Goulburn Bonsai Society - Dig Results?

[Watto]

Last year the Goulburn Bonsai Society invited Ausbonsai members to participate in a dig of plums. I had a great day and I hope that the people who attended also had a great day.
I was hopeing that the results of the exercise could be a couple of trees collected would end up in the national collection (in about 5 to 10 years time). So to inspire me to organise another dig of ???? I need encouragement. Please let me know how your plums are going, and if possible post a photo.
Following are a couple of photos of the only plum I dug last year.
Cheers
Watto

[Handy Mick]

Fantastic idea Watto, your plumb is going gang busters.

Mick

[kcpoole]

I collected 4 Plums on the day of which 1 is doing well 2 others are struggling.
Also got a hawthorn that did not make it as it had Very little roots, and 2 Oaks which are both doing real well. So well in fact I will layer off the top of one of them soon

[Watto]

A photo of the one doing well would be good Ken?

[boom64]

Hi Watto,
Just to report all my Plums are doing great.[all 13 of them].Have trunk chopped all of them , also sorted out a few branches on the more developed ones.The two giants are awork in progess. As to them ending up in the National Collection?????????? Thanks for the dig hope to do it again.
Cheers John.

[Watto]

Congratulations John. Personally I like trees with some movement and you have certainly got a couple of good ones there - although I'm not sure how to turn them around to get their best view. Well done.
Now that's the sort of encouragement I need.

[Jan]

Thanks for the dig hope to do it again. Cheers John.

Consider yourself soundly encouraged by the sound of that, and the look of the material collected.

I do hope that you are considering a "next time", Watto, and by the sound of it others are looking forward to it.

Any thoughts, as yet, on species to be targeted?

Jan

[Watto]

I potted this plum this year (August) and it has really responded, so here is the current photo. The way it is growing its hard to believe it was only a bit over two years ago that it was dug. I have had no flowers so far, but I am hopeful that next season I will see a few, and maybe a fruit or two as well.
Before I potted it I wired the whole tree and today I took all the wire off and gave it a trim. Still plenty of work still to be done but I am quite happy with the progress to date. Some work on the nabari, some work to improve the taper, some foliage to fill it a few holes and looking around for an appropriate pot for the next potting - should only take me a few more years??????
How are all the others going?

[boom64]

Hi Watto, Nice work on one of the Goulburn Plums. I raced out and took a quick photo of some Plums, before the birds get them. Still growing trunks on most. A few of the smaller ones are starting to develop a Bonsai-ish shape. Working tomorrow but will post a decent photo soon. Cheers John

[kcpoole]

I have had 2 successes from the plums and 1 Oak which is now been layered into 2

Ken

[Watto]

John - I really am jealous that you have fruit and I have none. Congratulations. Did all of your trees flower?

[boom64]

Hi Watto sorry for the late reply. The green leaf Plums all had flowers the Purple leaf not a one between them. I have worked the roots very hard at each repot . The Nebari is looking good ,however growth has been a little slow. Hopefully will get there one day. You sure have to grow a lot of length for a little bit of trunk taper Cheers John.

[kcpoole]

Just an update on progress of these. How are everyone elses?

I have 2 plums, i a little Informal with Deadwood root and lower trunk and a Raft.
Additionally the Oak is doing very well too.

I have repotted the Quercus into a training pot, and the 2 plums need repotting but the smaller one has already started to shoot and flower It is more sheltered though.
I will have to look for a tray of some sort for the raft to go into.

Found the original Dig thread which is here
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=8329&start=0

Enjoy

Ken

[boom64]

Hi Ken ,Good to see the Plums powering on. Flowers already ,well done. I potted two up into bonsai pots several weeks ago ,will post a photo . Cheers John.

[boom64]

Here are two of my smaller Plums. Long way to go but hopefully will get there. Probably should have left in a plastic pot ,but copping a bit of grieve from Head of Treasury (wife) about always wanting to buy more Pots. So in they go . The Grey looks a little to small and the Blue a bit big only time will tell....Keeping my fingers crossed that I get enough buds to be able to build the apex. Regards John.