Creating Deadwood/Shari on Olive tree

Dear IBC friends,
I have an olea europea bought from a nursery. Nothing special. Learning material more or less.
I was inspired from this post of Dorothy's and thought I could try something similar to enhance my olive.
So, I used hand tools and Dremel as well for carving a shari on the trunk from apex (which is cut flat) down to nebari.
Well, after the carving and passing a light flame over wounds I spread some melted vaseline (as I have read here on IBC from some member) in lack of jin liquid.

The next day the leaves on one of the branches (namely the first branch) became like dehydrated... I mean they keep their color but they look like sapless and almost brittle. However I believe that the live vein has not been damaged by my intervention. The same (although at less extend) happened to the last branch i.e. the new apex
I have to make some shots and upload here but later on....

What do you think or you suggest?

PS: perhaps I should remind that I am a novice...

my nellie wrote:Dear IBC friends,
I have an olea europea bought from a nursery. Nothing special. Learning material more or less.
I was inspired from this post of Dorothy's and thought I could try something similar to enhance my olive.
So, I used hand tools and Dremel as well for carving a shari on the trunk from apex (which is cut flat) down to nebari.
Well, after the carving and passing a light flame over wounds I spread some melted vaseline (as I have read here on IBC from some member) in lack of jin liquid.

The next day the leaves on one of the branches (namely the first branch) became like dehydrated... I mean they keep their color but they look like sapless and almost brittle. However I believe that the live vein has not been damaged by my intervention. The same (although at less extend) happened to the last branch i.e. the new apex
I have to make some shots and upload here but later on....

What do you think or you suggest?

PS: perhaps I should remind that I am a novice...

Hi Nellie, sounds like it could be one of a couple of problems. One is the flame may have singed the live branch and burned it. Whether it is a first, second or third degree burn will define whether the branch will die or not. Trees are living things and the flame is only intended for the deadwood. The live part hopefully was thoroughly protected.

Another possibility is that in carving you interrupted the sap flow to the branch. That could be bad also.

Finally you may have mechanically damaged the branch by working around it.

Leave the branch alone and see what happens.
A photo might be good too.

BTW, this past summer I obtained an Olive Bonsai. In November I carved the dead wood on it. Here's a before shot.


And after carving


The whole tree - needs to fill out and the carved areas need to age a bit..


Pot by Nick Lenz.

Hope this helps.

Rob Kempinski wrote: ... ... Hope this helps.

Very helpful indeed!
I'm sorry for the delayed answer...
I feel obliged for your time and courtesy to post this detailed answer, Rob!
So for the time being, I'm waiting to see signs of recovery on the affected branches.

Rob, I have one more question though... What do you think about the use of cut paste covering the bark when you make carving on your trees? For reasons of protection of course. I have seen some Italian bonsaists doing this on every tree they carve.

Thank you.

my nellie wrote:

Rob Kempinski wrote: ... ... Hope this helps.

Very helpful indeed!
I'm sorry for the delayed answer...
I feel obliged for your time and courtesy to post this detailed answer, Rob!
So for the time being, I'm waiting to see signs of recovery on the affected branches.

Rob, I have one more question though... What do you think about the use of cut paste covering the bark when you make carving on your trees? For reasons of protection of course. I have seen some Italian bonsaists doing this on every tree they carve.

Thank you.

There are many opinions about the viability and necessity of using cut paste on a bonsai. It's almost like debating soil recipes. First off, when I refer to cut paste I mean this stuff.


And the squishy tube of stuff called kiyonal (one brand) or Callous Mate (another brand) is also not cut paste although serves a similar function
Kiyonal

Callous mate


Lime sulfur is different (some people call it jin fluid).

To me cut paste is not necessary however, if you use it to cover the cut area next to the cambium and phloeum it doesn't seem to hurt. I would not use it to cover deadwood that is to remain part of the tree's design. While cut paste might keep the cambium zone moist and hopefully prevent it drying out it will only allow fungi and insects to thrive in the moist areas of the dead wood under the paste. Sometimes I use it on the cambium zone and sometimes I don't - and I haven't noticed any difference either way. I would never use cut paste to cover bark, nor to covering carving.

I use lime sulfur to cover wood that has been carved. If the wood is rotting I use some high tech chemicals to displace the rot with two part epoxy.

These are the two products that I also use when needed.

Rob Kempinski wrote: ... ... if you use it to cover the cut area next to the cambium and phloeum it doesn't seem to hurt. ... ...
Sometimes I use it on the cambium zone and sometimes I don't - and I haven't noticed any difference either way.
I would never use cut paste to cover bark, nor to covering carving.
... ...

This is exactly what I meant, cover the cambium zone for protection.
Ok! Many thanks, Rob! I keep on getting richer and richer in terms of bonsai