This will be the third season I have had these JBP. The first photo is an Air-Layered Branch of another that I separated early last season. The second photo is a close up of the base to the first two branches. The third is a different tree. Last season I did the hard root pruning on the second tree (third photo) and let the roots grow on the layer in these colanders. That is why the vigor is not what it should be yet.
I have done some basic styling on both trees. I removed some branches I will never want (i.e. some branches from whorls that will cause reverse taper) and on the first tree, clipped the main terminal bud from last season on the second branch because I want to slow growth of the second branch as it is about the same girth as the first. I also left loads of smaller branches below the first branch to increase lower trunk girth. The second tree I left a sacrifice branch toward the bottom to aid in trunk girth. Secondary sacrifice branches have been left throughout the main branches of both trees for over-all vigor and growth of the tree and of the branches. Today, I fed everyone heavily with Fish Emulsion, Neptune's Seaweed, Bat Poop Tea, Epsom Salt, Liquid Chelated Iron, Chemical Root Stim and a few drops per gallon of Miracle Grow. lets watch them develop this season together with your trees...
Perfect thread. This is the only thread I have subscribed to in three sites.
-Wm
Oh, both trees are about 10-11 years old. Based on the ring count of the Air-Layer I cut off last year.
http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/f15/jbp-air-layer-23208.html