Yogibear Posted February 13, 2011 I'll go take a photo later, but basically, one of the new khat plants has obviously had the main crown-tip removed, then one of the two new branches have been chopped off - it was like this when it arrived. K.. Now, I'm pretty sure the plant doesn't mind, and it'll grow just fine all the same, but it LOOKS stupid. and the leaves on the topmost/largest branch are all growing to point downwards.. The question IS: What would be the best way to train/straighten that "downward-pointing branch? I can only think the best way would be to use soft wire (or standard plastic tie-wire), wind it up around the trunk, then bend the wire (containing the top branch) gently to straighen it up. .. I'll go out take a photo now and add it, so you can see what I mean. It's mainly just an aesthetic thing, it's a very young plant, but I also DO believe it'll do a bit better if the leaves are all facing UPWARDS. At the moment, the sun shines down on the backs of the leaves. There is also NO Phototropism evident; the leaves don't even make the slightest effort to turn to face the sun throughout the day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gogogadget Posted February 13, 2011 (edited) use rafia to soften the branch for a week or 2 then you can bend braces from bonsai stockists very cheap bending branches with raffia rafa is actually a plant you can grow once the branch is softened you can anchor it somewhere using twine without hurting the branch, ( be careful of wires choking branches) they can leave nasty scars only best cut off! Edited February 13, 2011 by gogogadget Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yogibear Posted February 13, 2011 Actually, I think I found a simple solution; The Bonsai-style copper-wire wrap right up the trunk would be more effective I think, but this alows more flexibility and more 'give' in windy conditions, I think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kindness Posted February 13, 2011 plant it in the ground and wait till it actually grows a bit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alice Posted February 13, 2011 (edited) Just leave it alone. If you look at a mature broadleaf, they almost never grow straight up. The narrow's can initially grow almost straight up with the main stem only, then the side branches weep. Edited February 13, 2011 by Alice Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halcyon Daze Posted February 13, 2011 If you want a plant to look good then focus on growing it healthily. Plant it in the ground and look after its basic needs and within a year it will look pretty damn good. I'd be careful with the bonsai wire, you may stunt it's growth and end up with a stunted looking plant. Either way, any failures are what helps us learn. Good luck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yogibear Posted February 13, 2011 plant it in the ground and wait till it actually grows a bit I can't plant it in the ground here, I'm house-shareing, and looking for somewhere else Hence, a decent-sized but movable pot is all it's gunna be getting till I find somewhere else and settle-in permenantly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kindness Posted February 13, 2011 fair enough. when I had a khat plant in a pot it seemed to like having lots of room to grow and a nice semi fertile mix to grow in... definately well draining anyways. Given a growing season they put on a lot of growth and IMO the strange growth patterns may just disappear. One of mine is nearly a prostrate khat for all the frosts and munchings by grasshoppers and chooks it has recieved... in short let er' grow and she will be sweet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
santiago Posted February 13, 2011 just wait 3 years and see what happens, it will probably grow many stems that will counteract the balance and straighten it out if its only looks you desire, if it is still crooked then just hack off the main crooked trunk it will only be a inch diameter at that stage to a point about a foot off the ground, the new regrowth stems will then generally shoot straight upwards. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted February 13, 2011 i'm with alice on that one, you don't do anything. staking it, even if it has movement has some downsides. the growing tip of a plant is the inhibitor and it controlls growth. if a weak, weeping shoot is held up, maybe a new shoot, which would be much stronger is inhibited from growing and emerging. as they all said, over time one get's a lot of new and stronger shoots. if, the shoot is allowed to bend down, it will loose some of it's inhibiting power, and a new growing point, will become inhibitor, and this growth will be much stronger. so basicly, the plant fixes itselfe over time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yogibear Posted February 14, 2011 i'm with alice on that one, you don't do anything. staking it, even if it has movement has some downsides. the growing tip of a plant is the inhibitor and it controlls growth. if a weak, weeping shoot is held up, maybe a new shoot, which would be much stronger is inhibited from growing and emerging. as they all said, over time one get's a lot of new and stronger shoots. if, the shoot is allowed to bend down, it will loose some of it's inhibiting power, and a new growing point, will become inhibitor, and this growth will be much stronger. so basicly, the plant fixes itselfe over time. Yeah I remember reading about that (and photomorphogenisis, phototropism etc,,.) in the Marijuana Growers Handbook; years and years ago I've not bothered with the wire, as it turns out; though the stake, I think I'll leave there, not as much for 'training' as wind protection. I live near the beach (well, few blocks from it) so it does get pretty windy occasionally, at the moment I'm bringing them inside at night (good thing to hearing last nights howling gail), and outside in the day - this will probably continue until I get fed-up moving them and grow lazy :D The root ball wasn't quite the size of my fist when I moved it into that larger pot, so it's got plenty of empty pot to fill before it even deserves a shot at anything larger And that's the second repotting I've done too: The first, I wasn't at *all* happy with the soil mix (sand/potting mix) - it was far to heavy and sludgey, so I pulled her out, bought some perlite, mixed-up a bucket of perlite/potting mix, and replanted in the pot in the above photo. The soil mix is very nice now: Super fast draining, light and fluffy, and lots of air will be getting to the roots. The two Baby Woodrose seeds that sprouted first are in pure perlite, can't wait to see how their childhood goes they already look very very healthy. Course, as they get bigger, they'll need much larger pots too, and perlite will be out of the question, but they're getting a very good infancy --Jason Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yogibear Posted February 14, 2011 The chewy looking bits on the edges and that hole were sadly caused by the pre-soak scarification. Bound to happen when you attack a seed with a sharp knife They're two weeks old now. Bubbas still Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
