Some trees I'm working on...

[Adair M]

compare to

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You can’t make any decision about the second trunk until you find the nebari.

 

[0soyoung]

You can’t make any decision about the second trunk until you find the nebari.

There will be stronger/extended nebari below it, which very well might die when that branch is removed. But maybe the scar can be hidden, out of the view.
Maybe this is a case for the Ebihara progressive pruning technique (sounds of the calvary charge playing in the background )

 

[Hyn Patty]

Ag

I've seen landscape specimens put out a second flush after being defoliated by caterpillars, so they obviously can do it. Have never worked up the courage to try on this one to see what happens, but it's
not really necessary, there's no rush!

I totally agree, no rush. I didn't defoliate mine but I had trimmed back many of the growing tips and if nothing else it resulted in a lot more branching, which mine needs.

 

[coh]

There will be stronger/extended nebari below it,

Hope so! Don't know because I've never dug down that far. We'll see...

which very well might die when that branch is removed. But maybe the scar can be hidden, out of the view.
Maybe this is a case for the Ebihara progressive pruning technique (sounds of the calvary charge playing in the background )

If I do remove that trunk/branch it will definitely be done in a 2-step process to attempt to preserve that side of the trunk/base/roots.

 

[Adair M]

Hope so! Don't know because I've never dug down that far. We'll see...


If I do remove that trunk/branch it will definitely be done in a 2-step process to attempt to preserve that side of the trunk/base/roots.

Hmmm...

Bonsai 101 teaches us that the first thing to do is “find the nebari”, to help find the front. Then inspect the trunk line. The branches, can all be grown (or grafted) where ya need them.

You didn’t do it that way, but maybe you’ll get lucky.

There’s still the option of layering a nebari if the one you find is unacceptable.

 

[coh]

Hmmm...

Bonsai 101 teaches us that the first thing to do is “find the nebari”, to help find the front. Then inspect the trunk line. The branches, can all be grown (or grafted) where ya need them.

You didn’t do it that way, but maybe you’ll get lucky.

We will see. This was purchased a while ago when I just wanted a euonymus to work with (and it was cheap/end of season). I grabbed the one that seemed to have
the most potential based on what I could see at the time. I'm a lot more selective these days (and rarely even bother looking at regular nursery stock anymore).

There’s still the option of layering a nebari if the one you find is unacceptable.

Yep. Or sell it or give it away or plant it in the ground...

 

[coh]

Here's another one that kind of falls into the "not sure what the nebari looks like" boat. It's a privet I've had for a number of years. Been learning how
it responds to pruning, etc and working on healing old wounds and developing trunk sections. I think this year I dig in and look at what the base looks like
so I can choose a primary front and get going with branch development. Probably one of the three views below. There are a bunch of extra twigs and some
branch stumps that will be cleaned up once I make the decision. Looks like this one will probably be developed into a "standard informal upright bonsai" style.

If I choose one of the views that show the scars (pic 2 or 3) I may carve those wounds into "features" a la @BobbyLane ...

 

[LanceMac10]

Really like that second Fig in the round pot. Too bad you live in Rochester!!! They start putting on "the gas" in August, then you have to bring the damn things in!!


Still fun though, scale be damned!!

 

[coh]

Really like that second Fig in the round pot. Too bad you live in Rochester!!!

Indeed...for many reasons. On the other hand, trees are still dormant and most years it stays cool enough long enough in the spring (partly courtesy of Lake Ontario) that I don't have
to do too much "two stepping". Still, we are planning to eventually move to a warmer climate, though that is probably 10 years away. I'm thinking Fresno, maybe look for a house
on Smoke's street

They start putting on "the gas" in August, then you have to bring the damn things in!

Seems that way some years! I usually defoliate when I put them out in May and then it takes a few weeks for the new growth to get going. July and August are pretty
good for them but that's about it. I've toyed with the idea of building a small greenhouse-like structure inside with supplemental lighting but I've also thought about
just getting rid of all the tropicals. It may still come to that.

 

[coh]

Shishigashira Japanese maple air layered from standard nursery stock.

Straight trunks, little taper, pretty flat/not much depth but for some reason I like the starkness of the image though
I suspect no one else will.



Probably the lower left branch needs to go (photoshopped, haven't removed anything yet)



Maybe that other skinny one needs to go too? Or maybe it gets moved back to provide depth?



Possible future direction after moving some things around and growing out. Bring some growth across the main
straight trunk to break things up. Hope for sprouts to provide depth branches or do some grafting. Who knows,
maybe it gets sold or planted in the ground.



Does have nice fall color and the contrast between the green trunks and foliage...

 

[BobbyLane]

where you have three coming from one sub trunk on the left, i think one needs to go too, snip snip

nice colours

depending what the roots look like, this whole tree may benefit from some tilting one way or another and a snip here n there, you could defo get more movement into the whole tree.

 

[Deleted member 21616]

i like this shishigashira a lot

mine has almost no flexibility in the trunk or branches, so i rely on the dense internodes and furious back budding to choose new leaders and introduce movement in the trunk (as i do for my koto hime)

but that photo of it in leaf makes me really happy. I especially like the little twigs on the bottom left, which i think you removed?

 

[coh]

where you have three coming from one sub trunk on the left, i think one needs to go too, snip snip

Don't know about that...if I take off the smallest one, what's left will be too flat (that small one comes forward). Could possibly eliminate the left-most one but not sure
there would be enough left.

depending what the roots look like, this whole tree may benefit from some tilting one way or another and a snip here n there, you could defo get more movement into the whole tree.

Maybe. I would actually prefer to turn it 180 deg but there is an ugly scar on that side right at the base. Could re-layer a little higher right at the base of the trunk split perhaps.

i like this shishigashira a lot

mine has almost no flexibility in the trunk or branches,

Yeah, these are pretty inflexible. I've got some guy wires on it (photoshopped out) to move things around a bit, but there's only so far these will go...

I especially like the little twigs on the bottom left, which i think you removed?

Nope, only removed virtually. Still there

 

[just.wing.it]

So do you have any plans for the ShiShi, or are you just gathering ideas?
It is a gorgeous image.
Trunks are soooo straight though.

 

[BackyardBonsai]

I probably will air layer at the area where you currently have 3 trunks... then air layer again on the right branch for a twin trunks. I like clumps, group and twin trunk so am a little bias here but I do think they will look much nicer. The rest of the tree will be a sweet Sohin. I don't like what you have currently as there are too many long and straight branches.

 

[coh]

So do you have any plans for the ShiShi, or are you just gathering ideas?
It is a gorgeous image.
Trunks are soooo straight though.

Yes they are. Doesn't fit the preconceived notions of what a "bonsai" should look like so I expect most people won't care for it.

Plan is to just develop the branching which is rather limited right now, and eventually cut back some of the longer branches up top. As for gathering
ideas, I'm always open to hearing what others think. If something seems interesting to me I may incorporate it.

I probably will air layer at the area where you currently have 3 trunks...

That could result in an interesting little clump...would still have long straight trunks though. Not sure that the other parts would yield interesting results.

I don't like what you have currently as there are too many long and straight branches.

I know, right? Long and straight trunks/branches, the horror! Fortunately you don't have to stare at it in your backyard.

 

[Deleted member 21616]

Yes they are. Doesn't fit the preconceived notions of what a "bonsai" should look like so I expect most people won't care for it.

i honestly find that this decision is very respectful of the cultivar's nature, and it should be valued for that (just like a schnauzer wins best-in-show for being a schnauzer, not for disguising itself as an old english sheepdog)

the well-known shishigashira at Omiya is beautiful, and while it does not have many 'straight' lines it does share with yours the spirit of dramatic trunks and branches which i feel is an important quality of the cultivar (as well as characteristic foliage pads)

don't let anybody persuade you to chop those trunks!

 

[just.wing.it]

Maybe I'm a little confused...

Are you not concerned with this tree becoming what most would consider a "bonsai tree"?
Keeping it like a "patio tree"?

I think the tree as is does have a tree-ish look, but as you said, its not a Bonsai.
Beautiful nonetheless.

 

[BackyardBonsai]

Yes they are. Doesn't fit the preconceived notions of what a "bonsai" should look like so I expect most people won't care for it.

Plan is to just develop the branching which is rather limited right now, and eventually cut back some of the longer branches up top. As for gathering
ideas, I'm always open to hearing what others think. If something seems interesting to me I may incorporate it.


That could result in an interesting little clump...would still have long straight trunks though. Not sure that the other parts would yield interesting results.


I know, right? Long and straight trunks/branches, the horror! Fortunately you don't have to stare at it in your backyard.

The way I see it is with single trunk trees, you need to have taper and movement. For clumps, you can have straight untaper trunks and it still look good. If you layer where I was thinking, the straight trunks would be much shorter so it will be much less obvious like what you have right now. Just something to think about.

 

[0soyoung]

Doesn't fit the preconceived notions of what a "bonsai" should look like so I expect most people won't care for it.

It does fit with Lingnan style - sharply angular. That could be interesting IMHO.