24" Plum

[j evans]

I have been "maintaining" this plum that I got from a friend about 5 years ago. I have been hesitant to cut on it and I have heard and observed that they don't back bud well. In taking a look at the tree the branches just go everywhere so I would assume that I am looking a major project. I need some input and / or ideas. This photo is from a couple of years ago and I have removed the lower left branch. Any ideas? Thanks for the help. Jamie

 

[sorce]

Damn!
Perfect taper.
Just ramify the right side and it's money!

Sorce

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Welcome. Your photo shows a nice tree. If you are looking for advice on styling it, please post a current photo, so advice is based on the tree's current appearance (before reading the text, I was digging that twin trunk).

If you are looking for general care & training on ume, here are a few articles:
https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/?s=Ume&submit=Search
https://peterteabonsai.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/japanese-flowering-plum-basics/
http://www.yenlingbonsai.com/2015/01/13/godzilla-collecting-ume-and-cuttings/
http://www.yenlingbonsai.com/2014/01/02/let-it-grow-then-cut-it-back/

 

[Giga]

That's really nice but is that actual species, looks like an ume as plum is different. Doesn't really matter but I have ume, American plum and Japanese plum, each a little different. Anyway I'm very jealous and I would gladly take that off your hands!

 

[j evans]

Sorry about the older photo, I will get a newer one up shortly. The tree to me is just sort of a mess. Branches going everywhere, crossing each other and the first branch on the right seems a bit bigger than it should be. I'd also like to maybe downsize the tree a bit as it is a load to move around. Thanks for the comments and I will post that photo in the next couple of days.

Giga -

I enjoyed looking at your blog. You've got quite a few projects in the works. Hope spring hits you soon.

Jamie

 

[GrimLore]

Sorce hit it right on the nose! That is one hell of a nice plum and the right side can be filled in nicely in two growing seasons. I would myself recommend leaving it large - Northern tools sells really nice hydraulic carts very inexpensive. I am concerned you will mess up the taper if you fool with size reduction. The only option I see would be to layer it at the base and develop a new root system(takes a long time) but I still feel you would take away from it more then you would help it. If the size is a problem - send me a PM and I will pay you fair market for it

Grimmy

 

[Giga]

Sorry about the older photo, I will get a newer one up shortly. The tree to me is just sort of a mess. Branches going everywhere, crossing each other and the first branch on the right seems a bit bigger than it should be. I'd also like to maybe downsize the tree a bit as it is a load to move around. Thanks for the comments and I will post that photo in the next couple of days.

Giga -

I enjoyed looking at your blog. You've got quite a few projects in the works. Hope spring hits you soon.

Jamie

I've been super busy so the blog hasn't been updated as much as I like but much is coming as spring is almost here! And ume and plum and the like don't always follow the bonsai "rules" so I would just fine tune it and hunt for a perfect pot!

 

[j evans]

As far as removing the low branch on the left, I took someone's advice and now in hindsight I don't know if it was the right thing to do. I use the plastic flower bowls as I have to dig my plants in for the winter and it really makes it easier just to dig a hole and drop plant, pot and all in the hole. The bowls I think are a bit deeper than they need to be and the soil that I have used tends to be more potting soil, sand, lava rock and mulch chips as due to our hot summers I am hesitant to go to full blown bonsai soil as I can only water once a day. Sometimes that just isn't enough in the summer. I think that I need some help in styling this and dressing it up and I will be more enthused about it. I will try to get a current photo this weekend.

 

[j evans]

Ok, I had to pull my trees out of hibernation due to some yard work that we had going on so I took the opportunity to snap a few pictures. Sorry for the bright white background it didn't work as well as I was hoping.

I need some help styling and finishing up this tree. To me it looks just ok and I don't know how to take it to the next level and I'm looking for some help and suggestions. Thanks.

 

[JoeR]

Not sure this will help much but,

http://bonsainut.com/index.php?threads/creating-age-in-bonsai.18116/

I think you should try to apply some of these tips from smoke to really give it an aged look.

 

[j evans]

Outside today and walked past where I have my trees wintered. I haven't done much to the tree the last year or so due to other things going on. I still think that the tree is a handful to more and would like to downsize it but in rereading the above comments am thinking that it would be interesting to try to pull down so branches in order to try to create the look that the tree is older than it is. I have had it for about 7 years and it was good size when I got it so I would guesstimate that it is 12 to 15 years Old? Any additional thoughts or comments? Thanks and remember to click an interesting ad on this site to help support the site.

 

[j evans]

This is what I have left this spring. Looks like trunk is fine and one branch has some life. Don't know if it froze or what. I need some as what to do with it. Just let it sit & see if anything more comes back. What do I do to start remaking the tree if this is all I have to work with? Bad winter here as we have regular trees around town that one side is all dead, older trees that still don't have any leaves etc. Or maybe I did something to push it over the edge. Either way i don't feel good. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[ShadyStump]

I'd let it go and see what else, if anything, comes back, and leave the deadwood for now. I think you may be able to work it into the design. (Unless you have a smoker you'd rather use it with. Then go for delicious badness.)

Do you mean bad winter as in extreme temperature swings from freeze to thaw in short order? That's what that sort of damage looks like to me. We get that all the time around here. Just avoid southwestern exposure during the winter to avoid that.

 

[j evans]

Our winter temperatures were close to normal then dropped drastically for a week or so. Then warmed up & dropped again. Kept same spot for all the time I've had it. Behind the garage with protection pretty much from all sides. Guess cold just set in, it's just the pits. Thanks for the input.

 

[j evans]

I've let this tree sit for two or three years after the damage. I don't think anything is "going to come back". I've tried nipping the ends if the growth to see if I could get some backbudding but so far nothing but a small sprout at the bottom. It appears that the live portion of the tree is up to the lowest branch the up the lowest branch. Of course this gdoesnt include much of the excellent old bark. I was thinking of doing a chop just above the lowest (live) branch & see what happens. I hate to waste the neat old dead tree but it's not appealing as is. Got an idea, throw it in. Thanks for looking.
I planted in the ground today & the roots look good, for what it's worth.

 

[Colorado]

Eh, such is life! I’d just let the roots get established in the ground for a year and then chop it back super hard. Maybe it will be better off in the long run, anyway