Tropical - Update - Cut down

Hello to All,

Well, I got a mica pot that was large enough and then I realised that the tree was getting way too large.
Cut down for restart. Was 28" [ 71cm ] tall, and 38" [ 97 cm ] wide as a circle /sphere goes.

Now about 18" [46 cm ] tall base is about 5" [12.5 cm ] wide.

From a 3 leafed seedling.
Cut branches saved for making glaze or body frit for the pot for this tree.

I start over.
Feel free to say yay or nay.
Khaimraj

Before -



After - Note. my friend goofing around with moss, I just cut down another large tree, and it grows incrediblle amounts of moss. This tamarind, hates moss and usually kills it.

Hi Khaimraj,

Love the second image of the tree and if I may disagree in a friendly manner that to me the tree was not overgrown but perfect. Your tree and I respect your decision sincerely. All the best with this tree

Ravi

Ravi,

maybe this will help explain Jim Lewis's Almost Sculpture part. The defoliated image was 31/12/97
notice the right side hanging branch did not even exist,and the tree as you liked it was 2003 or so, for exhibition. Even with yearly defoliation, and cutting back, it had grown.

Not to fuss, it should be back to basic shape in 3 years or so.
Thanks for looking, and taking the time to comment.
Stay Well.
Khaimraj

I would have had a hard time making those cuts too, but I know you'll have a better tree in the end. "Tough love", I guess. Does this tree (tamarind??) go through a dormancy for you and become completely bare, or do you have to defoliate it to see the structure?

Ah, yes, Tamarind. I see that now!

WOW,,,Why do you fix something that is not broke!! The tree looked great all ready but i know you have a plan..good job take care john

Russell,

first - the avatar - how does it go - ROTFLMFO !!!

During the height of the dry season, for us April/May, most Tamarinds are very briefly leafless and soon covered with hundreds of small, delicate orchid-like flowers. Then the leaves follow and the flowers continue down a "vine" blooming for great lengths.

When I artificially defoliate, I can work on the structure, control the number of shoots / leaves per branch and slow the thickening of the "finer" shoots. Tamarinds can have very coarse shoots.
But even with that control, the tree will ultimately grow out of it's shape.
It will however even when very old, at least 50+ years, still shoot all over even on the root, near the base of the trunk.

If I am very lucky, with the two months of fertilizer boost [ tree was repotted in late November,] it will take a month to start to sprout and give me many more choices for new branchlets.

Well John,

I could do as Dan Barton states on his site, and when the design is at it's highest, just get rid of the tree or I can cut back and start again, even if it is the same or a very similar design.
I left this image here for the others who will in the future face the same situation.

The trees will with time outgrow the design, and one can learn to adapt.
Stay well, you two and,
Thanks for commenting the two of you,
Khaimraj

Khaimraj,
I liked your tree before but I know you will make it even better.
Keep us posted.
Jerry

KHAIMRAJ,,,I ment in my post that the tree looked great!! i know you have to cut back but i would have been scared to death to do that!!!! don,t sell any thing ,,it will grow back beautiful for you i am sure..post it again please and some more.. it is 32 deg. hear today lucky man!! take care john

Sorry Khaimraj, but I'm struggling to see how such massive branches on a comparatively small trunk, will improve this tree?

Hello Khaimraj
Thats the way to do it,NO GUTS NO GLORY,Great work i likr it,im sure it will turn out great
Yout friend,
Alex

Thanks to All,

Will,

I am not sure where I will end up in 3 years, but I will show the effort here.
Khaimraj

will baddeley wrote:Sorry Khaimraj, but I'm struggling to see how such massive branches on a comparatively small trunk, will improve this tree?

I don't know Will. It looks a lot like our big oaks here in the South. I hear what you're saying but I don't find it unnatural at all.

OK then.

Yes Khaimraj, I have seen and been inspired by trees with huge branches too, but I feel the stubs you have left are lacking in movement and character. They will in fact, only get thicker and straighter over time and bear little resemblance to the photo you posted.

Will,

as I stated, let's see what happens in the years to come. I am game to try and take the consequences, plus any growth taking place in branches,will encourage the trunk to do what the photograph does not show [ already happening ] bumps and lumps growing on the trunk and rising roots.

Additionally, this tree heals almost as aggressively as the ironwood [ Peltaflora ] I showed a few months ago, so I can always cut off the branches and grow new ones.
Anyhow you look at it, I know the tree's properties and can manipulate the situations.
In three years ---------------------> points to the sky
Stay well.
Khaimraj

OK Khaimraj. I look forward to seeing the results.

So do I Will, so do I
Stay Well.
Khaimraj