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| I'm an ignorant beginner, hoping for a little guidance from the experts. Just a brief synopsis of how to start, or a shove in the direction of assistance would be great.
I have some one year old catalpa seedings, and one year old Malinche seedlings. I am wondering where to begin with these. I live in zone 5, so my catalpas have remaining outside 4 seasons, and the Malinches spent the winter indoors. All of these are healthy. I know this is going to take a long time. I am very patient. I am overwhelmed by the amount of info online on this subject. I was told that root pruning shouldn't be done before year 3, and that my seedlings should remain in their big pots till then. Is that correct? What about pruning the foliage? At what age would be a time to start wiring? Thanks in advance to any who take the time to read this. Regards to all, Yvette
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| Bonsoir Yvette - I didn't know catalpas would grow in Quebec (are you sure they're rated to zone 4?). I never heard of Malinche - is it a French name for ... what's the Latin name? Wiring can wait until you have a definite idea in mind for what you want your trees to do and have chosen branches to keep (and eliminate) and they are well hardened to wood. Big pots will grow fatter trunks faster, so that's a good idea. You can prune foliage whenever you think it needs doing and/or you want to increase twiggy growth. SVP explique 'Malinche" (pour c'est ex-Mtl.personne). |
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- Posted by yvette_adams z5 Quebec (adams_yvette2000@hotmail.com) on Wed, Mar 26, 08 at 12:35
| Bonjour Lucy, and thank you for your reply. Indeed, catalpa grow in southern Quebec. I have a big one in my backyard; I wintersowed my "babies" from it's seeds, in 2007. I don't know how well catalpa would do farther north, though. Malinche is a spanish word, but I have been able to find no translation in either french or English. It is a beautiful flowering tree, the seeds came from Cuba...I was very lucky, as they germinated last May. Do you think, that if I was able to successfully grow one as a bonsai, it could one day flower? I read your reply this AM to Redthumb, and realized that some of my q's were answered there. I will look up the sites you generously mentioned. I guess I haven't much to do with these seedlings for the next 2 years, except repot them each in a one gallon pot and perhaps prune the foliage (if spring ever comes!) I am very patient, and will use the time available to study the next steps. My only fear is that in the course of the next two years, they may grow too big for my purpose. How big is too big, for a bonsai? I have a good start due to your informative replies to Rethumb and myself. Best to you, et un gros merci....Yvette |
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| Hi encore :-). There are bonsai (usually evergreen) that are 4+feet tall and at least as wide, but those are pretty rare and require many men to move them! Even if your trees get tall in the next two years, you would then cut them back down and regrow new smaller branches, which is how most bonsai are created anyway, though it's important to know the species because not all will bud below the lowest existing branch afterward, so you may need to keep an eye on that and not cut below it in future. If you post a picture (close up of leaves, etc.) of the Malinche on this forum's gallery (see link above postings) and leave a note on the forum here, we can look and see if it's familiar and be able to give you the proper name and better advice. What kind of lighting does it get now? |
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- Posted by yvette_adams z5 Quebec (adams_yvette2000@hotmail.com) on Thu, Mar 27, 08 at 11:38
| Thanks so much Lucy for taking an interest in my project! I'll post a pic asap, and let you know here that I have done so. It'll take a few day, as I know almost as much about computers as I do about bonsai! lol...meric encore...yvette |
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| Certains gens en Amerique Centrale donnent ce nom 'Malinche' au Delonix regia. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Delonix bonsai
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- Posted by yvette_adams z5 Quebec (adams_yvette2000@hotmail.com) on Mon, Apr 7, 08 at 8:05
| C'est lui ! Merci tellement de votre aide, Pricem11. |
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| Je t'en prie! Marco |
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