Privet needs help!!

[Nor Cal AC]

I inherited this privet from my great-uncle. It is one of many trees I inherited from him 5 years ago. He worked with many of the trees for 30 plus years. Any thoughts on how to produce new growth? In early spring I checked the roots and it is not in need of a repot. I have a hard time knowing exactly the kind of fertilizer, and how much is needed. Unfortunately I work 12 hours a day 5 days a week, so dedicated attention to detail when it comes to feedings can be difficult for me. Any ideas what I can do to keep this tree looking the way it should? Pic coming soon

 

[Nor Cal AC]

 

[Zach Smith]

Move the tree to a larger nursery container or grow box to encourage new vigorous growth. There's very little space in the pot it's in, and considering the age of the specimen you're asking a lot of it. Give it some more room and see what happens. You can do a slip-pot now and the tree shouldn't miss a beat. If you manage to reinvigorate it, in a year or two you can move it back into a bonsai pot. Good luck!

 

[Nor Cal AC]

Move the tree to a larger nursery container or grow box to encourage new vigorous growth. There's very little space in the pot it's in, and considering the age of the specimen you're asking a lot of it. Give it some more room and see what happens. You can do a slip-pot now and the tree shouldn't miss a beat. If you manage to reinvigorate it, in a year or two you can move it back into a bonsai pot. Good luck!

I like that Idea. I wish I could consult my great uncle, but I was given these trees when he passed. He was truly a master. I have been in training for 8 years now. Thank you for the advice. Here is some of the other trees that we're given to me.

 

[Nor Cal AC]

 

[Shibui]

. I have a hard time knowing exactly the kind of fertilizer, and how much is needed.

Our bonsai are really just trees so any fertilizer that is for trees will do. There is no special 'bonsai fertilizer'. Just use whatever fertilizer you have access to. Mix and apply at the rates recommended on the packet.
Because we water bonsai in small pots more than most other plants we also increase the frequency of fertilizing to make up for the extra leaching when we water so much. Use liquid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks if possible. Solid fertilizer are usually sprinkled on the soil every 4-6 weeks as most are slower to release nutrients.

Adequate fertilizer and water are the keys to good growth. The privet looks a little hungry to me. When it does start to grow well you will need to cut all branches back significantly so they will grow new shoots and get bushier.
The olive looks very healthy. Nice tree too.

Looks like your great-uncle was a tree digger and has found some nice older trees to convert to bonsai.

 

[sorce]

Reckon your only real problem is not cutting it back hard enough.

The only "real" problem working 12's is watering, so don't let that make you worry about anything else!

Sorce

 

[Nor Cal AC]

Our bonsai are really just trees so any fertilizer that is for trees will do. There is no special 'bonsai fertilizer'. Just use whatever fertilizer you have access to. Mix and apply at the rates recommended on the packet.
Because we water bonsai in small pots more than most other plants we also increase the frequency of fertilizing to make up for the extra leaching when we water so much. Use liquid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks if possible. Solid fertilizer are usually sprinkled on the soil every 4-6 weeks as most are slower to release nutrients.

Adequate fertilizer and water are the keys to good growth. The privet looks a little hungry to me. When it does start to grow well you will need to cut all branches back significantly so they will grow new shoots and get bushier.
The olive looks very healthy. Nice tree too.

Looks like your great-uncle was a tree digger and has found some nice older trees to convert to bonsai.

I am thinking about carving the right side of the base to match the left. What do you think? Any thoughts on lime sulfur?

 

[Nor Cal AC]

Our bonsai are really just trees so any fertilizer that is for trees will do. There is no special 'bonsai fertilizer'. Just use whatever fertilizer you have access to. Mix and apply at the rates recommended on the packet.
Because we water bonsai in small pots more than most other plants we also increase the frequency of fertilizing to make up for the extra leaching when we water so much. Use liquid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks if possible. Solid fertilizer are usually sprinkled on the soil every 4-6 weeks as most are slower to release nutrients.

Adequate fertilizer and water are the keys to good growth. The privet looks a little hungry to me. When it does start to grow well you will need to cut all branches back significantly so they will grow new shoots and get bushier.
The olive looks very healthy. Nice tree too.

Looks like your great-uncle was a tree digger and has found some nice older trees to convert to bonsai.

 

[Nor Cal AC]

Our bonsai are really just trees so any fertilizer that is for trees will do. There is no special 'bonsai fertilizer'. Just use whatever fertilizer you have access to. Mix and apply at the rates recommended on the packet.
Because we water bonsai in small pots more than most other plants we also increase the frequency of fertilizing to make up for the extra leaching when we water so much. Use liquid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks if possible. Solid fertilizer are usually sprinkled on the soil every 4-6 weeks as most are slower to release nutrients.

Adequate fertilizer and water are the keys to good growth. The privet looks a little hungry to me. When it does start to grow well you will need to cut all branches back significantly so they will grow new shoots and get bushier.
The olive looks very healthy. Nice tree too.

Looks like your great-uncle was a tree digger and has found some nice older trees to convert to bonsai.

I looked up your town on google. It looks allot like my town. I live in a small town in northern california, united states'. It is a gold mining town from the 1849 california gold rush. It is 8:13 pm on april 30th.

 

[Shibui]

I am thinking about carving the right side of the base to match the left. What do you think? Any thoughts on lime sulfur?

Not sure what you mean by carving the right side to match the left side. I certainly don't want symmetrical bonsai but I do want bonsai where the eye will flow from one point to the next and up the tree to the top.

Lime sulfur is a preservative. Without some sort of wood preservative the dead parts will begin to rot away in just a few years. Some people don't like the white color of lime sulfur treated wood but the white only seems to last a few weeks on my trees here. Those who don't like stark white use a little ink or charcoal to darken the color a bit.

Looks like Penn valley is 3 years older than Yackandandah but otherwise remarkably similar.

 

[Nor Cal AC]

Not sure what you mean by carving the right side to match the left side. I certainly don't want symmetrical bonsai but I do want bonsai where the eye will flow from one point to the next and up the tree to the top.

Lime sulfur is a preservative. Without some sort of wood preservative the dead parts will begin to rot away in just a few years. Some people don't like the white color of lime sulfur treated wood but the white only seems to last a few weeks on my trees here. Those who don't like stark white use a little ink or charcoal to darken the color a bit.

Looks like Penn valley is 3 years older than Yackandandah but otherwise remarkably similar.

Thanks for the insight.