Thoughts on this Korean Hornbeam material?

[Tree Bender]

They were out of mix

Nice pickup! What is the mocha lava mix? I went there recently but just picked up red lava and akadama.

 

[Scrogdor]

Here’s a picture of the 3 most developed portions of the nebari. Leaning towards using this as the front as the base of the other side side has some pretty big sucker removal scars.

 

[bluesky]

I would go for option 3. You could then have the possibilities of a nice broom in about five+ years time, or an informal upright in maybe ten years. Something like this is inspiring (not mine):
https://bonsaitonight.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/contorted-hornbeam.jpg but you're looking a long way into the future there!

option 5 may seem appealing to use that thicker branch as your new leader, but if you go for this, it could arguably benefit from adjusting the planting angle slightly away from that big branch (so that the first trunk section is not so perfectly vertical and the new leader points slightly more upwards). And that could be challenging if there are already established nebari under the soil... you might need some serious root re-work or even a new root plane with a ground layer.
So all things considered, 3 is probably the easiest option.

Interested to hear also other people's opinions!

 

[bluesky]

And for some extra reference here is my European Hornbeam which is more like your option 5, but about 7 or 8 years later.
You can see in this video from two years ago how I dealt with the roots to start a new root plane with a more tilted planting angle. In the event I didn't do a ground layer, but I do need to do more root work this spring.

That first video was 2 years ago, the second was a few weeks ago.

 

[Scrogdor]

I would go for option 3. You could then have the possibilities of a nice broom in about five+ years time, or an informal upright in maybe ten years. Something like this is inspiring (not mine):
https://bonsaitonight.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/contorted-hornbeam.jpg but you're looking a long way into the future there!

option 5 may seem appealing to use that thicker branch as your new leader, but if you go for this, it could arguably benefit from adjusting the planting angle slightly away from that big branch (so that the first trunk section is not so perfectly vertical and the new leader points slightly more upwards). And that could be challenging if there are already established nebi under the soil... you might need some serious root re-work or even a new root plane with a ground layer.
So all things considered, 3 is probably the easiest option.

Interested to hear also other people's opinions!

I appreciate your detailed response! I think I’m going to go with 3. It should leave the smallest scar and leave me with the most options front wise. I definitely don't want to ground layer, this tree has a great trunk flare under the soil.

 

[Scrogdor]

I attempted to root cuttings from the suckers from this tree. So far it looks like they are doing well with some bud swelling going on after about 1.5 months. Don’t mind the JPM also.

 

[Scrogdor]

Some seriously gorgeous colors on this thing. No filter! Lead branch has grown pretty nicely over this year. Probably another 2-3 years before the second section is thick enough to chop.

 

[Scrogdor]

Up close picture

 

[Scrogdor]

Is this a dumb idea? I let that branch grow at first because it was most of the foliage on the tree, but then I let it get too big to try and heal over all the stump scars below it. Fixed one problem created another . However, came up with this rough idea as well, not sure if it’s advisable though. It would be a pretty big chop. Going to do some root work in a couple weeks here so I’ll get a better look at the base, but it’s massive underneath the soil.

As for the heavy branch I chopped off, healing over nicely, will definitely make it a feature in the final design of the taller tree, or it’ll be on the back side.

 

[BobbyLane]

Is this a dumb idea? I let that branch grow at first because it was most of the foliage on the tree, but then I let it get too big to try and heal over all the stump scars below it. Fixed one problem created another . However, came up with this rough idea as well, not sure if it’s advisable though. It would be a pretty big chop. Going to do some root work in a couple weeks here so I’ll get a better look at the base, but it’s massive underneath the soil.

As for the heavy branch I chopped off, healing over nicely, will definitely make it a feature in the final design of the taller tree, or it’ll be on the back side.

Im not seeing how its any different from the 100s of other sloping chops committed by bonsai hobbyists over the years. there are dozens of progressions here with similar cuts between two branches.

 

[Scrogdor]

Im not seeing how it’s any different from the 100s of other sloping chops committed by bonsai hobbyists over the years. there are dozens of progressions here with similar cuts between two branches.

Trying to figure out if restarting with a lower sloping chop then the one I currently have will make a better tree in the long run. Also if there is enough room to really make that design work.

 

[Scrogdor]

These are my two ideas. iPhone artist, but I find it helps me get a better vision of what I might like it to look like.

Option One is the taller tree with the hollow.
Option two is the shorter tree with a new sloping chop

 

[dbonsaiw]

Both seem like good choices and I'd probably end up making a decision based on nothing more than mood of the day and what else I have going on in the garden.