Wondering what path y'all take when you are faced with a tree that likes to
throw handle bar branches, or "T", you know, the branches that grow one
accross from the other, and always do. Any particular ideas or approach?
Nic - in warm and sunny New Zealand

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Nic,
For me, I take care of them in the initial styling, always aware that I wont want one later on the wrong side of a bend. Then, I just don't let 'em grow back! I know . . .far to simplistic.
Regards,
Shelly Hurd Central CA - Sunset Zone 8-USDA Zone 9
- COLD and Haven't even Seen the sun in 10 days! I think I hate cha! :-)
----- Original Message -----
From: Nicolas Steenhout
To:
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 3:15 PM
Subject: [IBC] "Handle bar" branches???


Wondering what path y'all take when you are faced with a tree that likes to
throw handle bar branches, or "T", you know, the branches that grow one
accross from the other, and always do. Any particular ideas or approach?
Nic - in warm and sunny New Zealand

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Hey Nic,

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nicolas Steenhout"
Wondering what path y'all take when you are faced with a tree that likes
to
throw handle bar branches, or "T", you know, the branches that grow one
accross from the other, and always do. Any particular ideas or approach?
Nic
--------------------

Well, when it is possible, I simply remove one of them. If, however, both
branches are necessary for the design - and removing one will look worse
than keeping both - I make sure that one is significantly shorter than the
other. That way there is less symmetry.

If you're going to remove one, it is of course always best to do so just as
the branches begin to grow, rather than wait until both are large. Less
damage, less dependence on both in the design that way.

Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
www.andyrutledge.com/palaver/main.htm
zone 8, Texas

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Andy Rutledge wrote:

Hey Nic,

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nicolas Steenhout"
Wondering what path y'all take when you are faced with a tree that likes
to
throw handle bar branches, or "T", you know, the branches that grow one
accross from the other, and always do. Any particular ideas or approach?
Nic
--------------------

Well, when it is possible, I simply remove one of them. If, however, both
branches are necessary for the design - and removing one will look worse
than keeping both - I make sure that one is significantly shorter than the
other. That way there is less symmetry.

If you're going to remove one, it is of course always best to do so just as
the branches begin to grow, rather than wait until both are large. Less
damage, less dependence on both in the design that way.

Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
www.andyrutledge.com/palaver/main.htm
zone 8, Texas

There is also the option of taking out the middle, if it would work. Like you
could do with a maple where you have opposite leaves.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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In a message dated 1/14/2004 6:19:33 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:
Wondering what path y'all take when you are faced with a tree that likes to
throw handle bar branches, or "T", you know, the branches that grow one
accross from the other, and always do. Any particular ideas or approach?
Nic - in warm and sunny New Zealand
Can you post a picture of the tree?

Cordially,

Michael Persiano
members.aol.com/iasnob/index.html

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Wondering what path y'all take when you are faced with a tree
that likes to
throw handle bar branches, or "T", you know, the branches that
grow one
accross from the other, and always do. Any particular ideas or
approach?
Nic - in warm and sunny New Zealand


It depends on the tree, where these "handlebars" are, and on the
species.

Often, if they occur as the bottom pair of branches of a
deciduous (or other broad-leaved) tree, you can take care of the
problem by wiring and by letting one grow at a different rate
than the other. Handlebars farther up the trunk can usually be
pruned on alternate sides AND wired to appear to come out in
different directions.

Some species (often conifers), however, develop an acute swelling
in the trunk at the point of the handlebar. These would be a
much larger problem, but pruning is probably the only sure
solution. One could be left as a short jin.

I try to avoid conifer species that tend toward this growth
habit. But I'm lazy and, (generally speaking) don't "do"
conifers.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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If it´s not possible to remove one of them I suggest you bring one
forward so that the foligae (tertiary branches) hides that this branch
grows from the same height as the other. Another option is to bring one
branch down in an angle and then horisontal, the other one is brought up
and then horisontal. This way the foliage is not at the same level even
if the branches starts that way. This should be done consistently with
the rest of the branches. If you style the tree in a slanting manner
this will look completely natural. The branches that go up and then
horisontal should be on the opposite side of the slant. I hope this make
any sence or I can post a pic on the gallery.

Henrik Gistvall, Uppsala, Sweden

Nicolas Steenhout wrote:

Wondering what path y'all take when you are faced with a tree that likes to
throw handle bar branches, or "T", you know, the branches that grow one
accross from the other, and always do. Any particular ideas or approach?
Nic - in warm and sunny New Zealand

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++++Sponsored, in part, by Mark Zimmerman++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

************************************************** ******************************
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Michael,

I can't really post a picture of the tree, since there is no tree yet! Just
a bit of a seedling, I believe it's a leptospermum (sp??). The trunk's a
bit smaller than pencil size now, and while I'm not aiming for big trees, I
figured I'd try to do something with it now, before any work leaves too much
traces. :-) I *could* put it on the potensai gallery, though there's
really nothing to look at quite yet :-)

Nic
Wondering what path y'all take when you are faced with a tree that likes
to
throw handle bar branches, or "T", you know, the branches that grow one
accross from the other, and always do. Any particular ideas or
approach?
Nic - in warm and sunny New Zealand
Can you post a picture of the tree?

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Nic,

If you're growing it out, one idea would be to cut the trunk at the "handlebar" and bring one up for a new leader.

Bill Neff
Topeka, KS

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If you're growing it out, one idea would be to cut the trunk at
the "handlebar" and bring one up for a new leader.

Yes, well, that would work if the complete habit of this tree didn't give
opposite branches everywhere ;-)

I have done a trunk chop, and haven't touched the rest, just letting things
sit a while, marinating in that soup I call my brain.

But have to get back to filling out this application pack for a job :-/

Nic

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I wrote:

a bit of a seedling, I believe it's a leptospermum (sp??).

What happens when brain doesn't function quite as fast as yer fingers. Not
leptospermum, but pittosporum!

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I wrote:

a bit of a seedling, I believe it's a leptospermum (sp??).

What happens when brain doesn't function quite as fast as yer
fingers. Not
leptospermum, but pittosporum!

Mmm. NOT a good bonsai candidate, IMHO.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Apples and
Oranges: A Demonstration -- Welcome to Hooterville! Population:
2000. Elevation: 3000. Established: 1850. TOTAL = 6850 -- Bob
Lilienfield

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I agree, Jim. Pittosporum (see
http://www.bonsai-bci.com/species/pittosporum.html ) has never seemed to
me to make satisfactory bonsai. At least I've never seen one, and I've
seen a lot of bonsai.
Furthermore, I think that bar branches on a seedling should be a
non-issue. In general, it should be easy to decide to eliminate bar
branches from design, but on seedlings, it should be a no-brainer.
There is nothing invested in the branches to begin with, so elimination
is all the easier. It's more of a test of your design fortitude on some
older materials.
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org

-----Original Message-----
Nic wrote: a bit of a seedling, I believe it's a leptospermum (sp??).
What happens when brain doesn't function quite as fast as yer fingers.
Not
leptospermum, but pittosporum!

From: Jim Lewis
Mmm. NOT a good bonsai candidate, IMHO.
Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL

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