Fishtank307
Shohin
The tree grew well after the initial 'styling' (wiring the primary branches...). In late summer, I detail wired it, pruned a couple of branches, removed older needles etc...
It produced lots of healthy buds, so I figured I could repot it for the first time since its collection. Here's are some pictures of the process:
(No Chimay this time, only coffee)
- The apex still needs work. Hoping to some more rammification up there.
- The bottom branch comes out of 'the back', from behind the main trunk. Looks a bit awkward, but for now I don't really have a solution to fix this. Maybe I can cover it up if I let the branch above it grow out and then use that branch to hide the bottom branch crossing the trunk.
I wasn't sure what the rootball would look like, so I prepared another training pot for this tree. The goal is to plant it on a slab in a couple of years.
I didn't have to prune a lot of roots to get a fairly compact and flat rootball. Luckily it has a LOT of fine feeder roots!
Revealing a couple of surface roots and part of the trunk.
Made some holes in the rootball and backfilled them with a decent soil mix (akadama, pumice, lava rock, 1:1:3 (or 2))
The result for now!
When I first bought this tree, I thought it was almost a 'ready-made' bonsai. But the design was actually a bit more challenging! The main trunk subdivides into two very long branches, which are difficult to incorporate in the design. The one in the back was left to grow, but I don't know if I will need it eventually (it's at the same level of the other long bottom branch.)
Then moving further up the trunk, there is another long branch that kind of 'interrupts' the flow of the main trunk line. But removing it, would mean the all of the foliage would be at very top of the tree.
I don't know what the future of this tree will be, but I'm glad with the result after three years!
It produced lots of healthy buds, so I figured I could repot it for the first time since its collection. Here's are some pictures of the process:
(No Chimay this time, only coffee)
- The apex still needs work. Hoping to some more rammification up there.
- The bottom branch comes out of 'the back', from behind the main trunk. Looks a bit awkward, but for now I don't really have a solution to fix this. Maybe I can cover it up if I let the branch above it grow out and then use that branch to hide the bottom branch crossing the trunk.
I wasn't sure what the rootball would look like, so I prepared another training pot for this tree. The goal is to plant it on a slab in a couple of years.
I didn't have to prune a lot of roots to get a fairly compact and flat rootball. Luckily it has a LOT of fine feeder roots!
Revealing a couple of surface roots and part of the trunk.
Made some holes in the rootball and backfilled them with a decent soil mix (akadama, pumice, lava rock, 1:1:3 (or 2))
The result for now!
When I first bought this tree, I thought it was almost a 'ready-made' bonsai. But the design was actually a bit more challenging! The main trunk subdivides into two very long branches, which are difficult to incorporate in the design. The one in the back was left to grow, but I don't know if I will need it eventually (it's at the same level of the other long bottom branch.)
Then moving further up the trunk, there is another long branch that kind of 'interrupts' the flow of the main trunk line. But removing it, would mean the all of the foliage would be at very top of the tree.
I don't know what the future of this tree will be, but I'm glad with the result after three years!
? Prominent feature of tree. Should not hide or diminish value.
.
