Thanks Jeanluc83 and JudyB for the questions. The branch you talk about is a good question. In the beginning of this trees life (see first photo) it was an idea of me and some guys on the Belgian forum to make it a smaller tree with only the right part of the tree. You can see it in the third picture. That branch was used to make it the apex some day.
-My teacher doesn't make decisions for me, he just points out the options and you chose. I like that way of working. It makes you think about what to do. For example with a young maple, you can work it to become a good slender tree in 5 years. The other option is pot it up in a big pot, make a fantastic nebari, graft branches, create taper, closing wounds, and developing a very nice tree in 10 years. Or you can take a mediocre tree and develop it, or you can layer a portion off and create a super shohin.-
Back to the branch. Leaving options open in the first few styling sessions, is keeping the ability to grow with your tree. I agree this is one of the branches in the tree that is not following the same line. In 10 years time it might be a point in the tree where you can make a discussion and a decision about. It will be an important branch, or i will cut it off. I have a few trees i'm growing out, knowing i have important decisions to make, but nor me or the tree are ready for them. You can't grow them back once you cut them. Thanks for letting me think over this again, i appreciate your input.
JudyB,
until now we created the basic structure. So we cut back later and letting the tree to bud back. Last year was an exception to this. We made the choice of using the time in the pot and the slower growth to let the tree become slower creating smaller needles and smaller internodes without cutting so you have a more natural result. The effect was ok, but we saw this winter the branches are not strong enough to carry the weight of more ramification. We don't want to build ramification on a branch that will be to weak in 10 years time, so now we take a step back And meanwhile we will put ramification on in on the same time. This year we will feed and water more, giving it longer needles and cut back at appropriate time (now or next week) so we get ramification and the back budding will have time to develop. And i will let some branches grow out meaning the tree will be "ugly" for a few extra years. The extra growth will thicken the branches and help it to get fixated. So in 5 years time we could have a fixed branch structure and nice pads. The growth this year is quite slow (weather conditions and repotted) so this year will be a balancing exercise in not cutting to much or to little. I'm not an expert in pines and this year i have no time to book a workshop so i will have to do it myself. I think i know what to do, but we will know next year if it was the best option. Ah, you must like bonsai...
the pine tree lectures of Ryan Neil do give the basic idea we're after. Working with an actual tree makes it a bit more complex since you have to make big decisions and adapt the timing and technique. I'm still at the beginning of the learning process so we'll meet again in 10 years...