Can a Trunk be too Big?

[JudyB]

Do you have a workshop that you can take this to? Or have a pro come to you? It seems to me like it would be best to see this in person to make these decisions that will alter the tree forever and set it on the course for the future. With deciduous, sometimes you only get one chance to screw it up or get it right...

 

[Walter Pall]

A large broom style like Adair suggested is the only worthwhile thing that i can see. You are obviously not in a position to do this yourself. This needs professional guidance. Near you there will be Woodstock Xii at Nature's Way Nursery in Harrisburg in March. This would be a good place to bring it to. Jim Doyle and Walter Pall as well as a few others there can help you.


Events at Nature‘s Way Nursery with WP in 2019



Some openings still available - sign up now!



Woodstock XII w/ Walter Pall & Jim Doyle

Fri. Mar. 22, 2019, 9:30 AM - Sun, March 24, 2019, 4:00PM

True bonsai immersion for the beginner to the very experienced. Jump right in...300+ newly arrived 20-500 year old Yamadori, domestic trees and bring your own for continual design. Students come from around the country and Canada. Join us each year for these very different workshops. Lunch & drinks included.

$110/day or $260/3 days // observers: $ 50/day

Winter Study w/Walter Pall & Jim Doyle

Fri. Nov. 29, 9:30 AM - Sun, Dec. 1, 2019, 4:00 PM



Never a dull moment... Walter and Jim have been working collectively since 1995. They continue because it is both fun and informative process for them. We offer the opportunity to work on killer material and advanced techniques with a pair of premier teachers. You may bring your own trees for continued study and season-appropriate development. Lunch & drinks included

$85/day or $230/3 days // observers: $ 40/day

see more: http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.com/2019/01/sign-up-for-woodstock-xii-at-natures.html and http://www.natureswaybonsai.com/

 

[Walter Pall]

You can also come on Monday, March 25 for a private session with me by appointment.

 

[Vance Wood]

There’s no such thing as too thick, I’ve acquired this bad boy lately. One day it will be... something
View attachment 226189

The interesting thing about material like this it will probably take as long to develop it into a believable bonsai as it is now, as it would to grow a tree into a similar bonsai using smaller material.

 

[Vindeezy]

I have been working mostly with conifers for the past few years, but I have been gaining interest in some deciduous as of late. Myself and other members of my club have had discussions on this topic, and I am curious to know what you all think?

A member of this site, who is also in my club found this tree marked “Acer Palmatum” at a nursery. From what others have said, it’s either standard AP, Deshojo, or momojji.

The trunk is about 4-5 inches wide above the nebari, and it’s in a monster pot (the kind they lift with forklifts). From various discussions, we have come up with three different hypothetical ways to approach material which are all pictured below. What I was curious about was the eventual size of the “finished tree.”

From what I have read, you chop a tree when it’s 1/3-1/2 the finished thickness you want. So does this mean in a decade or two after the first chop, this will have an 8-10 inch trunk? If so, that seems a bit too much, doesn’t it?!?!

I would be in air layer heaven with that beast!!!

 

[It's Kev]

The interesting thing about material like this it will probably take as long to develop it into a believable bonsai as it is now, as it would to grow a tree into a similar bonsai using smaller material.

I only did that because it’s a ficus and it roots in water within just a few weeks. So I figured I can get away with this. Here’s what it looked like when I found it.
In one of ol Nigel’s videos on YouTube he had a lemon tree that grew mad surface roots because of the moss that covered the pot, so that’s the reason behind my moss filled pot. Also, I placed a plastic disc that I cut out just underneath it to keep roots growing horizontally.

 

[Mike Hennigan]

Your understanding of the future trunk diameter is completely wrong, lol. How would your trunk spontaneously grow in width to 10 inches after you chop it? No, it’s more like it will stop getting thicker once you chop it.

That said I would buy that tree personally if the price was right. You can airlayer a bunch of the thicker branches off and get a number of trees out of this one tree. That’s if you’ve got the patience/time to take the long road to good trees.

 

[Davidlpf]

Can a Trunk be too Big?

Maybe, but too big is a relative question, someone likes bigger than others! Take a look at this

Also, the way it moves matters indeed