AusBonsai

Picked this Prickly leaf paperbark up at a local nursey on the weekend in the bargin bin for $5.00. Got excited and forgot to take a before shot, but all I did was trim leaves and branches and wire. When is the best time to root prune and repot?

Don't know anything about paperbark but for $5.00 I would jumping up and down for at least a few days!!! Good luck to ya

Thats the best five bucks you will ever spend

I just potted my large paperbark this month (august) as it was just starting to form spring leaf buds. Not sure about your area but if you haven't repotted yet I'd get on to it or you'll have to wait till it stops growing again. Use a very free draining mix and don't remove to much root mass, try to reduce the pot size over a few years.

Tip: Melaleuca's love water over the summertime so keep in a water tray when its above 35C. (which where I live is about 4 months staight)

PS: Love the tree, it has great form and taper, and for $5.....Speechless.

PPS: Post up another pic of it in its new pot, I'm sure we'd all love to see it.

Trent.

Mine has just started shooting and I noted a park tree is flowering. I would root prune now to give the tree a good start in good soil and sort out any undesirable roots. I have had very few failures potting when I needed to and ignoring the fact a native could be growing. I just cut the new growth off. Mind you, I don't do gums. I have my prickly leaf in an 8cm deep training pot, the tree is double the thickness of yours and about as tall and I have never had to put it in a water tray while the Mela quinquenervia is in a water tray 24/7/365 and the linearifolia is in a water tray in the summer.

You will enjoy this tree.... lovely bark. Wire cuts don't matter because it barks over them [not that they are a good thing]. Growth is rapid so you need to watch wire. A thin branch tripled in thickness in 6 months to become a stout header. Branches set quickly - 4 weeks. Shoots everywhere [but not exactly where you want it] and the look is just so Aussie.

A local native fancier recommends putting a newly repotted native in a water tray to boost it along. I do this if I have taken a lot of root away but try to avoid water trays if I feel the tree is not in danger.

$5.00!!!!!! That's crazy!

I love stypheloides, growing plenty of them but they're all still so young because I can't find older ones anywhere.

For 5 bucks that's a steal!

I just picked a largish one of these up yesterday. This information was very useful, thanks to all who added to it. How does the wood deal with being carved? Does it rot quickly?

Melaquin, I have root pruned my Mel (late august as you suggested) and it has been in a shady spot for a few weeks with a daily watering to keep the soil moist. Plant still healthy but no signs of new shoots or any growth yet. Do they take long to shoot? Should it be in full sun?

$5....what a steal.. that is an awesome price mate, the tree has major potential and from what i have read it wont take to long to show it in its full glory. enjoy it mate!

You found a maturish one? I'm envious! I can never find largish Paperbark mels around here!

How does the wood deal with being carved? Does it rot quickly?

I think the trick is to burn where you've carved. Check with Pup but I'm sure that's what he does.

bustadog wrote: I have root pruned my Mel (late august as you suggested) and it has been in a shady spot for a few weeks with a daily watering to keep the soil moist. Plant still healthy but no signs of new shoots or any growth yet. Do they take long to shoot? Should it be in full sun?

I cut off 100% foliage from mine when repotting to improve the style of the tree and it took about 6 weeks for the new shoots to appear, but it exploded with growth once they did. That was in full sun and lots of water.

It may take a while to shoot back if its semi dormant. Dont stress, soon you wont be able to keep up with it! Mine grows so fast i cant pluck it and before i know it, it needs a major prune again. Seasol it while your waiting.

bustadog wrote:Melaquin, I have root pruned my Mel (late august as you suggested) and it has been in a shady spot for a few weeks with a daily watering to keep the soil moist. Plant still healthy but no signs of new shoots or any growth yet. Do they take long to shoot? Should it be in full sun?

hey ive just repoted and wired it and in 2 weeks new shoots on branches i only give my trees morning sun andthey love it and yes mine are in full sun till lunch time then they are in shade i live in brissy

Bit of an update on the original $5 Mel. To add some interest, I decided to carve a hollow in the trunk and remove the heavy branches.
Helpful comments and styling tips are always welcome.

Awsome, the trees looking great and a great improvement you've made to it after its first styling, its gonna look great in the future. The Shari down the side looks good and adds some interest I agree. All you have to sdo now is ramify and develop those branches some more and I would deffinetally work on down sizing in potsize, as the pot it's in now is way to big.
Good work

Hugh