Prunus Avium in garden. How to bonsai?

[irebonsai]

Hi folks, I'm new to bonsai but have been reading this and other blogs so I'm familiar with techniques and terminology. I have this cherry tree in my garden, and really want to turn it into a bonsai. I know that this time of year is a good time to start, but I don't know if I should pot it now, or prune it further, or where to begin. Thanks in advance for your advice, I really appreciate it!

Important info:
Location: Ireland, 53° N / 6° W
Tree age: unknown
Type of tree: prunus avium; cherry
Tree dimensions: 1 meter high, main trunk 6cm diameter, smaller trunks 3cm diameter

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I'm against removing nice trees from a garden. So I'll recommend wiring some branches into a nice shape and air layer them!
Cherries make roots pretty fast, generally. So it takes about 8 weeks for an air layer to be ready.

Wait for the foliage to emerge, then strip a brak ring of your wired branch, and wrap the cut in sphagnum peat moss. Keep it damp for those 8 weeks and then saw the branch off if there are enough roots, pot it up and keep it in bright shade until august.
Next year you'll have a bunch!

 

[ShadyStump]

If the tree doesn't need to come out, I support Guy_wires' notion. A garden or yard without trees is dreadful. There are dozens of threads here to help explain the air layering process. I plan to give it a go for the first time on some trees around my place this year. Softwood cuttings in another couple months is also an option, though you'd be waiting years for the same development you already have there.

If you're fine with not having it in your garden you're not in bad shape from my inexperienced perspective. And I do understand the desire to have something in a pot to make beginning your bonsai experience seem more formal.

 

[Shibui]

There are always plants that have been put in the wrong place, volunteers that grew by themselves and plants that need to be removed for renovations. Gardens are a great place to get advanced stock to develop bonsai and way better than stealing specimens from natural forest.

Deciduous trees are generally very easy to transplant. You can dig and prune in one operation then transfer to a large container for recovery. Cherry should transplant quite easily (apart from the work of digging and pruning)
Roots can be shortened ruthlessly so don't bother taking long roots with the aim of preserving feeder roots. New roots will quickly emerge from the cut ends of any root stumps that you retain.
They can also sprout new growing buds from older bare wood so the top can also be reduced significantly.
Most beginners overestimate the value of trees in the ground. I can see a trunk with very little taper and the first bend appears to be quite high and not particularly attractive. IMHO this particular cherry has little value for bonsai apart from as a learning experience. So many trees I thought looked really good turned out to be rubbish after digging and potting. Beginners also tend to underestimate the work involved in digging a tree. The roots will be thick and hard. A saw or axe will probably be needed to cut roots. Digging around the tree's roots and whatever other roots are in the ground there will be difficult. Most of us also underestimate the size of the container required. Even after shortening the roots as much as you feel comfortable with you are likely to need a container around double the size you imagined so please be prepared.

One of the problems with cherry is their susceptibility to pest and disease. I would seal all cuts and use preventative sprays to reduce the chances of fatal infections at the time of collecting and for the rest of its bonsai life.

Maybe I am not seeing this tree in the best light due to just a single photo but I don't think I would bother.

 

[irebonsai]

Hey guys, I didn't get emails saying that you'd replied so I didn't realise you had – my bad, I apologise for not replying sooner!

In this case, the tree is in a reasonably wild part of the back garden and is in the way. That said, I think I'll take your advice and merge it into the following plan:

• Air layer a nice looking part of it into a bonsai-able piece
• Transplant the remainder of the tree into a more suitable in-ground location
• Use cut sealant and sprays to keep all trees in good condition

Thanks again, I'll keep you posted on progress!

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[irebonsai]

Thank you!