Beginning of small trees, from cuttings and seed

Hi

Maybe some of you want to use the way I make the small trees...shohin and kifu. The trees I show here will be created, and is not just old photos...I will post when ever there is something done to them.

Tree nr. 1

This one is a acer buerginianum made from seed, A friend gave it to me two growingseason ago, I think it was two years old then.
A tree from seed does not really have a nice root, when the tree is that small. so my plan is to make a layering much later, as buerginianum is easy...it is something else with ulmus.

First year was the tree growing as much as possible, in a big pot, using fertilizer. during middsummer last year, was a low first branch found, a second, and a maybe not wished 3th...the topbranch for new leader was kept, and the trunk was redused to this point...making sure a backbranch for a 4th branch on the backside was kept, and allive ( the arrow).

A low branch on the backside ( green), is being kept for now..it will add some taper. This branch will be monitored, and removed as soon as I see it will become a problem, a too big scar.

When looking at the branches is the lowest, soon the wakest, kept the longest. the next not quit as long, and the third even shorter...the topbranch will grow wild for now. For now will this add to much needed taper...also will I place stones on the soilsurface, in the hope surfaceroots will grow, adding even more to taper, and nebari.

This spring have I repottet the tree to a small container, for controlling the growth of the roots. But is not planning to this again, as a layering much later is a nice solution for this kind of tree.

The lowest branch is placed 6cm. up the trunk...this will give a "finished" tree about 18 cm. tall.

Lets see what happens...I will post more tree in the making if I see it has your interest.

Kind regards Yvonne...please ask any question

Thank you, Yvonne. Here I am the first one to ask

Yvonne Graubaek wrote:.....also will I place stones on the soilsurface, in the hope surfaceroots will grow, adding even more to taper, and nebari.

Can you clarify and give some details, please. How do these stones work?

Thank you so much for this, it would be great if you could start a couple of threads like this one for a couple of trees, it would help us a lot

Yvonne Graubaek wrote:
my plan is to make a layering much later

can you please explain why layering will happen much later rather than now?

also, if I understood correctly, the green branch is the sacrifice branch and the top one is new leader ? all others will be cut ?

Should be fun, to see the birth and maturation.
Much thanks Yvonne.
Khaimraj

The ( flat) stones on the surface arround the trunk, will give heath and help the moist to stay...othervise is the surface soon dry. When the summer becomes too hot, will I place cardboard under the stones, to protect the roots from boiling.

The green branch is the first one to go, as it will create problems soon....had it been by the soil-surface, would it have been perfect.
The other branches will go, or almost go in the future....I will wait and see how the tree developes.
You may have notisted the branches is placed accordingly to the japanese rules, as this give a tree, easy to maintain. I am planning to keep the lowest branch this stronger compared to the others...so, if branch nr. 2 becomes stronger than first, will I reduce it, and so on.

The layering will be made, when the tree is about to be finished, ( a year or two before) as a trunk can be too thin for a layering to work...and if it do, will there not be room for many new roots arround the surface of the trunk, wich I want, as the proportions will look nicer for a tree.

Yes, it is funny to try this idea....it is based on other trees I have made...and learned from, good and indeed also bad...with the trees i show on this tread, can I avoid many stupid things to happen....But may create some new.

Kind regards Yvonne

After a buzzy day....having been given the idea of the topic, and maybe too fast posting the first tree....was I looking at the photo of the tree, and wondering why I had cut it this way, leaving a small 3th. branch....I suddenly remembered, what was my thought last summer...this tree is not going to be a shohin or small kifu, it is actully ment to become a bigger tree, first branch is also a sacrificebranch, and will soon go too.

All for now.

Kind regards Yvonne

Yvonne, thank you for your response.

I can show a little update on this small beginning of a tree



The branches is placed in the right spot, and lowest branch is the strongest and etc....this will give the taper...The tree has a small root, and does not yet fill the pot, so I have to be careful...but I have pruned the tree to the limit of what I dared during the summer...no repotting during Winter  update next year.

Kind regards Yvonne

This is a ulmus parvifolia " nire"

A cutting I started up in a colander, and later was pottet in a big pot....during last summer did the tree grow a a sacrificegranch I removed earlier this summer, because the future scar was going to be too big ( arrow).
The tree has pleased me with having new Growth from the soilsurface, witch is absolutely perfect for the nebari in the future.
The tree has the branchsetting solved, and sacrificebranches is growing from the trunk, Next to the two lowest branches...the lowest is kept longest...third branch is smaller without a sacrificebranch....somewere under the red line in the top, will I find a branch growing towards the viewer ( or almost), and a new leader....I am not planning to keep the tree small.
I know many think branches in the right place is boring, but it makes the tree easy to care for...and the tree will grow caracter with age anyway.

I would like to hear a short responce from you, pm or reply, if you think you can use this topic...otherwise will I not bother to send more.

Kind regards Yvonne

Thanks, Yvonne.
I always find progression and/or formative-stage-work posts interesting and informative.
Please continue these posts.
Bob

Yvonne, I think this post is extremely helpful. There is a lot of information available on propagation and even more on bonsai refinement. But there is very little info on developing stock. I applaud your efforts.

Thanks for responses

This lonicera Nitida cutting was small and weak when I placed it on a stone two year ago in the Winter

With regular knitting cottonyarn that rot during one summer in the soil, did I wrap the tiny roots to the stone in the desired way, and pottet it in the soil, leaving only the green part abowe...this cutting almost died, but survided after all ( they normaly dont die), so it needed two years, insteadt of one, in the garden before I could take a closer look at the roots.
Liniceras push out many roots, and they are pretty much impossible to solve in a nice manner....but as they mature, do they look really nice, even though they look like a mess now...( I will later today add a Photo of older roots)

I have removed some tiny short roots from the larger/longer roots, and gathered the rest under the stone...it is very important to have the roots comming under the stone, othervise will the plant not sit tight when growing.
This was very early spring, and the tree was pottet Again, as it was, left to grow more

The tree had a nice season. and has it branches set, and ready to continue the Growth..the lowest branch is the strongest, and so on....I will make sure they stay like this.


A closeup

Kind regards Yvonne

Hello!
I am also one who would like to read updates of this thread.
Thank you, Yvonne.

Many thanks Alexandra...hope you can use some of the information...and if questions..please ask.

Not old roots, just a couple of years older Lionicera roots, 

Kind regards Yvonne