English Hawthorn

[missybonsai]

hey everyone

heres an english hawthorn i picked up at bonsai environment last january. i gave it a haircut to get rid of the branches i didnt want and left it to grow. now im going to concentrate on building the branches. however i had a question; the nebari is not that fantastic, there are a few skinny young roots at the front, and some larger roots at the back that would have been ok, but - as i said - they're at the the back. i've heard that hawthorns dont air-layer well. is this correct? and if it is, it would rule out using a wire tourniquet or tile to create a new set of nebari,, wouldnt it? so i guess my question is: what do i do with the roots to make a better root-base?

heres the tree straight after it's haircut,, the shoots are now about 30cms long


and heres the roots

[Gerard]

Hi Missy,
You are correct this tree has a wonderful trunk line which is somewhat spoiled by ugly roots. Have you dug the soil ? Are there plenty of other roots?
Hawthorns are pretty tough the root at the front could be removed completly but I would keep the one on the left for the present. The trunk might thicken a bit at this point improving the base, you can use wire on roots as you would on branches to straighten the bend on the left root.

Regards Gerard

[Watto]

Hi Missy,
I would recommend that you let it grow for this season and then in August have a good look at the root system (take it out of the pot). There may well be a better root system under the soil level and if there is you just need to cut off those roots you don't like.

[Jamie]

you could always thread graft young seedlings (struck cutting would be best as they would be genetic matches) at the points you want new roots. this method would give you a nebari nearly exactly how you want it.


jamie

[missybonsai]

thanks for the advice, guys . i guess ill check out those roots in the cooler months and if they dont improve under the soil then ill try thread-grafting,, although im kind of nervous about drilling a hole in the trunk ohhh, and what do u think about that first branch? im not sure i like it

[Jamie]

i can understand being nervous about drilling a hole into your tree but the results are worth it, as long as the drill bit size is just big enough to allow you to pass the seedling/rooted cutting through the hole without damaging the new buds you will be fine
and i agree that the first branch is very distracting, causing an awkwardness to the trunk, you could either take it off and seal it or layer the top off and use the first branch for a new trunk line and rebuild from there helping with the taper just an idea.

jamie

[dayne]

if it were mine that it isnt i would use the first branch as an apex and chop the whole top of and it would have great shape for a nice stumpy lil tree

[Gerard]

I like the first branch as a possible future apex but I feel that is quite different to what you had in mind

Regards Gerard

[dayne]

heres a quick vert even replace the bricks for you

[Jamie]

thats what i seen pretty much, i would tilt the tree slightly to the left straightening up the apex so it is above the nebari therefore balancing the tree more so.
i opted the idea of air layering because i dont like to waste a tree thats been grown for so long. just my thoughts


jamie

[missybonsai]

thats what i seen pretty much, i would tilt the tree slightly to the left straightening up the apex so it is above the nebari therefore balancing the tree more so.
i opted the idea of air layering because i dont like to waste a tree thats been grown for so long. just my thoughts


jamie

the first time i read what u said, i didnt like the idea, but i went and did a bit of a virt on picasa anyway,, and i have to admit,, i love it! plus airlayering it means that i get two shohins! the top would look really good as an informal upright. so when is the best time to air layer? and how long should it take?
thanks for your help

[Jamie]

good to hear and yes that is a plus for the air layering, you get two trees for the price of one as for air layering times where you are i am not quite sure, i have 4 on at the moment but my micro climate is completly different then yours, as long as the tree gets a root system that is strong enough to support the part you take off when the weather is hot or cold you shouldnt have a drama. we are coming into summer now so depending on how hot it gets in penrith you should be able to do it now without to much drama, but that is said with no experience in air layering in a different climate, you see your climate might cuase the tree to go into dormancy while the layer is still attached to the parent which could cause troubles.
i am sure some one from around your area or of similar cliamte conditions could tell you. it might be better to wait till next year. by then you will have extra growth aswell as some trunk thickness


jamie

[missybonsai]

had a little play around and this is what i came up with, its pretty much the same as dayne's virt, but i just wanted to see what it looked like with my software ... and becuase i was bored

[Gerard]

AIr layering at this time of year is OK but the tree should be growing vigorously, so I would wait till Nov next year. You can form some branch structure in the meantime.

Gerard

[Jamie]

thats what i was thinking gerard

basically work out what branches ya want and where you want them and let it grow out, then you can do your air layer and have some structure already sorted out and you can also have the parent growing strong and structure built on it too


jamie