Thanks.Maybe just repot this year and cutback in season after you see the leaf size...
Depending how the nebari looks, there are two options I see; one more formal as an upright clump and the other a more dramatic angle for a cresent bowl pot or a mound planting on a slab. Somewhat like an oak leaning over a river or creek
Like that
Thanks, Sorce.I think removing so much makes this to stale, perhaps take it down to those 2 smaller branches, allowing it some Height, while taking off the uglier clump up top.
Then I see the other ugly clump, which should also be slated for removal, so cut accordingly.
Looks like someone let it go a bit too much in those areas, but now that you know it happens, prevention should be diligent.
Looks like the 3fer on the right trunk should be reduced too.
Umm....Nice!
Sorce
TBH I don't know about your oak. What I do know is, after I read the above 3 years ago I repotted my English oak from a bigger container to a smaller one well after it opened it's leaves....it was almost fully extended. I trimmed a good amount of roots to get it into the smaller container too...also did the top. I was terrified to say the least, but it didn't miss a beat.Bonsai4me says they don't really like it.
Quercus species/ Oak Bonsai – Bonsai4Me
www.bonsai4me.com
In the UK, it must be one of the most common deciduous tree species alongside Beech, Hawthorn and Birch. However, as with Birch, the English Oak can prove to be a surprisingly difficult tree to cultivate for bonsai.
The most common difficulty I have experienced with English Oak centres around its negative reaction to root disturbance. While finding most other UK natives easy to collect from the wild, I would find that Oak had a high tendency to fail, those that did survive through to the following Spring would often suffer dieback of some, or all of, the branches.
What should I do?
I just like my trees out of organic soil because I use automatic watering systems and hate having part of the soil too wet.why do you need to bareroot it?
when you repot leave some of the old soil around the roots if you want it to recover quickly.
btw the b4m article is in regards to collecting oaks from the wild.
im pretty sure he goes on to say he has better success collecting them in aug but im not reading it again!
I would not worry too much. Quercus robur grows well in free draining sand, but they don't mind swamps either.I just like my trees out of organic soil because I use automatic watering systems and hate having part of the soil too wet.