Back in late July I collected a number of Celtis yamadori and showed these two in Post 112.
With our very early spring and rapidly increasing temperatures they have shot and really got underway. We are now getting temperatures in the high 20s C and overnight only down to 15 or 16. But the air is sooo dry that its hard keeping water up to things.
Anyway with the new shoots advancing it was time just to set their direction and slightly reduce the number of them. At any particular node there have been up to 6 shoots and never less than 3.
On this first one I had left two vertical branches which was looking a bit like a rude gesture, so one of them had to go. There was also a short one in the 'front' which needed to go too. I'm still thinking that the remaining 'trunk' will be shortened at some point but for now, and without many lower shoots it is time to let it grow and develop some roots. The next thing to do will be remove the branch remains in the front and rear and get those scars under recovery with good vertical sap flow before doing any more further up. That may take this growing season.
It has some great movement in the trunk and I have been inspired by pictures of Taiwanese Celtis bonsai, styled in a much more 'tropical' than 'traditional' style. So I have something to aim for and a development path in mind; the two important things to settle on when you start a new project.
The second one follows. It resulted in a just above ground level chop and a couple of years of free growth. It was just on a footpath area so I'm guessing it was the local council that did the chop, thanks very much. Fortunately I got there before they came back and did it again.
Like the first one it has freely shot. This preparatory styling was also just about thinning the number of shoots at each node and fanning them outwards. Before starting they were all vertical and heading for the sky. I'm looking forward to seeing how this one goes this summer. My intention now is to let it run for the summer, subject to just how much weight they put on and then before the next season cut each back to a few nodes, to get movement and branching, etc etc. I may even reduce the number of trunks - it is a little crowded there on the left.
The poly boxes are great for this job, thanks to our local fruit and veg man. They are the standard vegetable boxes that come with a close fitting lid. I just glued the lid on and then cut the box in half to make two from one. Cut some drainage holes and they're ready.
With our very early spring and rapidly increasing temperatures they have shot and really got underway. We are now getting temperatures in the high 20s C and overnight only down to 15 or 16. But the air is sooo dry that its hard keeping water up to things.
Anyway with the new shoots advancing it was time just to set their direction and slightly reduce the number of them. At any particular node there have been up to 6 shoots and never less than 3.
On this first one I had left two vertical branches which was looking a bit like a rude gesture, so one of them had to go. There was also a short one in the 'front' which needed to go too. I'm still thinking that the remaining 'trunk' will be shortened at some point but for now, and without many lower shoots it is time to let it grow and develop some roots. The next thing to do will be remove the branch remains in the front and rear and get those scars under recovery with good vertical sap flow before doing any more further up. That may take this growing season.
It has some great movement in the trunk and I have been inspired by pictures of Taiwanese Celtis bonsai, styled in a much more 'tropical' than 'traditional' style. So I have something to aim for and a development path in mind; the two important things to settle on when you start a new project.
The second one follows. It resulted in a just above ground level chop and a couple of years of free growth. It was just on a footpath area so I'm guessing it was the local council that did the chop, thanks very much. Fortunately I got there before they came back and did it again.
Like the first one it has freely shot. This preparatory styling was also just about thinning the number of shoots at each node and fanning them outwards. Before starting they were all vertical and heading for the sky. I'm looking forward to seeing how this one goes this summer. My intention now is to let it run for the summer, subject to just how much weight they put on and then before the next season cut each back to a few nodes, to get movement and branching, etc etc. I may even reduce the number of trunks - it is a little crowded there on the left.
The poly boxes are great for this job, thanks to our local fruit and veg man. They are the standard vegetable boxes that come with a close fitting lid. I just glued the lid on and then cut the box in half to make two from one. Cut some drainage holes and they're ready.
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