AusBonsai

There seems to be a theme on this site currently. " Olives" I thought I'd share my experience.
Two years ago I saw some impressive Bonsai olives and some radical technics. I thought I would like to give them a go.
One of our members had sourced a dig site which happened to be close to my inlaws place. So when I was down their I took a trip to the site and dug some.

This site was the result of olive trials at a ag college. The river gum forest close to the old college is invested with these olives.

2 out of the 3 survived. I think this was a result of the wrong time of the year to dig and bringing back to a colder climate.The taller of the 3 took over a year to show signs of life.

Peter

Thanks posting them Peter, can you enlighten us as to what the studies were and any results achieved. They are the same type of Olives i collect up here in Qld by the look of them. I have had some that dont show any sign of life (other then a green healthy trunk) for 2 years or more! I chatted with a gent from Italy early last year and he informed me that he has had big Olives collcted and no sign of life for up to 3 years and then they pop all over the place!
By your pictures it looks like you do actually dig them to take roots also. I dont bother with trying to get roots at all, i dig around the base of the tree and look for the best and broadest section to cut and then just chain saw it off. Soak in Superthrive (DONT BRETT) for a few hours and pot into a box. I have lost some this way but not too many.
I am sure many here will be interested in your findings from the tests you performed Peter.
Regards
Peter

These are the lastest pics.

Our growing time here is a lot shorter so results are slow. The technic you discribed is the one I used when I got them home. Also I have to admit that these have been ignored as they are only one of many projects I have currently running.

Peter

peter as always i love what you are doing with these 2 and cant wait for their progress. awesome taper on that first one and the second has a wonderful natural movement about it.

No sorry that first olive isn't going to cut it I'm afraid, its way overbalanced and has twice the length of the first part of the tree before the bend when it should really have only half, it looks ridiculous.
I've done a half arsed virt to show you where I think stage 2 of the tree should be happening.

Thanks for the help ozzy

This is the first styling of these two.

Maybe you could post one of yours for inspiration.

Peter

I'm lusting after the curvy one. Going to be really nice. I envy those of you who have a back strong enough to wield a maddock and shovel in the bush. Unfortunately not for me.

I did manage to liberate a small olive from a council park [it fell out of the soil into my hand........ after assiduous and stealthy digging and sawing] [and YES, I know the rules on collecting.... ]. It sat for some months and then finally put out a few clumps of leaves at various places where they were unwanted but at no time have these clumps elongated into branches. I have warned the tree repeatedly that it goes if it doesn't go but it is immune to my threats. However, it is alive and the wee clumps of leaves continue to be brightly green so it sits and eats and drinks and some day judgement is going to come. But three years.... there is more patience out there than I have.

Re potted yesterday. Didn't take Ozzy s advice. Its gonna look ridiculous.

Peter

Not ridiculous, here is your triangle. or something like that, its a nice tree anyway.

Don't worry Peter ... nobody listens to me

I have a very similar olive, spent years being ridiculed before I found the tree within. It still needs to grow out to the right shape, but I know where I am heading now, so its only time, and that is cheap. You can see from my pic that the right high branch is gonna go, the others you just need to pluck and get thicker canopy

Thanks for your advice Greth. It will take more time over here as our climate is a little cooler.

And yes Ozzy I did look at your advice but decided to do it my way . Not to say it may head in your direction in the future.

Its interesting that 2 crow eaters responded as I was born in (what was then ) East Glenelg and moved to Canberra in 1963.

Peter

Your little olive is not a million miles from home, it has nearly arrived, just a year or two and it is going to be a great little tree. Mine is thinner and Im not so close to having branches where I want them, so 3-4 years yet!
Shape yours to the triangle and it will look great.
Still not gonna let people ridicule it, never let fools and children see unfinished work, so I don't post it.

hey nice tree PeterH can we get a closer pic of the carving work you have done on the trunk

Chris wrote:hey nice tree PeterH can we get a closer pic of the carving work you have done on the trunk

Hope these do.

Peter