Progression of a Barberry

Will_Heath

Somehow we have managed to turn a review into a discussion that should be here and in doing so we are running two threads about the same thing. My apoligies.


Will

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Bnsaijim,
That's quite the analysis you have summed up there, quite impressive too.

Regarding this barberry, the new budding looks strong and you are most likely to end up with copius amounts of "straight" and "lengthy" growth, it's just how these things grow. To my knowledge, the barberries that I own were grown from cuttings, and so the growers place multiple cuttings in the center of each pot, and hope for the best. The cuttings will start to twist and gnarl around each other as they age and grow more. In this case, the removal of one trunk (if you are going stricktly Japanese) will have to be removed. However, I like the form of the 4 trunks, they make for an interesting scene.

But, you gotta be careful not to get too much lengthy growth. I found with mine that if you let them grow "wild" the new growth is extraordinary brittle and will snap with the slightest pressure. My advice would be to remove some of the buds, (I included a drawing) and this will immediately help establish the basis of new branches. Once they thicken, you will have smaller, but thicker more ramified branches to work with, and they will bend and stay in place much better than "wild" growth. Hope this helps, and good luck, it's going to be a beautiful tree oneday.

Dane
The drawing
1. Is what you have in terms on new growth. Remove some of the unessesary shoots and you have "2".
2. These buds will start to extend away from the trunk, and once new shoots are formed from between the existing 2 leaves, remove the older ones to expose a "branch"
3. The branches are now starting to form.
4. With continuous leaf removal, (stages 1-3) this is possible.

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Will_Heath

Thanks for the kind words.

I am quite used to barberries, in fact they wire quite easily if you wire while the young shoots are still pilable. You can also bend larger branches and trunks quite easy even though they are brittle by using branch jacks and applying a little pressure over time. Once you see the bright yellow flesh after a branch snaps a few times, you'll get used to how much you can press them.

However, the easiest way to avoid your "copius amounts of "straight" and "lengthy" growth" is simply to clip them, Barberries respond fantastically well to clip and grow. If you get straight growth it is only because you haven't pruned.

This tree was cut down to almost nothing at the first styling, it is just now budding as spring has just come to Michigan, pruning back the buds will begin after it has completed flowering.

Will

grampz

May I ask, What is a 'review'?...Are there some guidelines or suggestions posted somewhere concerning a 'review'?...If discussion is not proper on a 'review', I probably missed the post on the 'REVIEW: Rules'...Actually I was wondering how many threads were going to be posted with this barberry and the collected spruce...

Perhaps letting us know the intent of the review would help...If it is already posted, perhaps you could point those of us who have not seen it in the right direction...

I think this 'review concept could be a nice educational thing for the forum if it is intended to be as Ms. Joanie has indicated in her post on the other thread...I for one am looking forward to having this explained...Thanks in advance...

Regards
Behr

__________________
As the Master departed the workshop,
he could have sworn he heard some
one saying rather loudly...
"I thought he would never leave"
San Antonio Bonsai Society, Inc.

Will_Heath

Grampz,

The original idea was to simply post a species of plant and information about it as well as such things as ease of growing, size, latin and common name and the pros and cons. See the Review I also posted on Hosta 'Medusa'

However upon further discussion it was decided that they would make better Wiki Entries than posts. See this.

I thought it would be nice to be able to read about a species from someone who has experience with them and see what they think.


Will

grampz

Yes I saw that post also...Great idea...But it would have been nice to have this explanation posted in advance IF one did not want discussion on a 'REVIEW:'...



I somehow also missed this discussion...Strange too...Every time I visit the forum the very first thing I click on is the 'New Posts' link...Unless I have a PM...My whole point was; it is difficult to expect people not to discuss a posted tree, unless you let them know in advance, that is your intention...But I fully agree, the Wiki is a great place for these 'reviews'...



I also think this is a wonderful idea...This will be a great addition to the forum if there are a large number of people who will participate...I will try to come up with a couple myself now that I understand what this is all about...

Perhaps if enough people contribute to these 'reviews', Mr. Matt will create a section of the Wiki just for 'species review'...Thanks for a nice idea, and an explanation...

Regards
Behr

__________________
As the Master departed the workshop,
he could have sworn he heard some
one saying rather loudly...
"I thought he would never leave"
San Antonio Bonsai Society, Inc.