For nervous beginners...relocating a branch on large Mugo?

[bodhidharma]

And is a pine something that can be 'threaded'?

Hi woody,
Thread grafting is not the go as foliage at the tip is necessary on pines, not just buds.
Approach grafting where an existing branch is attached to the outside of the trunk is the preferred method.

Gerard

Thanks Gerard. Thats why i love this site..ask and you shall receive

[alpineart]

It will work without a doubt . 1 little issue i have with electrical tape, duct tape and the likes is the gum used on some of these tapes can contribute to a mould or fungus forming around the area where the tape is adhered to the bark . Heat and moisture in this area of contact can be disasterous .Cheers

[bodhidharma]

I will now resurrect this thread and give a little history on this tree. As stated i had a different idea for this tree and it was earmarked for three trees via layering. It was wired, bent, and then stuck into the ground and left. The tree got horribly scarred through neglect on my part (too many tree's) dug up and put into the pot at the beginning of this thread. It was then promptly forgotten about (again) and grew into the ground and went ballistic. I pulled it out of the pot a couple of Winter's ago and heavily pruned it's root system and got it into a Bonsai pot and then ignored it again. A contributor on this thread (Gerard) and good friend, visited with the intention of digging up a row of Acacia's i had been ground growing. He spied the tree and offered to work on the project with me with the intention of kickstarting the project again and politely chastised me with "I don't like seeing a project getting neglected" We started needle plucking the tree and he then Generously came back Easter Sunday to finish needle plucking and start the wiring. It was a FUN day of wiring, pruning, eating, drinking tea, talking to customer's and filling up on chocolate. I had cut my hand the day before working on my Japanese sword and was a little slow in my wiring dexterity so thanks Gerard for carrying the bulk of the workload and i promise to keep the project moving along. to Gerard for shared Bonsai Mateship. Some photo's of the day to share.
P.S...The graft worked very well and the branch is now in the correct position.

[anthonyW]

Very good to hear the graft worked,your tree looks very healthy,shall look a beauty when wired.
Anthony

[Jow]

Could you post a picture of the graft union? I am always keen to see how these things heal up.

Joe.

[bodhidharma]

Could you post a picture of the graft union? I am always keen to see how these things heal up.

Joe.

Here you go.

[Jow]

It's healed very well considering the surgery its undergone!

[bodhidharma]

It's healed very well considering the surgery its undergone!

Actually i am a little proud of the way it has healed as it looks like it was always there. Have to say i never thought it would heal as well as it has.

[dansai]

I hadn't seen this thread before. Am I right in that you bent the branch back down the trunk? Against the sap flow? Do you know if the smaller branches are receiving sap as it comes up the trunk, or does it flow up back down?

[bodhidharma]

I hadn't seen this thread before. Am I right in that you bent the branch back down the trunk? Against the sap flow? Do you know if the smaller branches are receiving sap as it comes up the trunk, or does it flow up back down?

Hi Dansai, Yes, i folded the top branch back down and joined it at the main trunk. It does not impede the trees sap flow at all. All the branches above it are doing fine. As a matter of fact we cut off a large new leader above it that was full of new branches. It works the same as undercutting a branch and pulling it down except on a much larger scale.

[shibui]

Dan, Sap still flows along the branch as it did before but now goes down alongside the trunk. If Bodhi had not grafted, just bent the branch down along the trunk would you be worried? The difference is that now, after the grafting process the branch cells can make connection with the cells in the trunk all along the length of the grafted section. Sooner or later, as the graft union heals up, sap flow will be direct from the trunk into the branch where it has joined to the trunk. Sap flow re-routes where it is possible to take the shortest route from roots to leaves.

This is the benefit of approach grafting - original sap flow continues to keep the union alive until a better, more direct sap flow can take over.

[wrcmad]

It's healed very well considering the surgery its undergone!

Actually i am a little proud of the way it has healed as it looks like it was always there. Have to say i never thought it would heal as well as it has.

You should be proud... that is quite impressive!

[bodhidharma]

This is the benefit of approach grafting - original sap flow continues to keep the union alive until a better, more direct sap flow can take over.

Thanks Shibui. Much better explanation than mine.

[kcpoole]

Lovely tree Bodhi and I never realised how BIG it is

And what does "workig on your sword actually entail? Cutting and practising with it or just playing

Ken

[bodhidharma]

You should be proud... that is quite impressive!

Thanks Mate.

Lovely tree Bodhi and I never realised how BIG it is

And what does "workig on your sword actually entail? Cutting and practising with it or just playing

Ken

I am a Japanese sword nut (and we think Bonsai are expensive) and am restoring an older sword. Levering the suka (Handle) when it bit me. It is VERY sharp.