Suggestion needed for mikawa yatsubusa

[qwerty Bonsai]

I bought this mikawa yatsubusa last year, it was in a huge pot, almost solid root ball with heavy clay that hard to break. I moved it to this pot after cutting off maybe 1/3 root ball.

1. Can I wash the root ball to replace the rest of the original soil this spring? Or wait till next year?

2. How to design the tree next? There are 3 branches, so I need to remove one, currently plan to remove the one on right in picture one. Suggestions would.be appreciated!

 

[Hack Yeah!]

I think you can safely bareroot the tree this spring, just protect from frost after. Styling always depends on your goals. Did you try to layer it?

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Hmmm, I'd keep only the right branch in first picture, it has the best movement and taper transition for your next truck section.

 

[qwerty Bonsai]

I think you can safely bareroot the tree this spring, just protect from frost after. Styling always depends on your goals. Did you try to layer it?

yes I will try to air layer one branch that is selected to be removed.

design suggestion will be appreciated

 

[qwerty Bonsai]

Hmmm, I'd keep only the right branch in first picture, it has the best movement and taper transition for your next truck section.

thank you Mike！
I though about it, used Peter Chang's paper bag method to cover every branch. The problem with keeping that branch is, (which means I will cut off middle branch), what's left (those smaller branches) does not seem work with that one as the leader/main branch

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Here is one idea for you....

 

[HamburgerTrain]

Cut off the three biggest branches. Wire the rest into a broccoli shape.

 

[qwerty Bonsai]

Here is one idea for you....

View attachment 469204

Thank you @Hack Yeah!
That's exactly what my first option is. But that's opposite to Mike's suggest.
I'll go with this probably...

 

[qwerty Bonsai]

Cut off the three biggest branches. Wire the rest into a broccoli shape.

LOL, fancy name for broom style?

 

[dbonsaiw]

But that's opposite to Mike's suggest.

Everyone will look at a tree and see something different. You asked how the tree should be designed next and received different answers. Not surprising. Perhaps now that you have their suggestions, the real question is what did they ultimately have in mind for this tree? Because the "final" product they envision is guiding them in deciding what to do now.

What do YOU want to do with the tree? Some basic questions to ask yourself: For example, am I happy with the trunk or do I need to develop the trunk further? What shape trunk do you envision for the tree? How tall, how wide a base? I find that when I am asking "what to do with this tree" it's because I have not oriented myself properly in respect of the tree. I am confused as to the stage of development my tree is at - am I growing wild or pruning/defoliating? Should I be ramifying branches? Which brings me to a question I ask myself too often - why did I buy this tree in the first place?

Personally, I like the middle branch as the leader. The other two branches look too large to me. I'd cut one off to prevent reverse taper and leave the other as a sacrifice branch to fatten up the bottom and eventually cut that as well.

 

[qwerty Bonsai]

Everyone will look at a tree and see something different. You asked how the tree should be designed next and received different answers. Not surprising. Perhaps now that you have their suggestions, the real question is what did they ultimately have in mind for this tree? Because the "final" product they envision is guiding them in deciding what to do now.

What do YOU want to do with the tree? Some basic questions to ask yourself: For example, am I happy with the trunk or do I need to develop the trunk further? What shape trunk do you envision for the tree? How tall, how wide a base? I find that when I am asking "what to do with this tree" it's because I have not oriented myself properly in respect of the tree. I am confused as to the stage of development my tree is at - am I growing wild or pruning/defoliating? Should I be ramifying branches? Which brings me to a question I ask myself too often - why did I buy this tree in the first place?

Personally, I like the middle branch as the leader. The other two branches look too large to me. I'd cut one off to prevent reverse taper and leave the other as a sacrifice branch to fatten up the bottom and eventually cut that as well.

The hard part is to have a proper/reasonable vision for the material that one is working on.
At my current skill level, many times I thought I knew, but after I cut, the result is different than what I thought.

For cheap trees I don't mind, this one is not so cheap.
I hope eventually this tree can be like the one in you profile photo. (Know not possible) My original plan was to keep the middle branch, cut off the branch as Hack Yeah said, and shorten the other branch.

Thanks,
William

 

[dbonsaiw]

The hard part is to have a proper/reasonable vision for the material that one is working on.
At my current skill level, many times I thought I knew, but after I cut, the result is different than what I thought.

For cheap trees I don't mind, this one is not so cheap.
I hope eventually this tree can be like the one in you profile photo. (Know not possible) My original plan was to keep the middle branch, cut off the branch as Hack Yeah said, and shorten the other branch.

You basically summed up the past two years of my bonsai experience. I bought a lot of stuff and proceeded to kill and butcher all of it. For me, the reason was "a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing".

The tree in my pic is from one of the Kokufu exhibitions - it's an insane tree. I'm at the point of bonsai where I think it's all about the base (no treble). You could stick a toothpick on that base and it would still be awesome.

 

[qwerty Bonsai]

>>all about the base (no treble)

I think in a video Ryan said three things in a good bonsai, nebari, taper(?), movement (fortunately not location location location). As long as your tree has one, it won't be too bad a material.

So a toothpick with insane surface root actually would be good pre bonsai material