Ahh!! BRT too skinny not many options

[JesusFreak]

So I bought this tree online and I’m just confused as to what to do with it. It’s really young and small but it was sold to me a stock material but they cut the lower branches so I have no was of growing the trunk really. It’s straight up and down and I’m not a big fan of the lack of movement. I was thinking about doing an air layer and have the bottom part be African pierneef style while trying to get the upper portion to become a broom. Ideas, thoughts? Prayers?!

 

[choppychoppy]

Just let it grow. It will pop new growth down below and you can let it extend for branches or just thickness. Healthy BRT pop new growth everywhere.

 

[JesusFreak]

You sure It will grow from the bottom?

 

[Paradox]

If you want it to grow more trunk (ie get thicker), you will need to repot it this summer (Probabably mid June-July4thish in your area) into a larger pot.
Pick a shallow/wide pot to promote radial roots instead of deep straight down roots. Dont go rediculously large, just larger, something like this:

Rectangle Shallow Plastic Bonsai Training Pots

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The 11" or 14" length pot. Not sure how big that tree actually is but you could start with the 11 inch then repot into the 14 when it grows bigger.
Looks like its about a 1 inch trunk (?) so Id start with the 11 inch pot and see how it fits in that.

And let it grow as Choppy said. Feed it, BRT are hungry plants so feed them well during the growing season and it will grow.
Also provide it with supplimental light during the winter which will also help it to grow.

Here are my BRT in their winter quarters:

 

[JesusFreak]

So the long leggy trunk isn’t a concern? Doesn’t look that good to me

 

[Paradox]

I dont think so, there are trees that have long, tall trunks.
It depends on what you want out of the tree?

If you want a shorter tree, then you can try to air layer it. I would again do this when its warm, not now.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Every branch on your tree is a design possibility. You could choose just about any of those branches to become your next segment of trunk.

Wait until warm weather, late spring or summer.

If it were mine, I would repot, changing the angle at which the trunk leaves the soil. Bolt upright limits design possibilities. Angle the trunk, maybe 30 degrees off of vertical. Choose the "front" from best view of the nebari when you repot to angle the trunk. Then after the tree settles in to the new potting angle, pick one of the branches to make the next segment of the trunk, cut off everything else. Then let grow out for a summer or two.

Then go back and refine the design.

 

[JesusFreak]

Man I sure appreciate y’all. I’m learning the bonsai community is stellar.