My Broom Celtis

Mr Miyagi wrote:What would a master like Walter Pall do?

I would follow Mr Miyagi 's advice and carve the fat roots hollow. It is a simple task, but not easy at all. While done in a few minutes it is crucial that it looks natural. Best thing would be to practice this on a log before. Usually it will look terrrible right away, like a man made masssacre. Well, it can be fixed. nature will fix it by itlsef over time anyway if you jsut let it rot. If it rots it wil not kill the tree. This is a very common misconceprion. Deadwood can well be preserved on a broadleaved tree right away. I would carve and NOT try to preserve anything right away. I would let nature do it's job and start to decay the deadwood. I would certainly NOT paint it with lime sulfur. The last thing that you want it white deadwood right there. You want it dark. After a year I would apply a small torch as used for cooking and burn the whole until the wood is black, carefully avoiding burning any living art. And then use a strong steel brush to get off the charcoal again. A nice brownish-blackish colored wood will appear that looks very natural if you did it right. If you think that this is it and it cannot get better looking by decaying more you fix it with wood hardener. I usually wait a few years and work a little on the deadwood every year until I decide to fix it.
I think the proportions are fine. The tree will look very natural eventually. The crown could be a bit wider and more voluminous - thus fitting the huge trunk even better.

Here a prunus carved by my assistant Walter recently. This is right after carving and needs aging, of course.




After a couple of years this is what it looks like:

Thank you Walter for your wisdom. And jrodriguez I agreed I would remove the root this was not my point. But would you air layer the tree? Probably not, you would probably carve it to make it look nice or maybe hollow it. I understand and appreciate the trees are nothing alike, was the only example I could find in a short time.

Guys thank you all.

I'm going to go with Walter and Mrmiyagi on this one. My heart is just not strong enough to air layer the tree.

Thanks Walter we where all waiting in anticipation for your advice.

I will do this in spring when she is startiing to sprout, or must I do it now while she's atrest. Actually logic tells me to do it now?

Look at it this way, if I stuff up the root I can alway resolve it by airlayering!!!

Viriato I also love your tree, but is it a BROOM? Or is it a Raft?

Andre Beaurain wrote:... ...but is it a BROOM? Or is it a Raft?

Oooh, no André! Raft?
Please, do not add more staff!
It's enough!

Andre Beaurain wrote:... ... I'm going to photograph my catogorized broom Styled FORM Bonsai Tree quickly...

Anyway, I believe you've made the right choice to follow Mr. Pall's way!

I'd still air-layer the bonsai.

This tree has such a beautiful top on it and if you notice in the picture that big root feeds the front of the trunk
and you can actually see a bulge it's creating. Not only does it need to be air-layered but after it's air-layered the 2 trunks of equal size
will be closer to the soil and well, I think that's just the way to go on this one.



I'd air-layer the bonsai.

Opinions, opinions.

Gary Swiech wrote:I'd still air-layer the bonsai.

This tree has such a beautiful top on it and if you notice in the picture that big root feeds the front of the trunk
and you can actually see a bulge it's creating. Not only does it need to be air-layered but after it's air-layered the 2 trunks of equal size
will be closer to the soil and well, I think that's just the way to go on this one.



I'd air-layer the bonsai.

Opinions, opinions.

I second that....Sorry Andre

Well the tree sleeps deep again, in her Winter slumber....  

Its a year later and I pruned  the roots and repotted her.  

She has a very healthy root system. So I just shaved about 1cm of the bottom and aerated the roots, the I planted her deeper to conceal the massive roots, I also changed the angle and the front is now the back.  So now you can see all the roots.

I did not carve the roots yet, I first wanted to see what she will look like deeper..

I thinks she looks Great.  What do you clever people think?








Love and light

Yes, she looks great!

Andre,

it's more attractive than the first images. I would call this an informal or natural broom.
But, I figure as time passes and you study nature more, you are probably going to work on the upper branches.
Thanks for showing and will be watching for future images.
Khaimraj

The upper branches are perfect, just like on natural broadleaved trees.

Very nice tree. I like this one a lot. This tree looks very natural. Beautiful!

Mike

Really beautiful, and so natural.

Do you have of photo of it with its leaves?

I like it and as Walter says a natural look. If it were mine, I would leave it and evolve by itself. Maybe the two branches marked in red can be modified a bit

I think is gorgeous. The roots/base is much improved by planting it deeper. You may send it to me anytime! 

OOO thank you Walter, that means a lot to me....

Khaimraj thank you, and nature is always my teacher....I'm sure she will improve.

Thank you Mike, you also have impeccable taste.   

Alain thanks, I will show soonest when she sprouts next month!

Snobird, yes I fully agree and the branch will slowly bend out a bit more,  it is rather very difficult to wire a tree with so much ramification, without breaking small branches.  I will separate it with dowels.

Thanks you Todd... I will leave it to you in my will...but you will have to come and fetch it!

Love and light

Hi Andre,

I have heard people claiming they pre-bend the wire on say a chopstick, or smaller / thicker piece of wood, creating a cork-screw shaped wire. And they just rotate the wire to screw it on the branch, in case of very dense canopies. Might be worth a try?

Looking good, Andre.

Just dug a few field grown ones with multiple trunks - you inspired me with your tree not to chop all of them!

Are you going to cut back the twigs a bit to make space for the new season's growth?

Lennard

Hi Andre

The tree look much nicer pottet deeper...How tall is it?.

Kind regards Yvonne

Thanks for the advice Leatherback

lennard wrote:Looking good, Andre.



Are you going to cut back the twigs a bit to make space for the new season's growth?

Lennard

Howzit Lennard

No,  I have only thinned the crossing branches, so each twig has its own path. And  just the very long once was trimmed...  I want the crown to get bigger.  Walter gave this advice,
..."The crown could be a bit wider and more voluminous - thus fitting the huge trunk even better."

And that's, what is gonna happen.....

Yvonne thank you!,
I placed a ruler next to the tree.  The ruler is 60cm long.  With a little background for scale.



Love and Light

Hi Andre,

A lovely tree and can only get better. A tree that can take the viewer to many places and evoke many feelings. Perhaps a glazed pot could be introduced at some stage in the future, but pots are always down to personal taste. Again, great tree mate.

Cheers

David

Nice sice...keep up the good Work  

Kind regards Yvonne....yes, a glazed pot will be perfect now

Hi Andre

Thanks for the update, first time I've seen the thread........great tree, thanks for the inspiration!  

The repotting you did, did wonders for the appearance of the nebari. Really looks great. I love the natural feel of your design. Thanks for updating us on this tree. Well done.

Well done!  I liked the idea of planting a little deeper, it made a huge difference.

Now I can't wait to lift the one I've got in the ground.