Specialty Gardening:bert, can you help me

tiG Newnan, GA(Zone 8a) May 30, 2001

I want to do a bonsai from a plum tree. We have them growing all over our yard, and I see it said over and over to grow them in the ground for 2 years. Well, a 2 yr old plum tree is 5' tall. Is that going to work, or do I need to choose a younger one, or something else instead?

Post #5644

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Tim Palmyra, VA(Zone 7a) May 30, 2001

tig,

Ok let assume that the trunk is about where you want it to be in size now, what you have to do next is chop the tree down to a suitable height. most likely you will have to do multiple chops
height is approximately 6 X trunk size

1. pick out the side that would make the best front, based on roots, trunk scars, branches

2. If you have a branch that can be wire up as a new apex, then chop at an angle away from the leader, then wire it up as the new apex, or hope you get a new sprout you can use as a new top if you have no branch

3.feed and water like mad so the tree can grow healthy and fast

4. chop it again sometime in the future, until you create a taper

5.somewhere down the line you should wire side branches in place

check out evergreen
http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/trunks.htm

Post #78540

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tiG Newnan, GA(Zone 8a) May 31, 2001

Thank you!!! I'll be on the lookout for the best candidate, and then take a picture and let you guys lead me:)

Post #78594

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Joey301 Derwood, MD(Zone 7a) Jul 01, 2001

Great information, thank you. I read your link about growing good trunks. It is sort of depressing to think this is necessary, It also points to why someone may have to buy an already established bonsia instead of using starter plants. I have one question about growing in the ground, do you prune the roots during trunk development? How do you prevent extensive root damage when you finally dig it out? I have a beautiful Acer palmatum that I have just put into a large bonsai pot, I think now that I should put it into the ground for a couple of years.

Post #88964

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tiG Newnan, GA(Zone 8a) May 15, 2003

well, wouldn't you know DH went crazy and took out all the older plums except his two big ones. It's my fault, I didn't get to them like I thought I would.
So now we've discovered that privet makes good bonsai. Guess what?? we have 5 acres of privet behind us. So before he gets the bobcat sometime this summer, we're going on a tree hunt.

My question is, if we found one in the next month, would it be too late to trunk chop it (can you really kill privet in the ground? ) and then when would we move it??