Possible material

[SumatraDave]

I got this outside my house and I'm thinking it's privet possibility Chinese. I've heard they are hardy and abundant and I've never collected raw material before so I was thinking maybe late winter I dig it up and see what I can get out of it? What do you nuts think?

 

[Redwood Ryan]

I personally would not dig that. Since it's been growing against a wall it's only going to have branches on one side, same with the trunk as it was pushed against the wall. It'd look very flat and one dimensional, IMO.

 

[GGB]

Maybe the photo doesn't do it justice but I don't see many great qualities in it. Especially if you consider the nebari might be jacked up on the house side

 

[Vin]

Nothing above that broken branch means anything. I'd like to see all the leaves along with some of the soil cleared away from around the base. Using the red area I created should be good enough to see the true base. Then maybe we can see if you have something there.

 

[Vin]

This is the broken branch I'm referring to:

 

[Tieball]

It should be removed from by the foundation anyway. Did it up at the right time and cut it way back and use those two growths at the base shown in the red circle that Vin highlighted. It should come back growing wildly after the chopping....assuming you collect some roots. Just have fun and learn from it. It may end up nice looking with a well gnarled base.

 

[SumatraDave]

I'm not too invested in it. Just looking for something to mess with to cure winter bordom

 

[SumatraDave]

It should be removed from by the foundation anyway. Did it up at the right time and cut it way back and use those two growths at the base shown in the red circle that Vin highlighted. It should come back growing wildly after the chopping....assuming you collect some roots. Just have fun and learn from it. It may end up nice looking with a well gnarled base.

Yeah that was kinda the idea I'm pretty sure my landlord is gonna spray it with killer if I don't mess with it

 

[Paradox]

I agree with Vin. The lower trunk looks like it might have some interesting movement.
Could be a good candidate for a chop next year.

 

[bonsaidave]

Why not. Worst that can happen is you wasted a bunch of time. That is if you don't hit a water pipe

Just looking for something to mess with to cure winter bordom

Sounds like you might need to check out the Red Pot Challenge

 

[SumatraDave]

. I'd like to see all the leaves along with some of the soil cleared away from around the base.

 

[SumatraDave]

Sounds like you might need to check out the Red Pot Challenge

I am unfamiliar

 

[Vin]

If this makes any sense, in the spring I'd dig it up and completely cut off the trunk that's growing up the wall. I'd also cut the branch in the middle.



On the other side I'd cut that thick branch off.



You'll be left with pretty much what I've outlined in red. Plant it more upright by bringing the right side up about 30 degrees or so. The one remaining branch will be your new leader.



No doubt about it, It's some aggressive work. However, it could be a cool tree if it works out.

 

[SumatraDave]

Well at the very least I get some practice on actual work and I'm not spending $ on something I'm going to butcher.

 

[Vin]

Well at the very least I get some practice on actual work and I'm not spending $ on something I'm going to butcher.

Try and get at least 6 - 8 inches of roots around that area in red. You'll probably need to remove some on the right side but even then leave some of them if you can get them in the soil after you bring that side up. Once it recovers you can start removing them one at a time over a period of time. Good luck!

 

[SumatraDave]

Would you suggest getting it into Bonsai soil immediately or start it off in a standard nursery pot with potting soil?

 

[Vin]

Privets are tough. I did something very similar with an azalea a few years ago and it's still growing strong.

 

[Vin]

Would you suggest getting it into Bonsai soil immediately or start it off in a standard nursery pot with potting soil?

50/50 mix to start off with. Good drainage but lots of organic as well. I sift the fines out of garden soil.

 

[SumatraDave]

Preeety sure I let my poor southern live oaks freeze today, yikes

 

[fourteener]

It's just not that interesting. If the trunk had bulked up over the years, it could have been nice, but the bulking up happened up higher where multiple branches grew and thickened things up. Part of doing bonsai is knowing when you found something good and when you didn't. I love finding pines in people's landscapes. But if that pine grew 15 trunks over the years instead of one and it's been in the ground for 20 years, one has potential and one has been busy being a plant, but hasn't become good bonsai material.

Us older people get it. You're tempted to dig up everything you see, resist the force... your collection will grow fast enough without gathering useless stuff, trust me.