Traken BRT

[Traken]

Just pulled the tree in since the temps today are going to plummet, and I figured I'd snap a quick shot. Nothing fancy or well arranged.



I love how much growth this thing has put on in two months. I haven't done much while it was outside other than trimming back some longer growth and trying to keep the apex from going nuts. It's starting to fill in already.

 

[Carol 83]

I had to break down and bring mine in last night too. My son helped me shuttle them in, in the pouring rain. After which, he asked "Why do they have to come inside, look in the yard, those trees are fine. My husband explained to him "Your mom has "pussy" trees, the big trees laugh at them".

 

[Traken]

I had to break down and bring mine in last night too. My son helped me shuttle them in, in the pouring rain. After which, he asked "Why do they have to come inside, look in the yard, those trees are fine. My husband explained to him "Your mom has "pussy" trees, the big trees laugh at them".

rofl. One might call the other trees the "pussy trees" because they need a rest over the winter. The tropicals just keep on working the whole time.

 

[LanceMac10]

Love it @Traken but I would ditch the wire on the larger, lignified wood. Doesn't look like you got much movement and the bark will probably be marred for awhile. No sweat, grow out hard next year and ruthless-ly cut back to initiate back budding.

I can remember when Glenn Lord was working at Bonsai West way back. Me and Brother Johnny picked up some of the last large BRT's that Weigarts was distributing. At the counter, Glenn takes a swipe at one with some shears to indicate where he would have cut back....wtf?!?! Finally that scar is nearly gone nears ten years later! He did notice the look on our faces and apologized profusely. And even then, not knowing the plants propensities, it was alarming. Needless to say, wiring the trunk, outside of the gentlest baby bends, is a no-no. An established trunk, that is. Like your's. Gently wire for branch orientation from the trunk, not much more than that. The tree's natural growth pattern is really conducive to "clip n grow".

I had to break down and bring mine in last night too. My son helped me shuttle them in, in the pouring rain. After which, he asked "Why do they have to come inside, look in the yard, those trees are fine. My husband explained to him "Your mom has "pussy" trees, the big trees laugh at them".

Rake a branch of nasty thorns across his bottom, we'll see who'ze rockin a "mangina"!!!!

 

[Traken]

Love it @Traken but I would ditch the wire on the larger, lignified wood. Doesn't look like you got much movement and the bark will probably be marred for awhile. No sweat, grow out hard next year and ruthless-ly cut back to initiate back budding.

I can remember when Glenn Lord was working at Bonsai West way back. Me and Brother Johnny picked up some of the last large BRT's that Weigarts was distributing. At the counter, Glenn takes a swipe at one with some shears to indicate where he would have cut back....wtf?!?! Finally that scar is nearly gone nears ten years later! He did notice the look on our faces and apologized profusely. And even then, not knowing the plants propensities, it was alarming. Needless to say, wiring the trunk, outside of the gentlest baby bends, is a no-no. An established trunk, that is. Like your's. Gently wire for branch orientation from the trunk, not much more than that. The tree's natural growth pattern is really conducive to "clip n grow".





Rake a branch of nasty thorns across his bottom, we'll see who'ze rockin a "mangina"!!!!

Thanks, Lance. The large wire on the lower branches was actually to bring them around front, since they were both facing back. We aimed to be super careful at the workshop where I got it, but we definitely needed something moved forward. Do you know how long it would typically take for that bend to set? I definitely don’t want to damage the bark if it can be avoided.

 

[Forsoothe!]

I use vinyl tubing in various sizes, split lengthwise and slipped over the branch and grab that branch with several coils of wire and anchor it to the pot or wherever I can as guy-wires. I don't wire branches of BRT otherwise.

 

[Traken]

Hey all. Haven't been around in ages. Between everything going on, and my wife giving birth at the beginning of the year, everything's been a bit of a whirlwind since. Heh. I did get a chance to repot this tree this past weekend though.



It's amazing what difference a good pot makes. It's shaggy as heck right now, but I want to let it recover before I go too crazy messing with it.

You may also note a gap at the top. Unfortunately, we had some really windy days earlier this spring, and the tall nursery pot it was in combined with the mass of foliage caused it to fall off the bench.


I wasn't even thinking about tying it down, because it stayed there fine last year, but last year, it had nowhere near as much foliage. I guess I get to grow out a new leader now. heh.

 

[LanceMac10]

Should be able to re-grow a crown in a month, I wouldn't worry.
Looks nice after the re-pot. Fairly attractive combination. I like your positioning. The root ball should maintain even vigor.
Looks like an "airy" mix. Keep up with your water and fert program.

Why wait? Season is pretty short, get the work in now while it's outside and thriving. If it was mine I would cut back hard in the upper third, real hard. Leave the lower branches be for a few weeks and then reduce their length back to a well positioned lateral shoot. Don't let the top get "heavy". You'll end up shading out those ok positioned branches down low.



Hope your new family member is healthy. Having one sort of put a monkey amongst my best laid plans.....so...what are ya' gonna' do....?

 

[Traken]

Should be able to re-grow a crown in a month, I wouldn't worry.
Looks nice after the re-pot. Fairly attractive combination. I like your positioning. The root ball should maintain even vigor.
Looks like an "airy" mix. Keep up with your water and fert program.

Thanks. That pot is from @hometeamrocker, and it's great. Glad to finally get the tree in it.

The particle size is between a quarter inch and about a third of an inch, I believe. It's a little heavier on the akadama than a straight 1:1:1 ratio, but pretty close to that, so hopefully decent water retention.

Why wait? Season is pretty short, get the work in now while it's outside and thriving. If it was mine I would cut back hard in the upper third, real hard. Leave the lower branches be for a few weeks and then reduce their length back to a well positioned lateral shoot. Don't let the top get "heavy". You'll end up shading out those ok positioned branches down low.

Will do. It's mostly paranoia after having to nuke a lot of roots to get it in that pot. (The nursery container it was in was rather tall, unfortunately.) I do recall you mentioning mentioning doing root work that you categorized as "how did this survive" levels, though, so maybe I'm just being a wimp. Heh. I just really like this tree and would prefer not do any more damage than breaking off the apex. haha. If that's not too much of a concern, though, I'll definitely thin the top out. What's crazy, is that it's that full, even with it being thinned out periodically.

Hope your new family member is healthy. Having one sort of put a monkey amongst my best laid plans.....so...what are ya' gonna' do....?

She's doing well, though she was colicky from birth. Finally starting to move out of that 4+ months later, but she still loves her at least daily meltdown. It's been very interesting working from home due to the pandemic and being surrounded by it 24/7 with no escape. Heh. Good thing I shave my head, or I'd have ripped it all out by now.

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Thanks. That pot is from @hometeamrocker, and it's great. Glad to finally get the tree in it.

The particle size is between a quarter inch and about a third of an inch, I believe. It's a little heavier on the akadama than a straight 1:1:1 ratio, but pretty close to that, so hopefully decent water retention.




Will do. It's mostly paranoia after having to nuke a lot of roots to get it in that pot. (The nursery container it was in was rather tall, unfortunately.) I do recall you mentioning mentioning doing root work that you categorized as "how did this survive" levels, though, so maybe I'm just being a wimp. Heh. I just really like this tree and would prefer not do any more damage than breaking off the apex. haha. If that's not too much of a concern, though, I'll definitely thin the top out. What's crazy, is that it's that full, even with it being thinned out periodically.



She's doing well, though she was colicky from birth. Finally starting to move out of that 4+ months later, but she still loves her at least daily meltdown. It's been very interesting working from home due to the pandemic and being surrounded by it 24/7 with no escape. Heh. Good thing I shave my head, or I'd have ripped it all out by now.

Thanks for sharing and for the shout out. Well paired!

 

[Traken]

Thanks for sharing and for the shout out. Well paired!

Of course, man. Love your work. I'm hoping the MBS show happens in August and that you're there again so that I can peruse your wares for my amur maple I've got another thread for. Heh. If the show doesn't happen, do you ship your pots by chance?

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Of course, man. Love your work. I'm hoping the MBS show happens in August and that you're there again so that I can peruse your wares for my amur maple I've got another thread for. Heh. If the show doesn't happen, do you ship your pots by chance?

Sure do... Lots up on my website and more not up there. Let me know what you're looking for!
www.waldostreetpottery.com