How hard do I cut it back to save it

[Josh]

I picked up this Mel on the way home tonight.

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It had been removed due to drain works, when I say removed I mean yanked out With permission I bought it home, potted it up and it is now sitting in a weak solution of seasol. The ground was really wet where it came from so it has been sitting in water where it was. How hard should I cut it back. Should I leave some folaige or cut back to sticks???
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Anything esle I could do to help it survive . Would keeping it a bit warmer be advisable. I don't have a hothouse but could get some plastic and make something for now to help it along if that would help it survive. I think it has some great potential if it survives as the base is quite thick at the base (below the soil).
1 how far do I cut it back
2 how long do I let it soak in water/seasol for
3 should I provide warmth for it
4 Anything else to help it survive.
If it survives my next question will be what do I do with the straight trunk. Can it be bent.

Thanks
Josh
PS. for size the seasol bottle is 1 litre

[Craig]

g'day Josh, if this tree was growing in water then this is what i would do.

pot it into a container with no holes, and use washed gravel/bluemetal as the potting madium. Tie the tree in to hold it still if need be and fill to the soil level with water, drill an overflow hole thru the side of the container at soil level level and unless there are new shoots/buds about to burst 9if there are don't trim), reduce the foliage by 1/3rd.
put it out to where it gets sun and keep water full.
I have fantastic results with this method and highly reccommend you give it a go.

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[Bougy Fan]

I had the first success with putting a mel in a bonsai pot and not killing it recently. I put it into a diatomite/zeolite mix and stood it in a saucer of water. If I had collected this tree I would give it the same treatment. I wouldn't bother cutting it back as they shed a heap of leaves when stressed.

[Rintar]

I'd follow craigs advice he has a lot more experience than i. None the less I have had one survive and one 2months after I thought it was dead revive. The first which now almost 3months later has roots poking through the bottom of a 20cm pot. I collected it almost bare rooted I cut the tap root 2 a third(pretty much the only root) put it in a mix of 1part soil from site 1part compost/worm casting 1part potting mix. The bottom of the pot was filled with rocks. This was then placed in a bucket (10L icecream) which I cut holes in side about the same height as the top of the rocks so their was plenty of water just below soil level. I left it in a speckled sun area tied still in that tub for 3weeks then moved it to a sunnier spot for 4more before removing bucket. I am just now seeing the roots at the bottom of the pot. The tree was also cut to a 3rd. It barely lost any leaves but it was also done 3months ago. My second was nursery bought had much more care had lots of roots and done barley a week later lost all leaves looked completely dead for about 2 months and now is sprouting new growth all this rain has to have helped. Keep us posted and don't despair if it seems to die it may just be foxing.

Cheers

Jas

[Josh]

Thanks guys, there is hope yet. I'm getting the picture that keeping it wet is the best thing for it. I will have to get some more coarse potting medium as I only had potting mix at home. There was a fairly large clump of soil still attached which I left on. My thoughts were not to disturb it to much. I don't how long it was out of the ground before I got it so heres hoping
Thanks for the replies, really appreciate it. Sometimes I feel bad asking questions as I have very little knowledge to offer in return, but do apprecaite the advice given by those more expirienced.
Craig, what sized gravel would you reccomend

Thanks
Josh

[Craig]

I personally use 6-10mm bluemetal or 6mm pea gravel but prefer the bluemetal as it has a more edges than peagravel which is basically smooth. The rough textures on gravels used in any Bonsai medium is to promote splitting of new roots, when the gravel is round the roots tend to go around it. when it is rough the roots split when contacting it and more fine roots develop. With the way i describe you will end up with many many fine roots which will be the starting point of building your trees root system. After 6 - 8 months your tree will easily have sufficient roots to repot into you Bonsai medium and spread/ choose roots from there.
It has and does work for me and I see no reason why it will not work for you aswell.It has not ever failed ME. In Summer i have seen new shoots in as little as 2 weeks but winter of course takes a little longer. Give your tree some seasol in the water occasionally aswell. Feel free to ask whatever you like, and go which ever way suits your needs mate.

[Josh]

Thanks Craig

[Rintar]

No probs kidsanall as i said go with what craig said i just like to give my own limited experience. you have probably had more time with trees than I but i do like to give my popinion ha ha ha It sometimes gets me in trouble but most of all good luck and hope all goes well,'

Cheers Jas

[Craig]

What Jas and Tony do are basically the same as what I do , only I prefer not to use soil or fine mediums . I find recovery alot slower and more unpredictable with soil around the actual roots thats all.

[Josh]

I've been away for a few days and came home to a nice surprise. My trees have burst. This tree now has buds all over it. I will now let it grow and then start to shape. I would really like a branch about half way up the trunk. Any ideas on how to make it bud out where I want it to

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Josh

[Craig]

Hi Josh, without knowing which mel it is ,

What is it potted in now? I as you probably know ,work a little differently to others but I usually try to cut the trunk back to a stage where it is going to be useable at or by this stage.Cutting back hard first up allows the new shoots to form onto the wood you want(have left) so there is no wastage. I would look at reducing the mass of branches and only keep ones which will be useable to you, lose any thick ones higher up on what ever trunkline you end up choosing.
If your not comfortable doing this work yet then just let it go crazy for a few months.

I start training my mel branches from day one. Once they lignify(harden off) they become brittle and harder to work with.Good work mate..

[Rintar]

Good advice as always Craig I think I might do that with my bush to home thread Mel I did post asking but I don't seem to get the response josh does but respond to any I still read it love this forum

[Josh]

Thanks Craig, I think it is a paperbark. I planned on cutting it back, just have to work out where to. This is only the second tree I collected so wasn't sure what to do with it when I collected it but very happy it is shooting. Now I will begin to shape it now that I know it has survived.It is potted in potting mix only. I didn't have access to the material you recommended potting in early in this thread at the time so just went with potting mix. I pretty much followed your advice on after care for every thing else. Next tree I collect I will use your method for potting. I appreciate your time and comments. I know the trunk on this could provide some issues but nothing like a challenge. Any ideas on styling???

Rintar, I appreciated your comments and interest in both my Mals.. I have several threads on here with no comments so I wouldn't worry to much, I think it depends on who's looking at the time or how quickly people post other threads after you have posted. I posted a thread a little while back and before I new it 6 others had posted something and my thread was gone way down the chain lol. There is heaps of info on here and great advice. I can't wait till I have a tree in a bonsai pot worth posting on here. All my trees are in the growing, training stage.

Josh