Bonsai

Can anyone help please? I have an oak tree which is about 20+ years old and it's been in a pot all that time. It starts to come into leaf about now you can just see the leaf buds swelling at the moment. I think I'd like to bonsai it (if spelling correct!). It is about 15" tall. How do I do it?
Thanks,
John

 

Lady of Leisure might be able to help you John.

 

Here is a link which might help
http://www.bonsaiprimer.com/creating/casestudy/casestudy.html

 

Hello John

The first question I would ask is what size pot is the Oak in? It would be useful if I could see a picture.

If it is 20+ years old and only 15" tall, it is already a Bonsai! The word Bonsai in both Chinese and Japanese means tree in a pot. That pot can be very small and flat with a large shrub or tree in it, or even a mini forest, to a large standard shape pot with a larger specimen in it.

The art of Bonsai is trimming the roots and shaping the tree restricting its growth.

If I know exactly what it is you want to do, perhaps I can advice further.

 

Thankyou all for your comments. I am still trying to master importing photos. I managed one but then forget how!!
Thanks LoL I'll try photographing it and let you know dimensions more accurately. Think the pot is 10 or 12" and similar height.
It must be over 20 years because my stepfather planted it, he gave it to me when 5 years old and I had for at least 5 years before I moved to my present house 12 years ago. Makes about 22!

 

Hi folks these are two pics of the little oak. In actual fact it measures abou 23" from the pot surface and not 15" as I first guessed. Hope this helps.

 

Good morning, John

As I mentioned above, I wouldn't do anything with your little oak just now with it budding.

However, come early Spring next year I would certainly trim up the crown to give it a more uniform shape and encourage new branches.

You can leave it in its current pot if you like, or buy it a nice decorative one the same size, which in itself is restricting its growth.

If you wish to have it in one of the flat Bonsai pots, then in early Spring you would need to unpot it. This should be done when the soil is dry. You will then need to knock and tease out all the soil from the roots. Spread the roots out and with a sharp knife or scissors cut back the roots by one third. Trimming of the crown of the tree should take place at the same time.

The tree can then be returned to its pot adding new soil, which should consist of equal parts of loan, leafmould or peat and sharp sand. You should place plastic gauze (I used the sacks onions/potatoes etc come in). The pot should also be slightly raised off the ground.

The pot can then be placed in a shady position for a month and neither overwater nor underwater during this period.

If you are anxious to do something now, you could trim back as indicated here ...



After the leaves develop, you can remove them. I know it sounds drastic but a new crop will come and they will be smaller.

I was going to put up a picture of my Ivy but cannot find it at the moment so will do so later.

If you have any more questions, please get back to me.

 

Found it ... I only have just short of 1,000 photos to go through in Photobucket in date order and couldn't remember when I took this.

It is at least twelve years old and this was when I trimmed it last year to about five inches by five inches. If the leaves get too big, I just pinch them off and tiny new ones appear.

 

Hi LoL, Thanks for the instructions and what a lovely ivy you have. I'll print out your message so I can follow to the T. Bit nervous about it though, especially the roots bit! Thakyou very much.

 

You start training (is it the right word...?) the bonsai as soon as the branches start becoming harder, which is maybe towards the second year of life of the young tree.
Also, you have to train it following the natural shape and attitude of that kind of tree in his natural habitat.
I think therefore that you stand little chances of producing a satisfactory specimen of bonsai oak if you work on a 20 year old tree. You maybe better starting off with a new one.

 

Thankyou also for that miraflores. Still think I'll give it a try as LoL has advised. Her Ivy looked pretty good.

 

Hi, miraflores! Yes, I agree with you that you must start training in the early years. However, I disagree that you must follow the natural shape of the tree.

This is one of the fine arts of Bonsai .. changing the shape and structure of the object. I have trained this Ivy over a rock formation. To do this, you must tie the tree to the rock, or twist wires around the tree to "deform" them effectively.

Sadly, I only have three left now due to my lack of attention with them in the heat here. Ivy is very resislient. I lost my twin Acers, an Elm and very sadly a 15 year old Cotoneaster I did from a seedling, my oldest specimen with the tiniest leaves you've ever seen. For three years I carried them back lovingly to England for the summers, but got into gardening here on the last return two years ago and "forgot" about my babies! :eek: Slap hands! :eek: My loss.

John, think what you want to do with your little Oak and also do as miraflores suggest and start something new you can mould into shape.

Shout if you need help.