Melaleuca bracteata

[GerhardGerber]

Hi All

I bought a Melaleuca bracteata a few months ago, it was in a sorry state, twin trunk with one dead twin, and obviously so unhealthy that nobody wanted to buy it.

My luck since it was twice the trunk for the same money as the other examples. I topped up the "potting medium" with some river sand and I've been feeding it, dead branches trimmed out and I've lost a few branches due to frost. It had some new growth and it's back-budding in several spots.

I actually took some photos this morning, but I have no image hosting accounts, which it seems is the only way (?) to get a photo attached......

Anyway, I know it must be severely rootbound and the soil is in bad shape (big nursery bag + tree is very light), and I'm fast approaching the season to get this and others out of the bags into development pots.

With the Melaleuca I'm considering 3 options, please have a look and let me know what you think will be best: (not in order of personal preference)

1) Bare-root, see what's going on with the roots and have various size (depths) pots handy.

2) Saw through the nursery bag about halfway up and put the top part in another pot with some fresh potting mix.

3) Wash out the top half of the soil, replace with fresh potting medium and wait another year with the hope of getting new roots close to the base, then do something like #2.

Styling-wise the tree is nowhere yet, I'm considering a few options but none so far that I like.

Any input appreciated, please thrill me with options 4, 5 &6 that I didn't get

Cheers
Gerhard

[Bougy Fan]

Hi Gerhard and welcome. Have a look in the menu section of the bonsai cafe on how to upload a photo - you can do this directly from the folder it is located in. Photo's do help us to assist you - it is hard to know how healthy the tree is for instance. Also it helps to know what season you are in as this can affect repotting.


Tony

[GerhardGerber]

Hi Tony

I checked the FAQ's, no joy, but knowing it's possible was enough, let's hope the attachment works....

As you can (hopefully) see it's in a sorry state, but like I mentioned the feeding seems to be working.

I'm in Namibia, we are in the 2nd half of winter, and my flat is in the hilly part of town so I miss out on the worst frosts.

I expect to do my early spring work somewhere in August depending on how the season develops.

The Melaleuca has been pushing new leaves and back-budding non-stop since I got it about 3 months ago, I suspect it's only slowed down a bit due to the new location (1.5 months) with very little direct sunlight - no choice on that until it's out of the unsightly nursery bag.....landlords you know.

[GerhardGerber]

Please no styling advice, at times I think there's no hope other than some kind of cookie cutter bonsai.....

I just want it out of that nursery bag alive with some hope for the future.

Unfortunately that frontmost trunk is completely dead, I'm left with that funny one at the back, with the even funnier branches......

[Craig]

Gerhard , The trunk looks quite reasonable in size ,not huge but has nice bark developing .
As far as repotting Bracteata goes, they are very forgiving and will shoot back very well. You would be quite safe to cut the trunk back very hard and root prune as much as you want, I would take this first repotting to sort out the roots completely, trying to leave a good amount of feeder roots, for it's spring takeoff. I wouldn't waste anytime only removing some of the existing soil or anything, just do it all now(or in early spring).They love water , so in spring water alot and regular fertilizer, with a well draining growing medium. When the new growth appears constant pinching helps to promote more backbudding, Bracteata is a fairly vigerous grower and you shouldn't have any trouble with it good luck with it , keep us posted mate

[GerhardGerber]

Hi Craig

So your vote is for option 1?

trying to leave a good amount of feeder roots, for it's spring takeoff

That's the problem, I suspect I'll find very few good roots close to the base.......which is why the XXL pots will be waiting.

You would be quite safe to cut the trunk back very hard

For me this is a chicken vs. egg situation, I feel very strongly that I need to know what's going on below ground before I can make some initial call on styling and where/what to chop.
I left the dead trunk because it's a good anchor point for the bending I thought was the best way to go - see pic

[GerhardGerber]

I've since changed my mind and I'm leaning more towards this option.

There's a little branch coming off the main trunk (highlighted in red) that gives some extra options.

Thanks for your input Craig

Cheers
Gerhard

[Craig]

Gerhard, which ever way you decide to cut it back, it will back bud profusly all over and you'll end up with many many new shoots to play with .
Realisticly you can scape away at the surface now and have a sneak peak at what the roots mat be like ,otherwise just make the decision on which way to go when you pull it from it's black bag.It will throw out new roots without too much concern,


Maybe you could achieve something like MELAQUIN has here with her Melaleuca Alternifolia, viewtopic.php?f=136&t=8297#p92141

mela-alternifolia.JPG

,

[GerhardGerber]

Maybe you could achieve something like MELAQUIN has here with her Melaleuca Alternifolia

Yes, with some (read: A LOT) time and if talent falls from the sky and hits me!

it will back bud profusly all over and you'll end up with many many new shoots to play with

That will be the long road then, agreed that's the most likely thing to do with that trunk........and a problem for nect year at the earliest.

Realisticly you can scape away at the surface now and have a sneak peak at what the roots mat be like

The watering regime at the nursery took care of that, I could see what you could get to when I bought it, to go deeper I would need to get through the tangled roots.
That's why I topped off with some sand when I got it, I'm hoping there's still some life in the exposed roots and by covering and feeding new feeder roots will develop.

Thanks
Gerhard

[Craig]

Yes, with some (read: A LOT) time and if talent falls from the sky and hits me!

Comes with practise my friend,

That will be the long road then, agreed that's the most likely thing to do with that trunk........and a problem for nect year at the earliest

Theres no short road when it comes to stock like this Gerhard,

I could see what you could get to when I bought it, to go deeper I would need to get through the tangled roots

Pull tree from it's bag, Rake roots outwards and remove crossing, tangled roots, Expose some more trunkline, Spread the roots outwards and trim them all off about 100mm or so from the trunk and plant into your new pot,. I don't really see too many issues at all, as i said it will withstand hard pruning of the roots and branches ,and bounce right back , Good luck whatever you decide,

[Jamie]

mate i think you need to take a step back and really consider the health of this tree, its all good wanting to know about how to style it and the enthusiasm is good, but if you dont get this tree healthy first your going to struggle with it. get the roots sorted out and into a good free draining medium and keep the water right up to it. stand it in a water tray if need be. in the water tray pour in some seasol or seaweed emulsion which will help big time, some superthrive or auxinone wouldnt hurt either.
you will know when this tree is ready to be worked as it will have massive amounts to work with, then go from there champ !

[kcpoole]

Hi Gerhard
I purchased some Mels of various types last year and they were also in poor soil and condition

I cut them back hard and bare rooted them to see what was under the soil. Chopped out the big ugly roots to get them into a decent mix and pot size
Take out of the bag and do an initial cut back and investigate of the roots but take off only what you need to start the repair, next repot next year, take off a few more and repeat until you get it down to size.

Safest way if you do not want to do all at once.

Ps I like option 2 better

Ken

[Craig]

mate i think you need to take a step back and really consider the health of this tree,

you will know when this tree is ready to be worked as it will have massive amounts to work with, then go from there champ

Jamie , what's wrong with it mate, are you saying it's not healthy because there's no lower foliage ?
What about this Bracteata ?

Golden gem.jpg

[GerhardGerber]

Hi

Theres no short road when it comes to stock like this Gerhard,

Craig, fully understood. I was just hoping that one of the branches could become the 2nd part of the trunk. If not, I'll just have to find out how fast they grow!

I cut them back hard and bare rooted them to see what was under the soil. Chopped out the big ugly roots to get them into a decent mix and pot size
Take out of the bag and do an initial cut back and investigate of the roots but take off only what you need to start the repair, next repot next year, take off a few more and repeat until you get it down to size.

Safest way if you do not want to do all at once.

Pull tree from it's bag, Rake roots outwards and remove crossing, tangled roots, Expose some more trunkline, Spread the roots outwards and trim them all off about 100mm or so from the trunk and plant into your new pot,. I don't really see too many issues at all, as i said it will withstand hard pruning of the roots and branches ,and bounce right back

Thanks guys, I haven't struggled in the past getting trees out of nursery bags and into pots alive, but I had some bad luck with American gumtrees (5/5 dead) and Canadian plums (3/5 dead) this past summer so I'm slightly paranoid.
I'll take the middle ground based on your advice and make sure to have a big enough pot handy should the roots be a worst-case scenario.

mate i think you need to take a step back and really consider the health of this tree, its all good wanting to know about how to style it and the enthusiasm is good, but if you dont get this tree healthy first your going to struggle with it. get the roots sorted out and into a good free draining medium and keep the water right up to it. stand it in a water tray if need be. in the water tray pour in some seasol or seaweed emulsion which will help big time, some superthrive or auxinone wouldnt hurt either.

Jamie: It's obvious the tree's health has improved while I've had it, but it was in extremely poor shape.
The "virtuals" was a bit of a self-hijack since I said in my initial post potting and getting the tree healthy is my first goal. Except for the branch I lost (frost I suspect) it's continued budding and growing the whole winter, so I believe the general health has improved somewhat already.

I've picked up the tree is rather thirsty, thanks for the advice, just wish I could get this seasol and superthrive everybody is on about, at least I have some seaweed based plant food

Thanks for the advice guys, we're all getting older and time is moving faster each year, it feels like winter was just a few miserable nights and LPG refills for the heater, and very soon will be the time for Melaleuca, prunus, ginkgo potting, Elm and Celtis airlayers aplenty

Cheers
Gerhard

[Jamie]

mate i think you need to take a step back and really consider the health of this tree,

you will know when this tree is ready to be worked as it will have massive amounts to work with, then go from there champ

Jamie , what's wrong with it mate, are you saying it's not healthy because there's no lower foliage ?
What about this Bracteata ?

Golden gem.jpg

gday craig

nope not saying it isnt healthy due to no lower foliage, saying that because there is practically no foliage, and the fact is that without foliage/branching there can be no styling even though this tree is back budding it is still far from being in good health as has been stated that the roots are in poor condition, more than likely root bound and to try to much right now can take this tree over the edge. mels are hardy but arent unbreakable thats for sure. also with the fact there isnt any options for choice down low it is going to take several months before this tree has something to work with, so why not spend that time and get the tree super healthy so then in a few months down the track there will not only be something to work with but also a tree that will respond much more favourably then working a tree that has been in poor health, shot back ok, possibly from left over energy in the trunk and not as much from where it should be coming from, and end up killing it from working it to early. one thing I have noticed very much so from not being able to do much other than water and feed my trees, sometimes having to get the wife or kids to do it and not seeing them for a few days to a week at how much just a few weeks/months of not being able to do anything or fiddle has brought the health and strength of them up.

just my opinion anyways

Gerhard

mate it will pick up thats for sure and just having enough water there will do it, seasol is just a seaweed "tonic" like a vitamin tablet for us to give a bit of a boost, same as superthrive, you should be able to find superthrive on ebay for reasonably cheap too.
you will be amazed at how much it takes off once it warms up too.

good luck