FNG Needs Styling/Direction Advice

[Trojan Phil]

Hello Bonsai Blackbelts.

I have a JBP that I bought about 5 years ago, and the ad said it was 'very old' at that time. Lookes like they staryed an exposed root but i didnt know what i was doing at the time (like worse than now).

I repotted it in a training pot (I made out if a redwood fence picket!), did some thinning and styling and left it.

Well, we have recently been reacquainted and it's time to make some big decisions.

I have little experience with styling, and as an FNG chopping it without some understanding of the goal is foolish.

So. Pictures below. Let me know your thoughts on what to do from here.

Thank you.

 

[PowerTap]

I think the first big decision you'll need to make is what branches you want to keep at each of those whorls. All those junctions with more than 1 branch will have to come down to one.

 

[Trojan Phil]

I think the first big decision you'll need to make is what branches you want to keep at each of those whorls. All those junctions with more than 1 branch will have to come down to one.

That was a lot harder than I thought.

Left 1 'T' in the middle. Not sure if it needs chopping at that point and if so which is the new leader.

I'm leaning to bending the top and styling as I like the height. I think.

Need to repot and figure out the roots too.

 

[Trojan Phil]

I think the first big decision you'll need to make is what branches you want to keep at each of those whorls. All those junctions with more than 1 branch will have to come down to one.

 

[RoadManDenDron]

If you wanted to chop at the T the right hand one looks slightly higher than the other so chopping the trunk here would make that one the leader,

This was my first instinct on the image after the chop too, but its hard to get a good idea from a pic.

Its not the end of the world and its only a narrow bend but we generally like a branch to be on the outside of a bend, so i would have favoured the left side option on that first branch, just for future reference, no point crying over chopped branches.

 

[Trojan Phil]

If you wanted to chop at the T the right hand one looks slightly higher than the other so chopping the trunk here would make that one the leader,

This was my first instinct on the image after the chop too, but its hard to get a good idea from a pic.

Its not the end of the world and its only a narrow bend but we generally like a branch to be on the outside of a bend, so i would have favoured the left side option on that first branch, just for future reference, no point crying over chopped branches.

Pictures don't do it, I agree.

The bending and reworking the top is still percolating. Or air layer it off and start a new tree to screw up.

An adult beverage or two, and let it be for a while. See what it wants to be.

 

[PowerTap]

Pictures don't do it, I agree.

The bending and reworking the top is still percolating. Or air layer it off and start a new tree to screw up.

An adult beverage or two, and let it be for a while. See what it wants to be.

I think the top will be tough with those really long internodes. I think I'd be inclined to chop it below the really big gap. But I'm pretty FNG myself.