Would you bonsai a regular apple tree?

I have an opportunity to collect an apple tree...it is about 4 feet tall and have a base of 8" or so with lots of low branches. It looks like a heavy set bush right now. The leaves looks like 3" long and not sure if they can be reduced.

Would this make a descent bonsai?

Thank you.

Yup!

Collected material is mostly about getting a decent trunk caliper, the branches usually get re-grown from scratch later on anyway.

I have a standard apple in the works now and have gotten the leaves down to 3/4 inch easily. Watch out though, as they can be very fast growers and you will definitely need to balance the root growth (i.e. use the dwarfing power of the bonsai pot to full advantage)

well worth the dig usually!
-Jay

Thank you Jay.

I believe I can get lots of branches on this one since they are as low as 6" if my recollection is correct and spaced really close. I am stoked now!!!

BTW, any tips on how much roots I need to get?

Poink88 wrote:
BTW, any tips on how much roots I need to get?

As always when collecting, as much as you can.
-Jay

Apples make great bonsai. The best come from old, untended orchards. See the late Jerry Stowell's The Beginner's Guide to American Bonsai for info and pictures on doing apple bonsai. It is out of print, but www.abebooks.com will have one for a few dollars.

JimLewis wrote:Apples make great bonsai. The best come from old, untended orchards. See the late Jerry Stowell's The Beginner's Guide to American Bonsai for info and pictures on doing apple bonsai. It is out of print, but www.abebooks.com will have one for a few dollars.

I just bought the book from Amazon (who owns Abebooks now) for $3.77 w/ free delivery.

Thanks Jim!

I just bought the book from Amazon (who owns Abebooks now)

Awwww . . . Say it ain't SO! They swallowed bibliofind and now Abe Books? Are there any independent used bookstores on the web any more?

JimLewis wrote:

I just bought the book from Amazon (who owns Abebooks now)

Awwww . . . Say it ain't SO! They swallowed bibliofind and now Abe Books? Are there any independent used bookstores on the web any more?

August 2008
http://techcrunch.com/2008/08/01/amazon-to-acquire-abebooks/

One of the best search engines is www.addall.com Go into the "Used and rare" section, make sure all the affiliated websites are checked off at the lower section of the page and set the parameters of your search. You don't need complete titles and there are several ways to manipulate the search criteria.

I collect old books and there is none better to connect you with the book world.

John

Poink88 wrote:

JimLewis wrote:

I just bought the book from Amazon (who owns Abebooks now)

Awwww . . . Say it ain't SO! They swallowed bibliofind and now Abe Books? Are there any independent used bookstores on the web any more?

August 2008
http://techcrunch.com/2008/08/01/amazon-to-acquire-abebooks/

Hmmmm. Guess I've been asleep at the switch.

Orion, thanks for the link. My parents had a rare book and map shop in Santa Monica, CA when I was a little kid (Late 30s early 40s). The War put close to that enterprise, but they continued to collect after the store closed. Can be an expensive hobby.

Check it out Jim, you can't go wrong. Happy Hunting

Check out Nick Lentz's book "Bonsai From the Wild"; about collecting certain North American indigenous trees. He devotes a whole chapter to wild apple trees. I think it is a "must read" for anyone who wants to grow apple tree bonsai. Your tree sounds like a dream tree!
Best,
Todd

Todd Ellis wrote:Check out Nick Lentz's book "Bonsai From the Wild"; about collecting certain North American indigenous trees. He devotes a whole chapter to wild apple trees. I think it is a "must read" for anyone who wants to grow apple tree bonsai. Your tree sounds like a dream tree!
Best,
Todd

Thanks Todd. I am afraid it is too late to get the book now, I am set to dig the tree this weekend. I hope I can get it with lots of roots intact. Any tips you can share until then to help increase the tree's chances of survival from being collected/transplanted will be much appreciated.

To be honest, I don't even know what an apple tree look like...I just went with what the home owner told me. The leaf and branch does match what I've seen online.

One thing I noticed. some branches have root ball forming around them, not long but a lot and most likely ready for cuttings...is this normal? or is this caused by some sickness/parasite/pest?

Poink88 wrote: I am afraid it is too late to get the book now,


One thing I noticed. some branches have root ball forming around them

It is NEVER too late to get Nick Lenz's book......NEVER!

Branches with a root ball forming around them????? a picture would be helpful, but unless those particular branches are in direct contact with the ground those aren't root balls. Likely Galls.

-Jay

drgonzo wrote:It is NEVER too late to get Nick Lenz's book......NEVER!

Okay! I will get one. LOL

drgonzo wrote:Branches with a root ball forming around them????? a picture would be helpful, but unless those particular branches are in direct contact with the ground those aren't root balls. Likely Galls.

I will snap a pic later as I collect it. I am familiar with galls and I am 90% sure these are roots. I've seen similar in other plants before and just wondering if it is indicative of any problem. It looks like airlayering but the roots spiked and stopped at about 1/8" long all around (almost like what you will see around a bamboo node...only more).

It looks like this but almost all uniform length and dry looking...just waiting to be planted.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chidorian/4520595150/in/photostream/

could be witches broom...

In my experience Apples don't spontaneously produce roots on aerial branches.
-Jay

I'll be anxious to see some pics!

Apples don't grow aerial roots. Those must be something else. I look forward to the picture.

Roots on a malus are never produced aerially. They do however layer but need to be in contact with a viable medium. Like the other posters have said a picture paints a thousand words.

Another option if you want fruit (more) in scale with the tree is to thread graft branches onto the stump - as you are gonna stump it anyway and regrow branches you could try this approach. Halliana & sargentii are great if u can source these.

A great resource to read is brent's article on Malus:

http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/crabappl.htm

marie1uk wrote:Roots on a malus are never produced aerially. They do however layer but need to be in contact with a viable medium. Like the other posters have said a picture paints a thousand words.

Another option if you want fruit (more) in scale with the tree is to thread graft branches onto the stump - as you are gonna stump it anyway and regrow branches you could try this approach. Halliana & sargentii are great if u can source these.

A great resource to read is brent's article on Malus:

http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/crabappl.htm

I started another thread after the tree was collected here... https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t9077-apple-malus-quince-urban-yamadori

Funny that you posted the same link that I just added a few hours ago. Please check the thread and let me know what you think. Thank you.