bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - New Olive bonsai

Colin,
I love to work with olive. The thing about them is they have alternating sets of leaves. You can use clip and grow methods to grow this tree easily. If you have a set of leaves that go up and down the next set will be side to side (horizontal). As you prune use this basic knowledge to direct the new growth. Wherever you prune, the next set of branches will grow in the direction the last set of leaves are pointing. So always cut a branch back to a horizontal pair to build a layered branch.
When it comes to the apex just alow several buds to form a rounded top and continue directional pruning to fill in bare spots! It takes time but if you wire extensively you will be unhappy with the wire scars.

29-Oct-2001	#3
Bonsainut Carrier of Bonsai Fever Join Date: Oct-2001 Location: So-Cal, US of A Country: America The Beautiful USDA Zone: Zone 9-10 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 1,833	Re: New Olive bonsai - shaping the apex Colin, I love to work with olive. The thing about them is they have alternating sets of leaves. You can use clip and grow methods to grow this tree easily. If you have a set of leaves that go up and down the next set will be side to side (horizontal). As you prune use this basic knowledge to direct the new growth. Wherever you prune, the next set of branches will grow in the direction the last set of leaves are pointing. So always cut a branch back to a horizontal pair to build a layered branch. When it comes to the apex just alow several buds to form a rounded top and continue directional pruning to fill in bare spots! It takes time but if you wire extensively you will be unhappy with the wire scars. __________________ Keep growing,---'Nut Lethal Use of Farce