Well, the tree is budding strongly this year.
A miracle considering the mistreatment I have given it.
We have a small bonsai work group that meets on Wednesdays and I've discussed this with our sensei/club guy/grower/friend and we're gonna take a look at the soil in early April.
One of the things I did was punch some pits into the pure lava media and added some soil/aka/pumice into them to provide...
SOME.... source of moisture whereas it has managed to hang on without ANY .....except the regular watering..
Which...of course.... ran right through.
The thinning of buds last year was a GOOD thing.
There are from itty bitty to ...big... shoots right now.
I have managed to do EVERYTHING wrong to this pore old tree.
And yet.... it appears that this year will be a rebirth.