AusBonsai

kcpoole wrote:I defoliated mine 2 weeks ago for the first time this year.

Ken

got pics mate? would love to see!

-Mo

lookn good already considerably smaller ! must find time to do mine !

Love the liquid ambers and this is a great little tree. Could you please tell me about leaf defoliation. I have many liquid ambers and have never defoliated. Does this eventually reduce the leaf size? Many thanks

I don't know enough about it to be able to advise or explain it, I can only tell you what I have done to this tree and show you the results.
First up , as the buds started to extend I pinched off the fat terminal buds, then I let it grow for a few weeks without doing anything. As it started to slow it's growth down I cut it back to 2 leaves per branch . After that it back bud like crazy and I have been pulling off the leaves as they grow to big and look out of place. If you look at picture of the tree earlier in the thread you will see that this year the leaves are about 30% smaller than last year.

marleey73 wrote:Love the liquid ambers and this is a great little tree. Could you please tell me about leaf defoliation. I have many liquid ambers and have never defoliated. Does this eventually reduce the leaf size? Many thanks

It will not reduce them as such, but together with a reduced growth in a Bonsai pot, it will slow the enlargement a fair bit. I do them several times a year and continually take off the largest leaves thru summer

@Mo
Mine as shown here needs a few more years of ramiification and it will be nice (I hope)


Ken

Its been a while since an update. This tree has taken a major change of direction. Chopped it early in the season.
I will let it grow out this season and then continue to develop branches next season.

Argh photos no uploading