like a telephone pole. There were no branches/buds below my chop site. Within a month, more buds popped than I could ever use. I selected out the ones I wanted to keep and wired them for a basic structure. These will be cut back when they achieve the desired thickness.
1219200812.jpg
Olives can make nice bonsai in a relatively short period of time. Here's a Shohin I've been working on for a while. I think deadwood such as hollows or cavities serve them well.
1204200854.jpg1203201951.jpg
Hope that helps. Good luck and keep us updated on your progress!

Cory
 

misfit11

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I think pruning back to the first branch is too extreme given that olives grow very slowly.
I disagree with this part Shibui. The Olive I collected put on all the growth that you see there in one season where there was previously no branches. The branches are about a 1/8 thick at the base. I just let them run and will continue to do so when they're the desired thickness.
 

ConorDash

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I disagree with this part Shibui. The Olive I collected put on all the growth that you see there in one season where there was previously no branches. The branches are about a 1/8 thick at the base. I just let them run and will continue to do so when they're the desired thickness.
Climate plays a big part in this one though mate. Olives like it hot and dry.

Thank you for all comments. As you say, trunk is top much straight. But chopping it till first brunch is too much for me, i am not as brave as it is 😬 @leatherback your desing is cool, but scare will be too much🧐
I recommended it but ... doesn't mean I'd be brave enough either :p.
But I do have enough experience now to say that this kinda direction is usually for the best. Ive 2 Maples ill be chopping lower in Spring, after first flush. i dont have the confidence for it yet, Ill just have a few drinks... cos I know its for the better!
 

ConorDash

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Going to steal this from you @BobbyLane sorry, not sorry..

Original:
1608412057034.png

1608412116163.png
1608412166943.png

All great right? I loved this.. but then he goes and does this, much still, to my dismay!
1608412215526.png

Now it is this, after some ground growing.
So all of that in only 2 years..
1608412298129.png

So, all the directions were great, both end results would be perfectly fine. But Bobby is quite experienced, more than me and has a very good eye, so says many. He decided to go against the grain and chop LOADS off.. for a better future tree.
Anyways, lecture over, sorry! Lol
 

BobbyLane

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Going to steal this from you @BobbyLane sorry, not sorry..

Original:
View attachment 345093

View attachment 345094
View attachment 345095

All great right? I loved this.. but then he goes and does this, much still, to my dismay!
View attachment 345096

Now it is this, after some ground growing.
So all of that in only 2 years..
View attachment 345097

So, all the directions were great, both end results would be perfectly fine. But Bobby is quite experienced, more than me and has a very good eye, so says many. He decided to go against the grain and chop LOADS off.. for a better future tree.
Anyways, lecture over, sorry! Lol

But ok whats my Hornbeam doing on an olive thread, how many drinks did you have?!😂 just kidding! we can't do this to buddys olive, there would be nothing left🤣
 

leatherback

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@leatherback your desing is cool, but scare will be too much
Really?
What scares you?
You can start this direction by wiring individual branches into this template/idea. Then as they develop you reduce the top section of the trunk and create a small shari.

Rome was not build in a day, and bonsai need not be either..
 

boguz

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Climate plays a big part in this one though mate. Olives like it hot and dry.


I recommended it but ... doesn't mean I'd be brave enough either :p.
But I do have enough experience now to say that this kinda direction is usually for the best. Ive 2 Maples ill be chopping lower in Spring, after first flush. i dont have the confidence for it yet, Ill just have a few drinks... cos I know its for the better!
Yes, i ll do it with some drinks sure 😬
 

boguz

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Really?
What scares you?
You can start this direction by wiring individual branches into this template/idea. Then as they develop you reduce the top section of the trunk and create a small shari.

Rome was not build in a day, and bonsai need not be either..
I meant "scar" but yes, i also scare 🤣
I live in a hot climate where olives grow wild, so it will recover fast ☺️👍
Thank for your all comments and shares guys, i ll do it 🤜
 
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