What do I do now??

MattPenton

Hi everyone:

I just purchased this Crabapple about 1 month ago. It is now January and there are buds popping all over the tree!

I think I should be excited... but I know it is still early in the year. I am in Southern California where today the weather is "cool" which means in the mid 60's (F)! We are unlikely to get a frost this year, so I think I am okay... What does everyone else think?

Also, what do you see as a possible future for this tree? I am still working on a couple of ideas as I learn the species and its habits. I would love some ides from all of you talented bonsai talker's!

Any and all imputs and coments are welcomed and appreciated.

All the best,

Matt

Attached Images

	Crabapple buds 2 jan06.JPG (62.4 KB, 111 views)
	Crabapple Jan06 front.JPG (68.1 KB, 135 views)

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FlyBri

Gday Matt!

That's a very nice start on an Informal Upright - I particularly like the hollow at the base, which might be used down the track to tie in with the large chop scar above. My first inclination is to tilt the tree about 10-15 degrees to the right, and then try to pull the left-hand leader down by about the same amount - if that is possible with such a thick looking branch. BTW, what sort of size are we looking at here?

Thanks and good luck.

Fly.

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MattPenton

Fly:

First of all thanks for the kind words. This is the first piece of raw stock that I have spent any significant money on, and I hope it has a great future.

This tree is about 8" soil to the top currently. I think it will eventually be 10 to 12 inches tall once the new leader is chosen and developed!

The hollow at the base may be extended up to the chop scar above. If you look at the picture of the buds you can see a small hollow even at the back of the tree. They may some day become one...

So do you think that the buds are safe now? Is there anything I can do to assure the health of this tree?

Thanks so much for your help,

Matt

Attached Images

Crabapple buds 2 jan06 virt.jpg (55.7 KB, 51 views)

JGamby713

Hey Matt,


Nice little crab apple. I wouldn't do anything to it now, just feed and water it. I think you need to develop some branches before you go thinking too much about it's future.... Good thing is if it is really healthy you should get a fair amount of buds on the trunk so you will have a good selection of future branches to chose from.
Let it grow for a while and be patient!!

Nice stock.

Jason

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rockm

Matt,

Welcome to apple world I had a large one for quite a while. I loved it. It was too much work. I sold it... I wish I hadn't. Apples are truly wonderful bonsai. Yours is very nice.

Below are some of the things that I learned with my apple:

You may have issues with not having enough cold for apple in So. Cal. If this is a locally grown variety, it may not be a problem. Most apples need a very cold dormancy to fulfill their genetic chilling requirement. If they don't get it, they are cranky.

Expect every kind of leaf eating and trunk eating pest in the neighborhood to make a visit to your new tree. Apple is a bug and fungus magnet. Borers and aphids are particularly troublesome, as are wooly adelgids.

Exposed deadwood on apples is almost always attacked by whatever borer species is in your area. Watch for the signs.

Preventative spraying of a broad spectrum fungal solution, as well as a wide ranging bug killer at the beginning middle and end of the growing season helps.

Apples are extremely cold tolerant. Frost will not affect leaf or flower buds, but frost will burn growth that has extended. Keep an eye out for it. Bring the tree in when it's in the forecast. A failure to do this will result in black dead leaves for a month until they're replaced.

For what it's worth, flowering on apples is highly variable and depends on specialized pruning. Takes some getting used to. Also flowering branches and resulting fruit should be thinned. Failure to thin fruit, in particular, can result in death of the fruiting branch.

MattPenton

Jason,
Thanks so much for your thoughts. I will do just that and watch this tree grow for a couple of months before any decisions are made. This sure is exciting as I bought this tree as just a trunk. (My wife thought I was crazy!!)

By the way is your web site up and running yet? I am excited to see all of your field grown maples...

Thanks,

RockM,

Thanks so much for the information. I bought this tree at a local bonsai nursery. This year our winter has been exceptionally dry and warm. (As shown by the exploding buds all over this tree!) I do not expect to get fruiting this year because of the winter. If we had 24 hours below 40 F I would be surprised! I hope to see how the tree does in this climate and will keep everyone updated.

Thanks again for the kind words and encouragement to a beginner like me. I look forward to sharing this tree for years to come.

All the best,

Matt

JGamby713

Website isn't up yet. 99% of the text is done and now I am waiting for the darn rain to stop so I can go out and get some pictures. We had about 3 or 4 hours of sun yesterday, the first this year!!!! We have had more than 1/3 of our annual rain fall just in January!! Sunday is supposed to be dry (you know forcast's- flip a coin) so I hope to get out before the Superbowl and get some pictures....Go Hawks!!!!

Thanks for asking!

Jason

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Jason's Bonsai Fun!
www.oregonbonsai.com
USDA Zone 8, NW Oregon

Sterling

Hey Matt

I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing the name of the bonsai nursery where you got this little crabby guy. I know of the huge bonsai nursery in Lakewood but I haven't gone much farther into the Orange County area than that and I was just curious to check it out.
Thanks for your help.
Sterling

MattPenton

Sterling:


We are talking about the same place. The place that I bought this tree is in Lakewood and has a bunch of field grown Maples, Junipers, cottoneasters... anything you want at reasonable prices. It is a bonsai nursery that has classes and seems to be a realy great place (this was my first trip). I believe this is the same place that Maria Kapra got his tree for the most recent contest (2nd place if my memory serves me). I will get the info and post it once I get home.

I also picked up a very feminine Azelea that I will share soon! Stay tuned.

Thanks,

Matt