Hello:

Yet another dumb idea from the guy who thought he could grow potensai in
Fresno/Visalia unattended. (btw - I appreciate all the good advice, someone
could have sold me a lot of trees before I figured out that it would not work)

So this idea is:

Top the tree, use a branch behind for the apex and a side branch wired back
across the trunk to hide the chop scar. Pretty standard technique. Next, since
these bud back so well, allow a branch on the back of the tree - about 1/3 to
1/2 of the way up to grow and grow and grow while keeping the apex pinched
back. The sacrifice should over time start to form a new apex and give me even
more taper. When I'm ready to show the tree I remove the sacrifice branch. When
I'm done showing the tree, I grow another sacrifice branch and repeat.

I read this group on usenet but emails are welcome if you prefer.

Many thanks for all the tips over the years,
bob campbell
zone 7 - nor-cal between the bay and the hills

I personally do not like the idea of a branch across the trunk. I understand why you want to do it, but I don't think it willl look good. my preference would be be to ecourage growth around the chop to allow growth of a branch to hide the scar.

SteveW
Long Island NY


-----Original Message-----
From: bob campbell
To:
Sent: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 12:08:23 -0700
Subject: [IBC] Avoiding 'broken top' redwoods using sacrifice branches?


Hello:

Yet another dumb idea from the guy who thought he could grow potensai in
Fresno/Visalia unattended. (btw - I appreciate all the good advice, someone
could have sold me a lot of trees before I figured out that it would not work)

So this idea is:

Top the tree, use a branch behind for the apex and a side branch wired back
across the trunk to hide the chop scar. Pretty standard technique. Next, since
these bud back so well, allow a branch on the back of the tree - about 1/3 to
1/2 of the way up to grow and grow and grow while keeping the apex pinched
back. The sacrifice should over time start to form a new apex and give me even
more taper. When I'm ready to show the tree I remove the sacrifice branch. When
I'm done showing the tree, I grow another sacrifice branch and repeat.

I read this group on usenet but emails are welcome if you prefer.

Many thanks for all the tips over the years,
bob campbell
zone 7 - nor-cal between the bay and the hills

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++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

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

Steve wachs wrote:
I personally do not like the idea of a branch across the
trunk. I understand why you want to do it, but I don't
think it willl look good. my preference would be be to
ecourage growth around the chop to allow growth of a
branch to hide the scar.



Or, do what most of us do and put the chop to the BACK.

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

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Bob: Not quite standard technique. Usually you angle your chop
toward the back of the tree and bring up a bud or branch from the
front.
You can help a large chop scar heal faster by thread
grafting a thin branch from below through the heart of the scar.
In my climate these scars tend to heal fairly quickly whichever
way you go.
Also, if it's a pretty large scar on your chop, it helps
to carve it convex. This provides a better transition taper.
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org


-----Original Message-----
From: bob campbell
Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2005 2:08 PM
To:
Subject: [IBC] Avoiding 'broken top' redwoods using sacrifice
branches?

Hello:
Yet another dumb idea from the guy who thought he could
grow potensai in Fresno/Visalia unattended. (btw - I appreciate
all the good advice, someone could have sold me a lot of trees
before I figured out that it would not work)

So this idea is:
Top the tree, use a branch behind for the apex and a side
branch wired back across the trunk to hide the chop scar. Pretty
standard technique. Next, since these bud back so well, allow a
branch on the back of the tree - about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way up
to grow and grow and grow while keeping the apex pinched back.
The sacrifice should over time start to form a new apex and give
me even more taper. When I'm ready to show the tree I remove the
sacrifice branch. When I'm done showing the tree, I grow another
sacrifice branch and repeat.

I read this group on usenet but emails are welcome if you
prefer.
Many thanks for all the tips over the years,
bob campbell
zone 7 - nor-cal between the bay and the hills

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

On Jul 12, 2005, at 9:09 PM, Alan Walker wrote:

Bob: Not quite standard technique. Usually you angle your chop
toward the back of the tree and bring up a bud or branch from the
front.

I have a wild collected crabapple tree which fortunately developed two
new leaders right at the top edge of the cut where I wanted them. The
front one is the new leader, and I pruned it back this spring to grow
out again. I have the rear one growing unencumbered to help the scar
heal over more quickly. That will be the sacrifice leader which I will
probably cut back next spring, depending on how much more healing I get
at the cut. It's progressing pretty well.

You can help a large chop scar heal faster by thread
grafting a thin branch from below through the heart of the scar.
In my climate these scars tend to heal fairly quickly whichever
way you go.

If you did this, would the thread graft come up in the middle of the
scar? I assume this would be a sacrifice, which you would have to leave
in place until the wood that "puddled" around the opening met up with
the growing edge of the new wood around the perimeter of the cut. Am I
getting this right?
Also, if it's a pretty large scar on your chop, it helps
to carve it convex. This provides a better transition taper.
Alan Walker
http://bonsai-bci.com http://LCBSBonsai.org


Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I prefer the chop in the back as well. I also like to make my chops on an angle. never straight across. I find it is harder to hide the scar. If you angle the cut you may get lucky and get some growth around that chop that can possibly hide it

SteveW
Long Island NY


-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Lewis
To:
Cc:
Sent: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 20:03:08 -0400
Subject: [IBC] Avoiding 'broken top' redwoods using sacrifice branches?


Steve wachs wrote:
I personally do not like the idea of a branch across the
trunk. I understand why you want to do it, but I don't
think it willl look good. my preference would be be to
ecourage growth around the chop to allow growth of a
branch to hide the scar.

Or, do what most of us do and put the chop to the BACK.

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

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Kevin Bailey++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++