Recent content by Jphipps

Another proposed virtual. Plan is to air layer these sections off. Bottom left branch left on to thicken and then later cut back.

Update to post. Repot today 2/24/2024. Heavy root reduction off the bottom to get it down to a size suitable for a future as a bonsai. I used large grain Akadama directly below the trunk (shin). The rest is sifted pumice. It's a bit overpotted so I'm going to watch watering very carefully...

You can leave the pot on a tilt by putting something like a board under one edge to help with the drainage. It makes the water column more vertical allowing water to pass through the pot quicker. Easy trick which could help the health of this tree as it transitions to filling that pot with roots...

Looks like it might be overpotted a bit there. I'd be really careful with watering or put it into something smaller so the roots don't stay too wet. Maybe just a touch bigger than what the air layer was in.

The more important factor is sufficient roots as opposed to timing of separation. If you don't think there are enough roots on the air layer currently, give it more time while it is attached. Going to be an awesome tree. I wouldn't push your luck and risk not having enough roots to sustain the...

Nice tree! I love Arakawa. I would uncover the moss from the nebari so that the moss doesn't ruin the bark covered surface roots. Just a suggestion.

No. Never seal any roots. It is essentially universally accepted in bonsai to not seal roots.

Incredible photo album. Very inspirational.

Here's a quick virtual I put together off of the feedback I've gotten so far. Not fully decided but I think I'm getting closer. Thoughts?

Really great feedback so far. I guess I'm still torn with this tree. Part of me wants to leave most of what is there to maintain some of the natural "wildness" that has already grown. A different part of me sees what many have mentioned about cutting off a lot of the secondary branches as they...

Really great observations/opinions so far, so thank you. It's always nice to get different perspectives. This is already opening up new ways to look at the tree. Even though it's 2D, I would say everyone is pretty accurate as to new ideas and identifying the flaws I see in person.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm torn about doing a heavier cutback but I do wonder if it will create a better tree with improved taper. The trunk isn't super thick compared to the size of the branches. Can you clarify the very thick branch at the first branch? If you mean the whirl of branches...

Bought this Shishigashira Japanese Maple this past summer. Did some pruning this fall and plan to repot in the spring. I wanted to post some photos to get some design ideas from anyone who would like to chime in. Thanks for looking and sharing!

You can try that. I'd put it on the ground and wrap an old towel around the pot to keep the roots a bit warmer. It does look like the damage has already been done over the last few months. There's not really a quick fix to a tree that's been fading in health like this one has. Trees move at the...

Unfortunately it looks like it's very likely dead or close to it. A couple things, reddit was correct telling you it had to be outside. Keeping it in the terrarium initially put it in a very weakened state. With it already being weak, repotting it further stresses an already stressed tree...