Internet Bonsai Club
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

collecting, cutting, competition.

3 posters

Go down

collecting, cutting, competition. Empty collecting, cutting, competition.

Post  austinheitzman Tue May 26, 2009 10:17 pm

Not sure if there is a definite answer to this one- kind of an opinion poll. Here's my thinking: This spring I collected an apple growing over a cherry tree (maybe you remember it from another post. I got it off a rock face with a good amount of fine roots (yet it is hard to tell for each tree). Right now the apple is exploding, it has back budded profusely and is growing like mad- yet the cherry has stopped growing, it's leaves show no sign of weakening, just no growth. I am assuming it is strengthening its root system before growing out more. I have no experience making trees get along. So, I was wondering is the apple putting stress on the cherry as they compete for root space. Would it help anything to chop back the apple to slow it down some and keep it in pace with the cherry so they both have equal opportunity for root growth? Or should I just thank my lucky stars on the apple, pray for the cherry and let them both recover as they see fit? Will competition for root space be an ongoing issue in this union (logically it would), has anybody any experience with multiple species plantings. Thanks for the help. If you think pictures will help I will post those as soon as it stops raining- might be a while- always sunny in Philadelphia, until spring, and fall.

austinheitzman
Member


Back to top Go down

collecting, cutting, competition. Empty Re: collecting, cutting, competition.

Post  Alan Walker Fri May 29, 2009 5:13 am

Root space is a repotting issue, not a multiple tree issue. The primary problem of multi-species plantings in containers is that most are short lived, not long term projects like bonsai usually is. The reason for this is that different species have different horticultural needs, i.e. light, water, nutrition, seasonal variations... many variables which can make them ultimately incompatible in the same container.
However, you can enjoy mixing things up for a year or two most of the time.
Alan Walker
Alan Walker
Member


Back to top Go down

collecting, cutting, competition. Empty Re: collecting, cutting, competition.

Post  JimLewis Fri May 29, 2009 1:05 pm

One tree will always outdo the other at one time or another, but not necessarily at the same time. Prune the apple now, and the cherry in its time.
JimLewis
JimLewis
Member


Back to top Go down

collecting, cutting, competition. Empty hair cut

Post  austinheitzman Sat May 30, 2009 12:24 am

Thanks for the responses. I decided to be conservative and trimmed back all the vigorous shoots on the apple, while leaving the useable shoots lower down on the apple untouched. I didn't trunk chop or hack back the apple, as I believe root growth is my primary objective this season, since it is it's first in a pot. As to the future of the couple, they have grown together for many years in nature before I collected them, so I will just hope they continue the union for many more years in a pot. This weekend it will be sunny, I’ll get a picture up then.

austinheitzman
Member


Back to top Go down

collecting, cutting, competition. Empty Re: collecting, cutting, competition.

Post  Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum