Help styling my Olive bonsais.

[ConorDash]

That most recent tree in pics, has a lot of reverse taper, I think that would need to be corrected before anything else.
A ground/air layer perhaps to correct it, but it is a good size trunk, just fear that due to the large bulging reverse taper and other bulges, it might to be very suitable.. Just my thoughts though.

 

[Aiki_Joker]

Let's be clear: There has been ABSOLUTELY NO TRUNK THICKENING since I have been working that tree. Any appearance of that is due to the change in proportion, size of pot, etc. The trunk itself is exactly as I bought it (even the bark, which appears to change only because of the low quality of the first photo). That was the point of my previous post - the thickening stopped when the pruning/training began.

Brilliant, confirms the heavy growth argument or the time argument for thickening then. Cold weather in the UK seemed to help some of my trees. Maybe it was the wind too (?)

 

[maroun.c]

It certainly looks and behaves a lot like it if it isn't

Great to hear.
Thanks.

 

[maroun.c]

That most recent tree in pics, has a lot of reverse taper, I think that would need to be corrected before anything else.
A ground/air layer perhaps to correct it, but it is a good size trunk, just fear that due to the large bulging reverse taper and other bulges, it might to be very suitable.. Just my thoughts though.

True those bulges even accentuate the reverse taper. Its actually a short area where the trunk shrinks. from the point below the bifurcation till the branches up taper is good.
Do you think removing those bulges might make it less visible?

I'm considering an air layer around the area of the lower bulge. after chopping the inerior hump would make a nice starter trunk at 3.5 inch then the upper portion if it makes it will start below the bifurcation so basically will hide the bulges in the trunk and make for a well tapered tree with a 2.5 inches trunk.
Thanks.
Any thoughts or advice?

 

[maroun.c]

Been thinking about how to handle the reverse tapper on this trunk and here's my thoughts.

Bottom hump is worth saving and growing into a new tree maybe as it's already around 3.5 inches wide
the area with the bulges is ugly and not easy to deal with.
the upper area with the branches bifurcation and branches going up is not bad taper wise and has a good amount of branches to have a nice shape after a cut.
plan is to change soil early spring air layer the yellow area around June? and cut on the red line to have a new trunk (no leaves currently there and wonder if they'll budd up from a cut trunk without any leaves?)
and an easier to save upper part.
the bad part is that the lower part is what really gives value to this tree so wonder how risky a trunk chop if no branches or leaves are there is?

 

[maroun.c]

any input on the plan for above tree? is my plan to cut at marked places OK ?

finally went and got the other tree that I posted last week and that was booked at the time I was in the nursery...
trunk at the base is around 4-5 inches from side to side but 2-3 inches front to back. its a dual trunk and have those long thick branches 1.5 and 3/4 inch thinck that go 9 inches up getting slightly thinner. I was told to cut those which I will do in june.
its a good starter trunk (one of my 2 best ones so far) thickness wise but still has a couple of bulges and a cut branch that look bad.
need your help in suggesting a front and also advising on the plan for styling this one next june. I will report it in a shallower pot and in better soil early march.









Thanks

 

[petegreg]

I like these trunks, ageing they will get nice gnarly.

 

[Aiki_Joker]

Maybe separate the trunks a bit over time with a jig. The wood still looks quite flexible? Or could make a jiin or something if you want a single trunk (?)

 

[maroun.c]

I like these trunks, ageing they will get nice gnarly.

Like them too, hope they will and that it won't take too long

 

[maroun.c]

Maybe separate the trunks a bit over time with a jig. The wood still looks quite flexible? Or could make a jiin or something if you want a single trunk (?)

I saw a few double trunks and they looked neat so I'm fine with keeping both trunks. Yet as they go very high I will be shortening both of them a lot and regrowing branches and shaping them as they grow. I'm now struggling with which side to use as front, one looks nicer without bulges but has the black dead wood aprt a s in above picture and the other side is cleaner but doesn't look as neat in shape or bark and has those bulges.
Any suggestions?

 

[Aiki_Joker]

I saw a few double trunks and they looked neat so I'm fine with keeping both trunks. Yet as they go very high I will be shortening both of them a lot and regrowing branches and shaping them as they grow. I'm now struggling with which side to use as front, one looks nicer without bulges but has the black dead wood aprt a s in above picture and the other side is cleaner but doesn't look as neat in shape or bark and has those bulges.
Any suggestions?

I'm new too, and art is a personal thing, but if it were me I would have the bulging side as a front for now and separate the trunks a bit with a jig that you can screw every few days. That trunk that is crossing would be better straight.

You never know, the front might be better on the other side once you do some cutting. To go by the rules of bonsai the bulging is not good to have as the front. If you cut it off it would look different.

Is your weekend there Friday/Saturday too?

 

[maroun.c]

The more I look at pics

I'm new too, and art is a personal thing, but if it were me I would have the bulging side as a front for now and separate the trunks a bit with a jig that you can screw every few days. That trunk that is crossing would be better straight.

You never know, the front might be better on the other side once you do some cutting. To go by the rules of bonsai the bulging is not good to have as the front. If you cut it off it would look different.

Is your weekend there Friday/Saturday too?

The more I look at finished Olive bonsais I see that they go to a thick trunk base with few branches going uo and to the sides from it. I'm leaning to cutting those two branches from low and working with the branches that go out of the cuts. will try taking out the buds and also that dead wood and maybe carving it a to get it to look better. I will repot this in MAr and work on the cuts in June hopefully so for the time being its a waiting game for this one .
No weekend is Sat-Sun here.

 

[Aiki_Joker]

The more I look at pics


The more I look at finished Olive bonsais I see that they go to a thick trunk base with few branches going uo and to the sides from it. I'm leaning to cutting those two branches from low and working with the branches that go out of the cuts. will try taking out the buds and also that dead wood and maybe carving it a to get it to look better. I will repot this in MAr and work on the cuts in June hopefully so for the time being its a waiting game for this one .
No weekend is Sat-Sun here.

Wow. That is really much better having the weekend sat sun. I miss this. Yes if the branches are thicker maybe best cutting them off and starting fresh. What do you use for carving?

 

[maroun.c]

Wow. That is really much better having the weekend sat sun. I miss this. Yes if the branches are thicker maybe best cutting them off and starting fresh. What do you use for carving?

Yes I lived in dubai when weekend was Thu Fri and then Fri Sat and it was very difficult as I report to holland, so being in contact with the outside world only 3 days a week was challenging.
Don't have any tools yet so will work on getting those and hopefully start the cutting and carving few weeks after the repot next March.
Any advice on tools to get ?
Thanks

 

[sorce]

Yes that unsightly bulge is to go

That bulge may prove very sightly in a few years....

I'd leave it!

Sorce

 

[Aiki_Joker]

Yes I lived in dubai when weekend was Thu Fri and then Fri Sat and it was very difficult as I report to holland, so being in contact with the outside world only 3 days a week was challenging.
Don't have any tools yet so will work on getting those and hopefully start the cutting and carving few weeks after the repot next March.
Any advice on tools to get ?
Thanks

Tool wise I have a dremel. They are really good if you get a kit with assorted heads then you have different options for cutting, grinding or carving. I want to try and find some had tools, but u have yet to find them here.

 

[Aiki_Joker]

Maroun, I just repotted the olive. Looks like the nursery looked after it well. The roots were pretty even but I will need for develop more of the radius on one side.

I thought you might be interested in this technique. It is air pruning. The pot is a basket lined with porous material. This automatically prunes the roots as the hit the side of the pot and encourages better ramification.

 

[Aiki_Joker]

I will let it recover a bit and hope it survives then I will wire it I think

 

[M. Frary]

air pruning

Also accomplished with colanders,pond baskets and Vance Wood style grow boxes.

 

[Adair M]

Also accomplished with colanders,pond baskets and Vance Wood style grow boxes.

And totally unnecessary for olives!

Look at your roots. What do see? A lot of small roots, right? That's what you want! You don't need to force back budding roots in olives, like you would for other trees!

When you trimmed the roots, you did not cut the bottom off enough. You should have cut up under the trunk until you could see the wood of the trunk. This makes the roots go out radially, not down.

Don't go mess with now. But do it next time.