Boxwood shohin nursery stock thread

[jkennedy2316]

Little missy boxwood I picked up as my first bonsai last year. I had no idea what I was doing and did 0 research. Recipe for success. I bought it because I wanted to do a ROR and liked the nebari. Had no idea how ROR training worked.




My first "styling" that ignored every principle of styling and proportion. Set me years back in development. Lessons learned. The wire - trust me, nothing need be said

 

[jkennedy2316]

Having done more research, I had a new strategy. Didn't want to stick this in the ground and wait a decade for the trunk to develop into proportion for the leggy creature I created last summer. Decided for major branch reductions to bring widths into proportion and more shohin style. Abandoned ROR delusions.

 

[jkennedy2316]

03/12 - significantly root bound so did a lot of root reduction (~25-30%) and repotted into bonsai substrate (1:1:1; dash of bark fines/horticultural charcoal).

 

[jkennedy2316]

While I felt I was making better / more informed decisions I am alas still an idiot. I waited for signs of new growth from repot and then pruned back the first branch. I realize now that I should have started with the central thickest branch and reduced that first. At the time I was worried about balancing photosynthetic needs to make up for the heavy root work. The tree has always responded positively which makes me think I should have started with central branch. Good signs of back budding already.

 

[jkennedy2316]

I made the chop above. That means 2/4 major branches from my horrific original styling were reduced to my desired size. Again - should have started with central but what can you do. Around this time ~4 weeks after repotting I started with diluted fish emulsion once weekly. Around ~6 weeks I added a biogold bag.

 

[jkennedy2316]

So my question now - remove central branch now or wait a season? Pinch/prune growth in the top canopy as a more conservative option? Or just don't touch it at all until next growing season. The tree has responded positively to all the work but I don't want to push it too far pruning the central branch. Also unsure how far down the central branch to remove.

 

[Shibui]

Boxwood is really resilient and you have been quite conservative with the work. I would probably have chopped all branches in one go but you can see the tree is responding to your program so obviously not wrong, just a different approach.
I think there's enough regrowth on the 2 lower branches to maintain the tree and new roots so I would be happy to remove the main trunk if that was part of the plans.
Removing ore reducing the main, upright trunk will also divert nutrients and energy to the remaining lower branches so they should develop better as a result.