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Carmona - should I leave it alone or try to shape it?
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Author:  TinyTreeHugger [ 04 Nov 2017, 10:39 ]
Post subject:  Carmona - should I leave it alone or try to shape it?
Attachment:
carmona large.JPG


Hello again :-)
Thanks to those who have already given me some advice on my acer. Here is the other bonsai bought at the same time, a Carmona, also for £15.
I originally thought that it had quite an ugly 'scarecrow' type branch structure with the branches sticking out like arms and was hoping that I could have a go at shaping/pruning it into a more pleasing shape. However, when I joined the forum I learnt that this type of tree is prone to dying off at the slightest provocation! Since then I have basically just fed (stopped now) and watered it and placed it on a south facing window in an attempt to not annoy it. It has produced quite a lot of new growth and flower buds, so appears to be happy (although I have removed a few yellow leaves in the past couple of weeks).
My first question is - should I trim at all? Any advice for helping it to live as long as possible please?

Second question - what do you think of the rock structure? I have gone from thinking it was a bit naff to growing quite fond of it! I will not be offended if anyone thinks it is awful! It is cemented in and makes the pot weigh a ton, but I'm thinking that if the Carmona does die off I will reuse it.

Many thanks, Allison
Author:  bluesky [ 04 Nov 2017, 14:02 ]
Post subject:  Re: Carmona - should I leave it alone or try to shape it?
I quite like the rock structure, it adds character, a bit of uniqueness.
I wouldn't try to do any serious reshaping now - but you could trim down the longer weak shoots now back to about 1 or 2 pairs of leaves, to get back to a tidy silouette.
Keep it indoors during winter but somewhere really bright if you can, like a south facing window sill (but not above a radiator). Carmona does not react well to outdoor freezing, nor to stifling heat either.
Author:  Gary Jones [ 05 Nov 2017, 02:06 ]
Post subject:  Re: Carmona - should I leave it alone or try to shape it?
Well if you never prune it, it would become a bush fairy quickly. I don't know the species but my instinct would be to leave it alone bar minor pruning until or unless it started growing strongly - probably in the spring.

I think the shape of the trunk with the dramatic bend is too severe low down for the thickness of the trunk, and the rock formation almost helps disguise it to an extent. I'd leave the rocks for now but you can keep them or remove them as you see fit. I can't see them clearly but they can't be expensive material. You might be able to find something nicer if you look around.

My thoughts would be to look after it for now, see how successful you can be at keeping it alive and if it grows give it a little style in spring.
Author:  Sizzla [ 05 Nov 2017, 09:10 ]
Post subject:  Re: Carmona - should I leave it alone or try to shape it?
I like the rock, makes quite a bit of visual impact and disguises the thin trunk. It would be a fun idea to try and grow the trunk around the rock but don't ask me how lol.
Author:  Brendan [ 06 Nov 2017, 11:55 ]
Post subject:  Re: Carmona - should I leave it alone or try to shape it?
Not sure when you got it, but these struggle over winter, and you should not remove any leaves until you are sure it is through a full growing cycle. If it does, then I'd also focus first on the rooots before I worried about shaping it. They often come with really poor soil and badly positioned roots. In the spring you may want to check that and repot it. It will need maximum leaves to recover from that.

If it is already well potted in good soil then your best bet is to do your pruning in spring.

Over winter watch it like a hawk. Soil never too wet but also not dried out. Misting the leaves is a good idea. And make sure it is kept warm. If it is above a radiator or where the heat is really dry you should put it on a tray covered with pebbles and filled with water to ensure it is humid.
Author:  stymie [ 06 Nov 2017, 12:04 ]
Post subject:  Re: Carmona - should I leave it alone or try to shape it?
Never keep a tree above a radiator. It means death.
Author:  bluesky [ 06 Nov 2017, 22:05 ]
Post subject:  Re: Carmona - should I leave it alone or try to shape it?
Another thing to watch for with Carmona is it's very attractive to Scale which are tiny black bugs that feed on the leaf sap and hide in numbers behind the leaf nodes. You know when you have them because your leaves get covered with a sticky residue. I got rid of them last summer using neem oil treatment. I also had to spray a boxwood that was next to it.

The good news is that Carmona gives you tiny white flowers almost all year round, as long as the temperature is reasonably stable.
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