Eucalyptus Pre-bonsai update/prune (year 1!)

[@planterbanter]

Here is what this red gum looks like in 2024: kzbin.info/www/bejne/imLcZ3agjtyooqMsi=aHk8OJfVoQehiGvK

[@glennsuyat4290]

Great insights of your gum tree mate.truly inspired to work on my first find red gum sappling..

[@planterbanter]

Thanks mate, I really appreciate that. Will hopefully do an update on it when I go back to visit Aus in November. You should definitely do it! You’ll have a decent looking tree in 1 year!!

[@thebonsaiprojectkernow]

New sub Stunning gum tree!!! I'm from the UK and would love to add some eucalyptus trees to my collection

[@planterbanter]

I would recommend it! Thanks for the sub :D

[@SamDoeckeAussiebonsaibloke]

Well done mate. Your tree is still looking fantastic. 👌 few bugs in the garden eating some leaves 🍃 😋 but needs another wok already 😀

[@planterbanter]

Cheers mate. Fun little tree in progress. Will be nice in 5-10 years. Thanks for looking after it

[@baldyeti]

Daggum! So aggressive, yet very elegant. Great start to your tree, brother. Have you considered getting more aggressive with your chops?

[@planterbanter]

Thanks mate! Do you mean leaving the tree to grow for longer to allow it to get bigger quicker, then doing trunk chops etc? If that’s what you mean, then I most definitely think it’s a great idea to do that. Allows for fantastic taper/thicker trunk and branches. For some species I reckon it’s the best way to go. This species is however has very aggressive growth towards the apex, so I mainly just wanted to see how it would turn out by just continually pruning back the top growth. You can get away with not being as aggressive as it grows so bloody fast. It seems to be working well and there’s 3 sacrifice branches at the base of the tree, which will fatten the bottom up a lot. It’s honestly such a fast species that within 5-7 years it would look like a tree in the start of refinement stage. Something like a maple, I’d leave for 3-4 years then trunk chop it, and start again to get some serious taper. More aggressive :)

[@dream0darkness013]

I'll be trying to do my first Bonsai too! Pls. give updates! Thanks for the post!

[@planterbanter]

Thanks mate! I can tell you the tree is progressing nicely. I'm currently overseas right now, but my mate is looking after all my trees until I get back.

[@LittleBearGrylls]

Fantastic tree in progress

[@planterbanter]

Thanks legend!

[@faizul_dergo]

Your tree is looking good. Good luck..

[@planterbanter]

Thank you very much, a very fun species to bonsai.

[@stephaniewhittaker1665]

So good. Have been waiting for this one. Have a great time overseas. Thanks heaps for the video. Would you if you were home put in the bonsai pot in august /September or would you wait another year?

[@planterbanter]

Thanks Steph!! I reckon I’ll keep it in a bigger pot for the next 2-5 years before I think about a bonsai pot for it :) you can do it at anytime, but obviously I Things grow significantly slower in a small pots. And since it’s got a lot of growing to do, I reckon I’ll leave it. It’s all up to personal preference. Also is a very thirsty tree so easier keep the moisture up while growing in it

[@oskars1419]

nice tree :D

[@planterbanter]

Thank you kind sir :)

[@andersnrregren9087]

Sam just posted a video of your banksia vary nice tree

[@planterbanter]

Cheers Anders. Very lucky to have Sam looking after them while I’m away

[@cliffordgoodrich3773]

I have a rainbow eucalyptus, which I imagine is much like your red gum here. Do you also prune the roots ? My rainbow has opposite stems, not alternating. Is there a different approach for opposite stems?

[@planterbanter]

Hello Cliff yes absolutely I have pruned the roots. I assume by your other question you mean leaf placement on branches (alternate vs opposite)? I would keep my approach fairly similar as you can easily get branch division with both options. All that would change is the location of the division on that branch. So to explain further, when I prune an 'alternate' branch on most species, it will divide into two branches from the top two nodes (from the highest node and then the next node below it, often on the opposite side of the top node). With 'opposite', if I prune the branch, the division will occur on the top 2 nodes that are at the same point of the branch, just on opposite sides (and it will create a V shape division). Both work great, the main point is getting good ramification so keep pruning just above the 2nd or 3rd nodes and with either 'alternate' or 'opposite' trees you will get good results! Remember this is just general info and there are some species that react differently but for the most part this is what will occur. I hope this makes sense/ answers your questions.

[@abundantcat7448]

i have rainbow eucalyptus seeds it was a pack of 50 so hopefully some grow and i can do bonsai and grow some outside. Do you have any updates on this plant? you should!

[@planterbanter]

Thanks for the comment! You should definitely try to bonsai some. Eucalyptus makes beautiful bonsais! I'm currently still overseas. My friend is looking after it while Im gone. Here are 2 videos on this same river red gum (on my buddies channel). They are more recent updates on the tree. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mISVnGuZeNyVbqs kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6qUip1mft6gsJY

[@abundantcat7448]

​@@planterbanter awesome thanks for sharing!!

[@xviolist]

Best time of year to trim and cut back a eucalyptus?

[@planterbanter]

I prune eucalyptus in spring, summer, and autumn in Australia. however, I will only do light pruning in summer to (increase ramification in the canopy). no major prunes when it is very hot! Thanks for watching.

[@paulformaioni37]

as a seedling with no branching off what do you do, cut it right back to bottom internodes to promote this?

[@planterbanter]

You can defoliate red gums and they will back bud providing more branching options!

[@fabriciomarizaguiarfilho9308]

Nice!!!

[@planterbanter]

Thanks! Any eucalyptus are very rewarding to bonsai

[@camdenmorse8667]

How’s the redwood doing?!

[@planterbanter]

Update soon, sorry! Moved countries so it has been a busy time.

[@phebajohn4606]

I have a tree 8 feet tall , it will die outside in winter.. any idea how can o save it?

[@planterbanter]

Hello Pheba, you have an 8 feet tall tree in a pot? or did you plant it? If it is in a pot, bring the pot indoors and provide it with as much light as possible. If you have planted the tree in the ground and it is not suited to the conditions there is not much you can do. Place lots of mulch around the soil as it keeps the roots warm in winter and cool in summer. You could also buy an anti-frost blanket, but I would only recommend that if it is a young tree suited for the environment it has been planted in and is simply delicate to some abnormally cold conditions that is occurring briefly. Good luck!

[@benvangorp7295]

How are they with root pruning?

[@planterbanter]

The river red gums seem pretty tough with pruning! So long as it's done at the right time of year. I would personally never do it in the heat of summer.

[@dietschegroosmame3596]

What species is this?

[@planterbanter]

Eucalyptus camaldulensis (red gum)