Hi all,

I'm new to this group and fairly new to gardening.
I have a query. I bought a gum tree last year and planted it in a large pot.
It has flourished and it has move into a much larger pot.

At the moment it is growing directly up and still needs support despite
being about 9 feet tall.
If i cut the top foot off will this stop the upwards growth?
Basically I'd like to keep it in the pot as we rent and i want to take the
tree with us when we move. So, I'd like to trqain it so that the height
stays the same but the trunk thickens.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Chris
www.chris.a.long.btinternet.co.uk

In message , Chris
Long writes
Hi all,

I'm new to this group and fairly new to gardening.
I have a query. I bought a gum tree last year and planted it in a large pot.
It has flourished and it has move into a much larger pot.

At the moment it is growing directly up and still needs support despite
being about 9 feet tall.
If i cut the top foot off will this stop the upwards growth?
Basically I'd like to keep it in the pot as we rent and i want to take the
tree with us when we move. So, I'd like to trqain it so that the height
stays the same but the trunk thickens.


You mean a Eucalyptus?

Just taking out the top won't stop it growing up, another shoot will
take start to grow upwards in its' place. I guess maybe you could try
pruning it back repeatedly, but I dunno how it would look.

I think you might be on a hiding to nothing, they are big tree's
potentially not shrubs, and not all like to be restrained in this way.

You can however coppice them in pots successfully.

There is some advice on Eucalyptus Nurseries website on:

http://www.eucalyptus.co.uk/
--
Chris French and Helen Johnson, Leeds
urg Suppliers and References FAQ:
http://www.familyfrench.co.uk/garden/urgfaq/index.html

"Chris French and Helen Johnson" wrote in
message ...
In message , Chris
Long writes
I think you might be on a hiding to nothing, they are big tree's
potentially not shrubs, and not all like to be restrained in this way.

Bonsai techniques should be applicable to these like any other tree. I'm no
expert but I think with pruning and restricting the root ball it should be
possible to have a 6ft eucalyptus tree with a thick trunk.

A quick search found the following site:

http://www.eucalyptus.co.uk/indepth_bonsai.asp

says they are best grown as large bonsai ( 3ft ) and to pinch out new growth
regularly and to keep outdoors when possible to prevent too much growth.

Martin

"Chris Long" wrote:

Hello Chris

CL I'm new to this group and fairly new to gardening.
CL I have a query. I bought a gum tree last year and planted it
CL in a large pot. It has flourished and it has move into a
CL much larger pot.

They do grow very well. Planted a 3' one here two years ago, it's now
15' tall.

CL At the moment it is growing directly up and still needs
CL support despite being about 9 feet tall. If i cut the top
CL foot off will this stop the upwards growth?

Not really. Euculypts tend towards the tall and leggy and if you take
the leader out then another will replace it. A twice-yearly trim might
keep it under control, as may containing the roots.

CL like to keep it in the pot as we rent and i want to take the
CL tree with us when we move. So, I'd like to trqain it so that
CL the height stays the same but the trunk thickens.

They're not very trainable IME. Eventually they turn into nice looking
trees but dangerous to climb as the branches are weak and prone to
snapping. A fair guide to seeing whether a type of tree is easily
trained is to check bonsai sites to see if they can do it.

Their peeling bark is also quite incendiary if you need something to
light a bonfire...

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK Ý http://www.digdilem.org/

"Chris Long" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I'm new to this group and fairly new to gardening.
I have a query. I bought a gum tree last year and planted it in a large
pot.
It has flourished and it has move into a much larger pot.

At the moment it is growing directly up and still needs support despite
being about 9 feet tall.
If i cut the top foot off will this stop the upwards growth?
Basically I'd like to keep it in the pot as we rent and i want to take the
tree with us when we move. So, I'd like to trqain it so that the height
stays the same but the trunk thickens.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Chris
www.chris.a.long.btinternet.co.uk

There is an open garden near us here in Oxon, which has several very old
Eucalyptus(i)? anyway they have all split the main stem of the plant several
times to turn a single leader into more of a shrub. They look very odd, esp
the ones split more recently since they have one flat side
D