[Neli]

I had it in the packet and the roots escaped into the ground. I just chopped the packet with a saw, but have a feeling I chopped it too high. Johannesburg gold is not a very easy plant to root, so I might have disturbed the roots too much. But there are 2" of very fine roots on top. The base is as big as a mug.
It has a very straight trunk with no hope of bending it. So I can make upright formal or slanted unless I decide to cut the trunk some more.
Left the top part for dead wood curving and removed the bark around that part at an angle. Do You think it can affect in a bad way the plant?
Left two leader branches on top. Not sure if I did not break one of them so I will decide later which one to keep.
Any advise comments. I wired it also. I know it is not good, since I just transplanted it but had nothing else to do... He he he! Managed to break some branches but at list got a bit of experience in wiring. I was not too worried if I break comething since it had 10 shoots from each point. At the bottom I left two branches just in case.
I chopped the side branches on 2-3 inter nodes. I want to make it to look like a pine somewhat with pads.
You can see how big the roots were where I chopped it.


Here you can see the line where I cut the bark with the grinder. Later I can curve it like a pine

Any advise will be appreciated. There is one branch on the left I broke, but there is a small one coming up on the same spot.

[Neli]

This is also what I made today as a temporary place to hold my bonsai. They will go next to the pond later.

[Brent]

Nice fat jhb gold, Neli. Could turn into something good. Please let us know if it survives the root treatment.
Cool looking benches.

I'll still come back to you re your pm.

[Neli]

Brent, on 20 December 2012 - 09:58 PM, said:

Nice fat jhb gold, Neli. Could turn into something good. Please let us know if it survives the root treatment.
Cool looking benches.

I'll still come back to you re your pm.

Brent I really left it with very little roots. If it it does not survive it will be part of my lessons. I am sure the Jbg gold can turn into something good. The question is if I will manage to do that.
I wish I saw your post before that it can be airlayered.

[Sycoticzn]

Neli, on 20 December 2012 - 01:50 PM, said:

This is also what I made today as a temporary place to hold my bonsai. They will go next to the pond later.

Hope it pulls through. Will have great potential for carving

Like the benches....

[Neli]

When will I know if it has pulled trough?
It is 13 days now and no drying back...the leaves are fresh and green and it looks like it is growing...or is thia residual energy?

[Brent]

Sounds like its doing just fine Neli. Just don't rush it, let it send all that energy to the existing / remaining roots without any interruption and I'm sure it'll be 100%.

[Neli]

I will not disturb it in any way for now. Poor tree! Wired, chopped trunk, chopped 99% of the roots.I will let it rest for now.

[Neli]

Question:
On my Jbg gold, the branches were cut before I was into bonsai. As a result, there are big stumps and now that it started growing,it shot many shoots all around this stumps...I need to leave just one to grow, but dont know which is the best position regarding to the stump to leave the branch.
Is it better on top of the stump, on the bottom, or on the side towards the front, considered that the stumps are big so that the branch can hide it.
here it is how the shoots are coming all around the stump, except that they are 3 times in number, than what I have drawn..

[Frojo]

Why not leave one top and bottom, but not exactly above each other.
Unless you would like it on the side, then why not leave one on each side, just not at exactly the same height?
Unless you are going to trim back and neaten those stumps next season, then just leave them all.

[Neli]

Darling, Thanks! I keep on removing this bloody shoots and more come up! I need to take a picture for you. The stump is around 4cm high, with shoots all around. Are you suggesting that I leave one on top and one at the bottom so I turn them both branches???? Will they not be too near? Or You mean spare branch just in case?? I dont have what to curve at the moment with, so I will curve them later. Thy were cut long time ago, so they are dry.
Let me go and take a picture for you.

[Neli]

My JBG gold is gone crazy.
It is shooting even on the dead wood. I cut the bark with the grinder, since I wanted that part to dry, but it has shot even there.
Plants are sure unpredictable...
That tree was planted practically without any roots recently...in maybe 6cm sand only depth of soil....and look at it.
I guess I will have to remove the bark if I want that part to dry???? Should I?
do I have to curve dead/dry wood or i can curve it now? I am itching to try my new toy...

[Frojo]

Remove it, if you leave bark any buds on it can grow, as it's still connected with the xylem. It uses up resources from the roots that can be used by the rest of the tree.
Curve it, carve it, cut it, pare it, grind it, sculpt it, go crazy.
I'd rub it with vaseline to seal it afterwards and then give it time to dry out properly.

[Sycoticzn]

Okay, I see this is the same tree posted on Brents Airlayer Thread. Looking Good. Great to hear that it survived the work done on it.

[Neli]

Frojo, on 21 January 2013 - 10:21 AM, said:

Remove it, if you leave bark any buds on it can grow, as it's still connected with the xylem. It uses up resources from the roots that can be used by the rest of the tree.
Curve it, carve it, cut it, pare it, grind it, sculpt it, go crazy.
I'd rub it with vaseline to seal it afterwards and then give it time to dry out properly.

Can You see top post 1 last picture....I removed the bark...and it is budding where I removed the bark...maybe need to go deeper?
You have unleashed the curving monster in me...I have so many bonsai to attend to now....I am getting a bit short of time. Now I know what You mean.
One gardener is being trained to do simple tasks...leaving me to do the creative work..

[Neli]

Sycoticzn, on 21 January 2013 - 12:01 PM, said:

Okay, I see this is the same tree posted on Brents Airlayer Thread. Looking Good. Great to hear that it survived the work done on it.

I have not lost a tree yet though I really torture them, (Thanks God!) but I suspect I might loose one of the small juniperus...I found out too late that I am not supposed to cut all the needles and foliage, especially the new growth since that is what feeds it.

[Neli]

I found one dead tree yesterday And that is a tree I never touched since I bought it. A larger casuarina. Did not even remove it from the packet...just put it with the packet in a larger packet
So I curved my JNB gold yesterday. Made some mistakes....but that is the way to learn. Some sides I like some I dont (the front.)
Used a bit that I dont know what to call but liked it a lot.
Here it is:
This is a side that is not too bad but still needs modifications.Mainly to the right side.
this is the side I like best, though it needs to be reduced some more on top and to the right.
This is the side I dont like. It looks overdone and too contrived...unnatural sort of. Need to give it some movement, reduce those deep groves and make fine groves (maybe by pooling), make the groves go around the whole tree like in nature...and most important not to be so straight.

Last I sealed it with my concoction of wax and oil.
Had visitors the whole day...and was curving while talking to them...Did not think properly...But this is the way to learn.
Any advise and suggestions will be appreciated.

[Sycoticzn]

Neli, on 24 January 2013 - 08:20 AM, said:

Any advise and suggestions will be appreciated.

Not too shabby at all Neli. I like it... Maybe introduce a little more taper as you get to the top and bring the "apex" to one side or slant it... Rounded off to the center looks a little bit man made (my opinion only)

[Neli]

You are right...I will do that...later if I find the time. I dont like it at the moment, but it is a good way to learn.

[Lennard]

Good carving work, Neli. I also agree on creating more taper in the carved area.

Lennard