Miniature forest

[codlasher]

I planted this little forest some 25 years ago just for fun. The Oak have started to miniaturise with tiny leaves and similar some of the Limes too. The limes parent trees are from an avenue planted in 1702 to celebrate Queen Anne's ascension to the throne so have a little bit of fun history attached:001_tongue:

 

Some of the Limes have grown too big for the box and I'm thinking of a selective felling operation. I don't think I will need a felling licence for this job but any advice on whether to do 'something' or alternatively 'nothing' would be appreciated.

Thanks.

codlasher

[slack ma girdle]

Selective thin on the limes. Not sure where you will attach the Hobbs though.

[Steve Bullman]

Haha!! if you nip the leaves off next season when they are just budding, they will rebud with smaller leaves still.

 

Also you should lift the whole lot out and prune the roots back and add fresh soil, pref john innes no.2

[pault]

Got the makings of a nice outdoor bonsai garden there.

[Whalleyrange]

Got a few native bonsai trees (beech, yew and oak), all in separate pots though.

 

With the oaks remove apical buds early spring this stops them bolting and getting leggy and also causes energy to be put in to lower buds.

 

I also remove the larger leaves to promote new miniature growth.

 

Don't have any limes in the collection yet but i would probably treat them similar. I would look for the better limes with good branching low down and remove some of the leggy ones.

 

I sometimes fertilize maybe once or twice a year, and just keep the new growth in check. If there getting to big, trim them down.

 

have a look on for more tips.

[Ruskins Trees]

I know very little about bonsai management and a little more about growing trees in containers.

 

In some situations we grow trees in Air pots (the best plant growth container by far), then unzip them every two years and prune the roots, to stop them becoming pot bound (air pot roots will not girdle). I am told this is the same as what bonsai people do to reinvigorate their trees.

 

I suggest instead of thinning you actively bonsai these trees by root pruning. Then install an air pot system inside your container (leaving a tiny air gap), so that next time you just have to unzip and prune.

 

BTW met an Swedish ex-Air Hostess, who showed me pictures of her Swedish Birch, which she smuggled into the UK many years previously. She has it in a plastic dustbin, when the roots cause it to split, she cuts the dustbin off, prunes the roots and puts it is a new plastic dustbin. The Birch was in excellent health but about 20% of the size its girth indicated.

[Stubby]

You will need to get a harvester in ( bonsai of course ) I think scalextric do one .....

[codlasher]

Thanks for the replies y'all:biggrin:

I will mull the answers over, no rush.

Cheers,

codlasher.

[nepia]

I think some halo pruning round the oaks is called for to give them more light. I can see a good stout lime stem perfect for setting up a zipline to send the pieces to the ground.