Pomegranate

[thumblessprimate1]

Here's a pomegranate I bought last year. It was grown locally by a nice bonsai guy from Bent Tree Bonsai in Dallas, Ray. He'd dug it out of the ground last year. I was shopping for one, but for shohin. This is a little bigger than I wanted. Oh well. I got it anyway. It wasn't growing strong last year and a few branches would slowly die off, so this year I think I'll continue to let it recover more. I'm going put it in full Sun. For fun, I threw in a sketch of an idea I have for it's future. I still have much to learn.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

If anyone could tell me, I have some questions. Were this tree strong, should I still expect some significant dieback after a chop? Will it pop up buds all over? How hard could the roots be cut?

 

[leatherback]

1. Do not cut it this low. Cuts heal badly and a good trunk on a pomegranate is to be savored.

I have not had even 1/10 of an inch of die-back on my collected pomegranates. So I woudl venture.. No, you should not get dieback.

Collecting pomegranate?

So.. I have been trying to read all I can on Pomegranate collecting. Cannot find very much. @bonhe has of course a range of pomegrates and good info on taking large cuttings. But now.. I have the option to dig up a larg shrub fairly nearby (But far enough to only goo there with the intent to...

www.bonsainut.com

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Yeah, I would likely cut higher up. It's probably one of the trees that I will be developing over a long period of time to keep the twists and taper going. Bigger bonsai may be inevitable.

 

[leatherback]

soooo.. Show the whole trunk!

 

[thumblessprimate1]

The rest of the tree is not interesting. It's got to get more chops. I'll take picture later.

 

[leatherback]

The rest of the tree is not interesting.

I'll be the judge of that, considering how you will send me the tree in the end anyway

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Some unedited shots. Sorry for poor quality images. You can see some of the die back after it was collected last year from a growing bed.
Interesting how you can see the twisting starts on this one branch.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Portion marked is where I think it's uninteresting. The nebari needs some improvement.

 

[leatherback]

It almost looks like a fused trunk, from mutiple saplings. In mine, I have not noticed clear lifelines. But.. Maybe a different variety?

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Ray's pomegranates are all from seed. He says he simply cuts the down each year and the twists form. I believe the taper is from the chops. The twists are likely genetic.

It almost looks like a fused trunk, from mutiple saplings. In mine, I have not noticed clear lifelines. But.. Maybe a different variety?

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Oop

 

[Johnnyd]

That is a nice wild looking tree! Looks very old. What kind of plans do you have for improving the nebari?

 

[thumblessprimate1]

That is a nice wild looking tree! Looks very old. What kind of plans do you have for improving the nebari?

First, I'll try burying it deeper. If that doesn't work, I'll try ground layering. But first, it's got to be growing crazy strong.

 

[0soyoung]

If anyone could tell me, I have some questions. Were this tree strong, should I still expect some significant dieback after a chop? Will it pop up buds all over? How hard could the roots be cut?

@bonhe knows.

In one of his threads he has shown chunks of trunks that he sweated in a plastic bag --> these 'cuttings' rooted and popped shoots. I don't think die back is going to be a big issue. Based on that, I also think you could potentially start a new business with the rooted cuttings you could produce from this stock.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

@bonhe knows.

In one of his threads he has shown chunks of trunks that he sweated in a plastic bag --> these 'cuttings' rooted and popped shoots. I don't think die back is going to be a big issue. Based on that, I also think you could potentially start a new business with the rooted cuttings you could produce from this stock.

I don't like to mix business with pleasure too much

 

[n8]

First, I'll try burying it deeper.

This should work. Any leaf nodes buried below the ground will turn to root nodes.

I've done the opposite (uncovering nodes) and they started leaf/branch growth.

 

[just.wing.it]

Wow TP!
That's twister for sure! Very cool!
Watching this one!

 

[thumblessprimate1]

I repotted today. Nothing much did I do other than wash out ground soil that was mucky and the "bonsai" soil. Rinsed out that old bonsai soil and reused as it had a lot of good scoria in it. I planted pomegranate deeper and tied it down. Filled with Floordry, chopsticked with my digits and watered well. Now I wait for buds to extend before watering again. Also I have it in a spot that will be sunny. I didnt cut anything and hope 2020 it will grow stronger than it had and sprout many more roots where I want now that it is planted deeper.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

I will plan for cuttings to graft back on when tree is stronger. I've considered using for roots, branches, and even maybe filler where any "live vein" have died.