Malus sylvestris-Suggestions

Before and now pictures of my lately acquired crab apple, after some light pruning, wiring and after cleaning some rotten wood and carving.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.






Thank you in advance.

Nice to see it.
I think you have here a very good material.

Unfortunately, I am awful with photos....  
I hope visitors will be able to picture the tree so that they can make suggestions

Hi Alexandra

You have started your nice tree up in a nice way   
Now the tree need to grow untill midsummer...then you show it to us again, imho.

Kind regards Yvonne

Hello, Yvonne!
In fact, I am planning to transplant the tree into a bonsai pot. During my search here on IBC and asking questions about repotting, there came Rui asking for photos   
He is the person responsible for this thread  

my nellie wrote:Hello, Yvonne!
In fact, I am planning to transplant the tree into a bonsai pot. During my search here on IBC and asking questions about repotting, there came Rui asking for photos   
He is the person responsible for this thread  

Thank you   

In fact, i've just repotted my malus last weekend. I must update mt thread.

my nellie wrote:Hello, Yvonne!
In fact, I am planning to transplant the tree into a bonsai pot. During my search here on IBC and asking questions about repotting, there came Rui asking for photos   
He is the person responsible for this thread  

If the tree is new repottet...leave it untill the tree is rootbound, this it will be after middsummer...make sure it is rootbound first...and then carefully take it to a bigger pot without touching the roots, to speed up the Growth.

If not repottet...take it to a bigger pot, without touching the roots, to speed up the Growth and healing.

Kind regards Yvonne

Yvonne, the malus is into a training pot for the last two years.
This will be its first transplanting into a bonsai pot. Do you suggest it remains into this big training pot?
The tree has started to push new growth. Next Sunday we have a local club workshop and I wonder if it is safe to take the tree for repotting at this time or should I wait a little longer.
What do you think?

my nellie wrote:Yvonne, the malus is into a training pot for the last two years.
This will be its first transplanting into a bonsai pot. Do you suggest it remains into this big training pot?
The tree has started to push new growth. Next Sunday we have a local club workshop and I wonder if it is safe to take the tree for repotting at this time or should I wait a little longer.
What do you think?

Like Yvonne stated, I'd just slip pot it into a larger pot, if this is necessary, I have a couple of crabapples and wouldn't want to disturb the roots after it has pushed growth.

Thank you, too, Orion.
Don't get me stubborn, please... I'm simply a beginner asking questions.
Well, what is  confusing me is the fact that Fred Jansen of Hollow Creek Bonsai suggests that repotting in early spring is done after flowering, or in early autumn.
Or, look at this image in an article about timing for repotting from Graham Poter at Kaizen bonsai.


So, let's suppose I give the tree another growing season to thrive. When should I shift from training pot to a bonsai pot? When the buds have started to swell, as I knew? When the buds begin to crack open and show green, as Graham suggests? Or after flowering by F. Jansen's suggestion?

Nellie,

You're not stubborn in the least, you're asking a lot of great questions.

I just never do root work on trees unless they are dormant. Now "rootwork" to me means reducing the rootball itself. In slip-potting, we are simply taking a what maybe root-bound tree and putting in a larger pot to accommodate the increase in root mass. Granted, crabapples are very tough and can take quite a bit of work, yet I'm simply more conservative in my approach.

You have a really nice tree to work on, I'm jealous of it, and I think it will turn out beautifully. I would let the tree thrive for now.

Orions words could have been mine.  

Have a nice day...kind regards Yvonne

Conclusion :

Orion wrote:... ...I would let the tree thrive for now.

Yvonne Graubaek wrote:Orions words could have been mine... ...

Have a nice weekend! Thank you both!  


PS:....but now I have to decide what tree to bring for the workshop   

my nellie wrote:

PS:....but now I have to decide what tree to bring for the workshop   

Both

My crabapple had a very good progression.
Lot of new shoots, lot of flowers and fruits! I have only kept 3 small apples.
Lately,  small red-brown dots had begun to cover the foliage which eventually turned to yellow and then fell.
I consulted the agriculturist who concluded spider mites and has given a suitable miticide. I have used this twice every 8-10 days but no result. All the foliage is gone, I think some branches are dried out, too.
My question :
I am considering to repot the tree into a free draining substrate. The soil is horrible and retain a lot of water as I have mentioned at the start. I think I have nothing to loose....
What is your opinion?

Thank you very much for your attention.

Sounds more like a fungal problem to me.

If you do not have any more leaves, soil is bad, branches dying...go for it.  Though I normally won't touch a tree this weak, as you mentioned, nothing to lose now.

Discard all soil, leaves and branches.  Treat/disinfect your tools and hit the tree with fungicide after.  Actually, I would treat the whole tree with fungicide before re-planting (if this is mine).

Good luck!

Hi alexandra

Leave the tree in the pot as it is, water carefully, and dont leave the tree in the rain and sun....and keep fight the spidermites.
It may die, no matter what, due to the spidermites, but to repot now, will kill it, I should think

kind regards Yvonne

Yvonne,

Did you factor that she is in Athens, Greece? Just checking.

Thank you.

Yes, keep the tree fairly dry.

Thank you both!
It is still too hot here, 19C min. and 28C max.
I will move the pot inside in a hallway with lot of light. I feel ashamed I didn't think of this earlier  
This place I call my ICU for the trees in need.

Iam new too.But my suggestion is let it grow well and healthy in a bigger pot and then when its healthy enough start wiring etc..Its a nice tree anyway.Keep it up friend.