Olive stump

[ConorDash]

Hello,

I'd like to introduce you to the his fella.

I have some thoughts about the future for him, and few little questions but I thought I would just stick him on here first then see what people think.
He was repotted less than a month ago, had some wiring done to him, most has now been removed.
It was also carved a bit, as you'll notice. This is another Bobby Lane original .

My most immediate thought at the moment is to either wire or cut the large branch growing from the same location as another, on its right side (front being the first pic). It's coming from the same place as another so usually, it's get the cut but I'm not entirely sure how budding works with just a stump, no trunk.. maybe I have to take all the branchs I can get because I'm not going to be making an apex.




What are your thoughts and idea for this tree?

 

[Cadillactaste]

That's a good start heading in the right direction.

 

[ConorDash]

Hi Cadillac,

I do love this olive, and I've no idea why Bobby gave it to me, surprised he could let it go.

Usually multiple branchs from 1 spot would be bad but for some reason I feel it's ok with this tree.. I feel I need a load more branchs coming out of around the stump rim, but not sure how to induce them.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I'm not familiar with Olive...but, I would have to say Bobby is a right nice chap to offer it to you. Maybe another can give advice on encouraging back budding.

 

[aml1014]

They back budd readily on living wood (you have a lot of deadwood obviously lol) it's a powerful little stump and a bit of weird taper here and there might make it look old and battered. Just my opinion some may say take it off.

Aaron

 

[ConorDash]

They back budd readily on living wood (you have a lot of deadwood obviously lol) it's a powerful little stump and a bit of weird taper here and there might make it look old and battered. Just my opinion some may say take it off.

Aaron

Old and battered is certainly the look it's going for, so I'm not going to fight it . On the front it even looks like it has a battle scar.. I don't want to hide it's stump and bark. I like its bark, rough, great colour. Just seems to ha e such a thin layer of it and the rest inside all hardwood or deadwood, so how to get that back budding is my main thing to find out now.

 

[ColinFraser]

What a lovely gift - well done @BobbyLane
Conor, you might be inspired by doing a Google image search for "sabamiki" - it's the Japanese name for the hollow trunk of a tree, and there are lots of nice ones that start as short stumps like this.

 

[BobbyLane]

Hi Conar, its good to see the stumpy Olive has gone to a good home
I wouldnt remove anything just yet. find a nice sunny spot in the garden and let it grow out and establish itself after the re pot and change of soil, it was in a lot of organic previously and spent the past winter out in the allotment. full sun and lots of feed, then it should back bud. i use either green dream/chicken poo or miracle grow organic. chicken feed is cheapest. they like a lot of water in the heat of summer.

its needs more branching, but this is what i was aiming for

so feed, sun, lots of water on the hottest days, let it grow out and show us again in a few months.

 

[Rob_phillips]

Thats a cool tree and a great project to have. Fair play to @BobbyLane.

 

[Gustavo Martins]

I love olives. Although I find very awkward that it call it a he and not a she. (Olive in a female name in Portuguese)

I read that they are really resilient species and I also just got myself a stump (https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/olive-tree.25619/page-2).

Before chopping mine I saw that it back budded along by itself on several different places. So it may just be a question of time for you

By the way: It think you got the wrong tree forum as they are not deciduous

 

[ConorDash]

What a lovely gift - well done @BobbyLane
Conor, you might be inspired by doing a Google image search for "sabamiki" - it's the Japanese name for the hollow trunk of a tree, and there are lots of nice ones that start as short stumps like this.

Hello Colin,
Thanks I'll look that up

Hi Conar, its good to see the stumpy Olive has gone to a good home
I wouldnt remove anything just yet. find a nice sunny spot in the garden and let it grow out and establish itself after the re pot and change of soil, it was in a lot of organic previously and spent the past winter out in the allotment. full sun and lots of feed, then it should back bud. i use either green dream/chicken poo or miracle grow organic. chicken feed is cheapest. they like a lot of water in the heat of summer.

its needs more branching, but this is what i was aiming for

so feed, sun, lots of water on the hottest days, let it grow out and show us again in a few months.

Hey,
Yeah you sent me some pics in pm before, I just wanted to get it out there and see what people thought .
I kinda guessed I wouldn't be able to do much yet any ways because of the repot, but good to think about .

It's a good thing I have a bag of green dream currently on route to my house!
FYI, kaizen website want £8 delivery for it, but their eBay site, still official kaizen, free delivery.

 

[ConorDash]

I love olives. Although I find very awkward that it call it a he and not a she. (Olive in a female name in Portuguese)

I read that they are really resilient species and I also just got myself a stump (https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/olive-tree.25619/page-2).

Before chopping mine I saw that it back budded along by itself on several different places. So it may just be a question of time for you

By the way: It think you got the wrong tree forum as they are not deciduous

Ah I didn't know it wasn't deciduous, I've not done my thorough research yet. Getting it on here and recorded in a thread is my way of beginning that process of research.
I think many naturally call things she over he, like ships. I'm not sure why .
Thanks I'll check out your topic.

 

[ConorDash]

Update.
The olive has only just started showing strong signs of growth. Not sure why it took so long, maybe someone can tell me.


View attachment 150418

As said before, the white deposits on leaves are the water I'm using, its no problem. Also I have evicted a few caterpillars found camping in the new growth (that reminds me, I forgot to go spray them with insecticide... let me go do that...

 

[ConorDash]

Almost a good thing this topic didnt get many posts, cos now you have pics, 13 monthes later... much thickening of branches, and bark is looking good in my opinion. Its peeling, as long as it dont break off..

DSC_0057 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0058 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0060 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr
DSC_0061 by Conor Dashwood, on Flickr

Current plan, thanks to @Adair M is let it grow. Probably cut back hard at end of winter, early spring (I need to check best timings to hard prune these guys, if anyone knows, feel free to shout out).

 

[my nellie]

Like you said Conor, you need to prune the branches back and this is best done (in my country) during winter months after fruit collection.
I think clip and grow is best method, but may I suggest that you wire the new branches early enough or they become very difficult to bend.
I can see your branches have good movement and lines.
I would say that they are in a pleasing proportion to the trunk, girth wise. What do you think? Do you like them thicker?
How do you feed the tree, may I ask.

 

[ConorDash]

Like you said Conor, you need to prune the branches back and this is best done (in my country) during winter months after fruit collection.
I think clip and grow is best method, but may I suggest that you wire the new branches early enough or they become very difficult to bend.
I can see your branches have good movement and lines.
I would say that they are in a pleasing proportion to the trunk, girth wise. What do you think? Do you like them thicker?
How do you feed the tree, may I ask.

Yes, I received it with some wire on from BobbyLane, which has had good results. I also put some on myself. I’ll definiteoy make sure to wire after pruning. I feel I missed out by not wiring enough but as it’ll be cut back short, I’ve not missed out on much.
In terms of proportions and girth of primary branches, I really don’t know at the moment to be honest, but it wouldn’t change my current plan so I can decide later. It needs more branches sprouting from the trunk but I’m quite doubtful it’ll do that now (if it will, it will when I hard prune). So I may have to plan design with the primary branches I have.

There is a good looking design in there somewhere, I’ve just gotta figure it out (taking in to account pics of real mature Olives, I know, Bobby ).

It gets Green Dream organic fertiliser, put on top of its substrate. As do all my trees. Usually has 2 applications a year. Last year I was also giving them a liquid fertiliser every 2 weeks but I’ve not done that this year.. not sure why. But good to see the difference in not applying it. The organic fertiliser is really my main star.

 

[BobbyLane]

the branches are fattening nicely, contrary to what others have said, id be tempted to cut it back now and induce another spurt of growth before the end of the season. its the perfect summer for olives now, this heatwave and you might get some nice back budding. i'd take advantage of our current climate mate.

 

[ConorDash]

the branches are fattening nicely, contrary to what others have said, id be tempted to cut it back now and induce another spurt of growth before the end of the season. its the perfect summer for olives now, this heatwave and you might get some nice back budding. i'd take advantage of our current climate mate.

That’s very tempting... I did think to maybe continue growing that main branch:

As a main primary..

Is your thinking just cut back hard all over, now, to 2in and get loads more growth to choose from, for final design?

 

[BobbyLane]

That’s very tempting... I did think to maybe continue growing that main branch:
View attachment 204467
As a main primary..

Is your thinking just cut back hard all over, now, to 2in and get loads more growth to choose from, for final design?

you dont necessarily have to cut back as hard, because there is movement in all the branches right from the base of the branch. my thinking is more in re to branch taper. i guess if youre going for a taller tree, you could continue growing that main branch, personally i had more of a stout broom in mind. but its your tree now.

 

[BobbyLane]

found some more images of what i had in mind, but didnt go to plan, but i think the canopy can still be achieved, all boils down to what you like and what the material is better suited to........

the next step of carving would of been to hollow the tree from the top down, similar to the image fourth tree down.