Escallonia Update 2009

Ian Warhurst wrote:Hi Mike, are you refering to my tree, Tony`s or both

thanks anyway,

Ian.

Ian, I saw Tony's first, and made the comment. Now that I've seen your tree, same comment!

Mike

Ian Warhurst wrote:Hi Tony, here is a picture of my Escallonia sorry the photo isn`t that good

Ian

Nice very nice indeed, why doesnt mine flower?
Its never been cut back since I dug it up 3 years ago.

Kind regards
Peter

Super trees guys!!

I'd never seen one as a Bonsai before until I saw a peice of raw material down at Green Lawns a couple of weeks ago. The trunk on yours Tony still looks like its in a state of flux and still moving. It reminds me of some ripple glass vases that I've got where it looks like the glass itself is still moving and will run down onto the table like a burning candle!

These 2 really make me want on but I feel that they might be a bit too large for me.
Thanx for sharing,
LP&B,
Simon

Thanks for the comments guy`s they`re very much appreciated. Peter, what do you use as a potting medium and what is your feeding regime. I repotted this tree in the spring of this year in a mix of akadama, composted bark and kyodama. then when it was established i sprinkled chicken manure on the soil surface and fed it once a week with miracle grow, I also give it the occasional dose of seaweed. Toward the end of summer i`ll give it chempack no. 8 or tomorite.

Ian.

Ian-
Do you have much trouble with chicken manure producing too many weeds? Is it composted? Where I'm from in North Carolina we have chicken houses everywhere, but the litter has too much sawdust to be of much use in Bonsai.
-PT

Hi Preston,

I use chicken manure as part of my feeding schedule too. It's available in the UK as an organic fertiliser. We buy lage tubs of pelleted chicken manure. It is compressed, extruded and dried, so it has very little "aroma". You have to be a bit careful, as it is quite strong and could burn roots if applied too heaviily. I just scatter small quantities in the corners of pots or around the edge and let rain/watering slowly break them down.

I've done this for a few years and not had any problems. Weeds grow wherever their seeds exist or are blown. I don't think that this fertiliser would have any greater effect on weed growth than other feeds.

Ian Warhurst wrote:Thanks for the comments guy`s they`re very much appreciated. Peter, what do you use as a potting medium and what is your feeding regime. I repotted this tree in the spring of this year in a mix of akadama, composted bark and kyodama. then when it was established i sprinkled chicken manure on the soil surface and fed it once a week with miracle grow, I also give it the occasional dose of seaweed. Toward the end of summer i`ll give it chempack no. 8 or tomorite.

Ian.

Hi Ian,

its planted in a akadama, kiriyu mix and is fed with abraksas and fishthing in a bottle (stinks anyway), the fishthing 1x every 14 days and abraksas after condition of it.
But its still growing very slow, and rootgrowth is weak aswell.
Well I might take it with me in September to the Tony workshop here in Denmark.

Kind regards
Peter