Procumbens chop or not?

[Zac chandanais]

Stumbled upon another large procumbens. Got a killer deal on it so I had to take it. After cutting out all the dead stuff, this is what I'm left with. The only thing is, all the foliage is on top. I'm going to try and bend some of those branches down and out to make a better look. I am undecided on weather or not I should the large branch coming off the right side. Any suggestions?
Thanks!! Always look forward to hearing opinions.

 

[pbethune]

Hey, that large branch has some very interesting movement, I say it stays, just cut it back some, but leave the primary branch.

 

[jk_lewis]

I disagree. Get rid of that too fat side branch. For once, someone should work on a more UPRIGHT procumbens and surprise us.

 

[M. Frary]

I'm with Jim. Leave this upright. You are going to want to let this grow in order to get foliage in closer to the trunk. As it sits everything is out on the ends of the branches. Maybe once it gets going cut the ends off of the branches to promote back budding closer to the trunk. Nice find. Almost all you ever find in nurseries grow up 6 to 8 inches then lay over and grow along the ground. I would have grabbed it in a heartbeat. If they have more and you can afford it grab more.

 

[Zac chandanais]

I'm with Jim. Leave this upright. You are going to want to let this grow in order to get foliage in closer to the trunk. As it sits everything is out on the ends of the branches. Maybe once it gets going cut the ends off of the branches to promote back budding closer to the trunk. Nice find. Almost all you ever find in nurseries grow up 6 to 8 inches then lay over and grow along the ground. I would have grabbed it in a heartbeat. If they have more and you can afford it grab more.

I was thinking of doing more of an upright and losing that branch. I just needed to hear it from someone else. Thanks guys! Also, when you say "cut the ends off", do you mean just the tips of the foliage. It may be a silly question I'm just trying to clarify because all of the foliage is technically growing off the "ends" and I've read that you can't take too much off of procumbens at once. I do agree that I need some lower branching though. Should I wire the branches I have to open it up and let some light in to the lower part of the tree?

And yes she had about 7 or 8 of them in 7 gallon pots but my space is limited and I already have about 20 "prebonsai" specimens lol. I may have to go back for one more though

Thanks again!

 

[Vance Wood]

If this tree were mine I would not be in a big hurry to do anything but examine the tree from 360 degrees and at several angles. It is amazing what will reveal itself when looked at from a different direction. The concept of "I'm going to make an upright or cascade or wind swept or hit by truck and stomped on by a herd of buffalo" style with this tree. If all of the preceding are what YOU want to do to a tree and you have no idea about what the tree is doing or where it might be going? ; this usually leads to failure. I know this because I have done this more times than I care to remember. The idea of making something out of a tree no matter what that something might be is an exercise in futility.

 

[M. Frary]

Just the very ends. How much if at all rootwork did you do? If some let it rest in order to get going then you can do some wiring.

 

[Zac chandanais]

Just the very ends. How much if at all rootwork did you do? If some let it rest in order to get going then you can do some wiring.

The only thing I did when I got it was pull it out of the pot and work out most of the old soil. I didn't do any root trimming except for a couple big Anchors growing too high up on the base to reveal more of the trunk. All the feeders stay and I repotted into the same pot with new "soil" (perlite,builders sand and potting soil)

 

[M. Frary]

Let it recoup for a while. It should be O.K. Once it starts growing you cut or pinch the ends off of the runners. You will know what those are once it starts to grow. You have plenty of time.

 

[jk_lewis]

If this tree were mine I would not be in a big hurry to do anything but examine the tree from 360 degrees and at several angles. It is amazing what will reveal itself when looked at from a different direction.

That, Vance, should go w/o saying. Everyone should do it for several months after getting a tree. Few do. However . . . some of the most boring bonsai ever produced were and are cascade procumbens. We were merely urging someone to look for the less obvious approach.

Preaching unnecessary.

 

[Vance Wood]

Ho-ree Currrrr-rapp. I have been, for the last several years trying to get people to recognize, for lack of a better term, the soul of the tree. I will leave that statement there for now preaching is not necessary. It was not my intention to offend, disscredit, disparage or otherwise cause pain and discomfort. If my sharing of knowledge is in you eyes preaching then Haleluya pass the concave cutters. I know there are those who would rather I said nothing;--- well-----that ain't gunna happen. I don't say anything to specifically to piss anyone off it just seems that I am so good at it, I piss them off without even trying. At least I'm good and something.

 

[Paradox]

I agree this tree would make a horrible cascade.

The trunk has plenty of nice movement without that fat branch. Id cut it off too, at the right time. I wouldnt even save a stub for a jin (though I might leave a stub for a year before cutting it flush).

I might even take the next branch up and either wire it down and try to get some back budding on it or cut it off at some point too.

I also would have snatched this tree up in a heartbeat.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Healthy procumbens will backbud all over once they get going full steam. With all those inner branches exposed it shouldn't take long to drive some of the foliage in towards the trunk.

I can see jinning that large side branch at the bottom, tilting the tree slightly to the left, then wiring a lot of those branches down so it's a slanted tree. It will help with that straight out of the ground base, which is a bit boring looking and be different than the run of the mill semi and full cascade procumbens you usually see.

 

[Bill S]

Don't pinch off the tips.
Don't pinch off the tips.

Take this to a work shop somewhere.