Ramification

Nicsai

Excuse me, but I've read in books the term ramification, but I don't know what it means. Could anyone please help?

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crust

In bonsai ramify means roughly to achieve division of stems and leaves so there are many fine branches and twigs.This is usually achieved through pruning and pinching but also through other things such as repotting,controlling fert and water.A finely ramified bonsai is a delight to behold.
Crust

Nicsai

If I want to have a new branch develop from my trees trunk, (lower than all the current branches) what should I do?

Is it possible to get new branches to form where you want them to?

If a new branch develops, will it thicken over time? I not only want to develop new branches, where I want them, I also want to control their thickness (relative to the trunk).

Nicsai.

Cathie

You can only grow new branches on trees if the tree decides it wants to grow one there, though you can encourage new ones wherever by chopping back the trunk (or foliage in general), though whether the new ones grow where you want them is mostly up to the tree, and whether they'll grow below the existing ones depends on the species and the individual tree. Of course they'll thicken, but no more or less than others on the tree of a similar age. The only way to control the thickness would be either to continue training the tree as a whole (and the new ones will eventually grow into their 'place' appropriately) or kill the tree to stop further growth. Of course you can always graft branches onto the tree, but you still won't be able to control thickness once it takes.

kcpoole

the only way I know to control branch thickness is to pinch and trim it.

If you leave a branch on a tree to grow unhindered, then it will grow and thicken much faster than one that you pinch

As an experiment, grab a fast growing tree that has has 2 branches at a similar height, and let 1 grow freely and the other trim and pinch as you would do to any developed bonsai.
ie cut back to the 1st pair of leaves and then let 2 new shoots grow to several leaves and repeat

check the difference of the 2 brances over a growing season. This will also help you get an appreciation of "ramification" and how to develop it.

constricting the roots as we do in bonsai pot will affect the whole tree and not just 1 branch

Ken

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Nicsai

I'd always thought the opposite: I thought that if you prune a rose bush the new branches will grow back thicker and quicker than if you just left it.

SlapSlapSlappy

The reason for pinching is to make shoots smaller. If you pinch a shoot that has 2 leaves, you'll get 4 shoots the next time it comes around to throwing out shoots.

kcpoole

I do not know about Roses, but any tree I have tried will slow down

Like I say, go to the local nursery and grab an elcheapo tree ( Trident Maple maybe) and do an experiment as I suggest.

Take some photos before during and after the growing season, post them here so we can have a look

Ken

__________________
When engineers work out how to make something Idiot proof, humanity invents a better Idiot