Let’s Develop this Sharp’s Pygmy

[John P.]

This Sharp’s Pygmy began as a nursery grafted tree purchased in February 2019:
A couple weeks later:

Fast forward to July 19, 2020. I made the decision (kind of late, but oh well) to finally layer the tree above its graft, and documented the process in @sorce ’s Radialayer thread.








Continued below ...

 

[John P.]

Waiting for the roots, below ...

 

[james]

Fantastic start.

At this time, you will need to decide how big you want the tree in the end? Identify your trunk lines, as it looks like it will develop into a twin trunk. Then select your major branches, and reduce back, to get some taper to trunk and branches, which will bring your foliage into the tree a bit. At present, tree a is leggy, and likely larger/wider than your intended finished tree. Picture in leaf shows really dense foliage, and limited and/or dried out interior growth.

You have done the hard work, the rest will fun to finish. Keep us posted.

 

[Paradox]

Let me just confirm: This was airlayered in 2019?
When was it separated and potted as in the first picture?

 

[Forsoothe!]

I don't understand the time line either. It appears that he started it today and finished last year. This is a trick I need to learn!

 

[John P.]

Fantastic start.

At this time, you will need to decide how big you want the tree in the end? Identify your trunk lines, as it looks like it will develop into a twin trunk. Then select your major branches, and reduce back, to get some taper to trunk and branches, which will bring your foliage into the tree a bit. At present, tree a is leggy, and likely larger/wider than your intended finished tree. Picture in leaf shows really dense foliage, and limited and/or dried out interior growth.

You have done the hard work, the rest will fun to finish. Keep us posted.

Thanks! Will post some additional pictures below that will give some more perspective.

Let me just confirm: This was airlayered in 2019?
When was it separated and potted as in the first picture?

No, it was ground layered in July 2020. Here are some progress pictures of the rooting:

November 2020:

On December 20, 2020 I decided separate the layer:








Okay, now for the detailed formal shots ...

 

[John P.]

I don't understand the time line either. It appears that he started it today and finished last year. This is a trick I need to learn!

Not sure I’m following ya. The first picture of the thread, with the Corona, was taken today, January 25, 2021. The pictures below the Corona picture are sequential as indicated from 2019 to 2020. Below are pictures of the tree from today showing all angles:

 

[Paradox]

No, it was ground layered in July 2020. Here are some progress pictures of the rooting:

OK you basically did air layer.
So when did you cut the old root mass off and put it in the new pot?

 

[Forsoothe!]

I'm impressed.

 

[John P.]

OK you basically did air layer.
So when did you cut the old root mass off and put it in the new pot?

I guess basically yes, but it would seem more appropriate to consider it a ground layer. In any case, as mentioned above I separated it on December 20, 2020, so one month ago. In total the layer took 5 months from ring-barking the tree to separating from the rootstock.

 

[John P.]

I'm impressed.

Thanks! Now I need to make it a bonsai.

 

[Paradox]

I guess basically yes, but it would seem more appropriate to consider it a ground layer. In any case, as mentioned above I separated it on December 20, 2020, so one month ago. In total the layer took 5 months from ring-barking the tree to separating from the rootstock.

Since you just separated it, I would let it grow for this year and look to start doing some styling in the late winter, early spring of 2022.
You need to give it time to really grow some roots and the best way to do that is to let it have its leaves to feed the roots and grow more.

I think you might be getting the terms of the types of layering mixed up, but either way nice job.
This will be a nice tree some day

Layering - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[John P.]

What do you think the front should be? I think A.

 

[Paradox]

What do you think the front should be? I think A.

I like B better than A because the main trunk is toward the viewer and as it is in the pot, is leaning toward the viewer.
in A, the smaller trunk on the right is toward the viewer. Unless you plan to cut that off, then I would say A.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Excellent start

 

[Johnnyd]

Nice work! It will make a very nice bonsai. I air layered one a few years ago and ended up reducing it drastically over 2 seasons. This one would make an excellent shohin. Here is where I would reduce down to the 2nd year.

 

[John P.]

Nice work! It will make a very nice bonsai. I air layered one a few years ago and ended up reducing it drastically over 2 seasons. This one would make an excellent shohin. Here is where I would reduce down to the 2nd year.

Thank you! Gonna be painful to remove all that material, but I guess I’ll try to root cuttings when it’s time to do the deed.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

I'm sure @Johnnyd suggesting will make a wonderful shohin. I'd personally leave it much taller and just start reducing the heavy branches as you develop the roots. If you do plan on taking it down airlayer more!

 

[Forsoothe!]

I like F, and wasting it on shohin would be criminal, and less productive. Granted, it will grow more roots than it has now, but the nebari won't change significantly for a very long time after potting as a shohin. Adding wood is a function of the number of leaves a tree has..

 

[John P.]

I like F, and wasting it on shohin would be criminal, and less productive. Granted, it will grow more roots than it has now, but the nebari won't change significantly for a very long time after potting as a shohin. Adding wood is a function of the number of leaves a tree has..

Yeah, the thought of losing all the branching is a tough pill to swallow.