Question on position of air layer, or when you come to a fork in the road, do you take it?

[BonjourBonsai]

Here's an update. The one layer that is a little higher has produced a lot of nice roots. They are circling around the trunk and pushing beneath the electric tape.
This is the farthest I've gotten with an air layer. As my British brothers would say, I'm quite chuffed!

Now, the one in the clam shell has produced noticeable calluses but only very minimal roots. It needs to develop a little more.

Question: should i separate the one with the good root growth now or wait till the other trunk has developed similarly?

 

[Shibui]

I would be removing the one with good roots now. They get to the stage where there is not enough space, the roots use too much water or they get too tangled to sort out later.
Saw off, remove some of the branches or leaves and pot up then keep protected for a week or so. Those roots will grow even more rapidly after you cut it off because the tree needs them.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

Today, I separated the one air layer with the most roots.
I potted it up in my usual maple mix but with a good handful of chopped up sphagnum moss to retain moisture and promote root growth. I used some sisal twine to secure it in place.
I'm really liking the curves in the trunk which i hadn't seen when it was still on the tree.

I trimmed it back, watered it well and put it under the deck to recover. It will be cool and shady there.

When would be a good time to start feeding it?

I'm thinking in a week maybe I'll give it some light organic fert.

Thoughts?

 

[BonjourBonsai]

This tree is coming along nicely. No leaf loss and it seems to be healthy.

 

[BonjourBonsai]

The two layers are doing well. The mother tree has a nice root spread. I'm thinking of maybe another layer or just chopping the trunk. There's a nice branch about two inches above the nebari that could become the new leader but the difference in size from the existing trunk to that branch is huge, like 2 inches to 1/8 inch. Is that too drastic or would it eventually thicken and look not so out of whack?