Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
As expected, since the splits are parallel to the veins, there were minimal impediments to the tree growth. There is no sign of distress from the tree after 24 hours.
Design for trees that have one dominant root
- Thread starter Cajunrider
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Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Growing well but there are signs of ant activities. The tree will be treated for insect today.
WNC Bonsai
Omono
Most of the ones you show don’t look all that bad. I had one with a root that looked liked an skinny ankle and foot hanging off it. It bugged me for 3 years then a couple of months ago I just sawed it off and the bark is already starting to roll over. BC have an amazing capacity to heal quickly and in a couple years only I will know what was there.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
The tree is still healthy. The splits are healing and closing at the top, but I don't think they will close at the big gaps in the bottom. However, the splits up the trunk may close enough to keep the trunk looking intact.
PS: If the healing continues to look good, I might drive the wedge in deeper to make the base wider in late August.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Tree remains very healthy so I drove the wedges in to maximum width. Then I went ahead and style the tree. I am quite pleased with the result. The base on the weaker side moved out an inch. The tree does not look lopsided now.
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Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
A month after the styling work and max split, the tree is doing very well. New growth shows the tree is trying to recover. Nothing more will be done to the tree until spring when it may be potted into mica pot or a bus tub.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
All wedges removed and the tree put into a mica pot. The top will be carved and wired in December or January for a flat top. The tree looks good. The additional 3/4” flare to the weak sides made a lot of difference.
crab apple
Shohin
Is this experimental, to repot at this time of year or have you had success with this before? It would be nice to get some repotting done now and not have to do it all in the spring.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
I simply took it out of the tub, trimmed off the excess and put it in another pot. No bare roots, no major root prune.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Carved and wired today 1/1/2024
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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Kind of late to this thread but I'd thought I'd add that I find assymetry to be an extremely helpful factor in establishing everything from movement, direction, tension, etc., in a given bonsai design. I really like this tree. If it were mine, I'd consider chopping it even lower and building the apex from the lowest branch on the right side, over that largest directional buttress, then carve the crap out of the trunk on the left to build some taper and interest there.
Here are two pictures of my collected Rocky Mountain Juniper. It may be comparing apples to oranges but I think the photos can give you the jist of what I'm talking about above. I've been grafting better foliage on the tree for the last few years and once the grafts are strong enough, I'll be building the new canopy mainly to the right and over that dominant root... pics coming in about a decade
. Anyway, Happy New Year to you and your tree!
Here are two pictures of my collected Rocky Mountain Juniper. It may be comparing apples to oranges but I think the photos can give you the jist of what I'm talking about above. I've been grafting better foliage on the tree for the last few years and once the grafts are strong enough, I'll be building the new canopy mainly to the right and over that dominant root... pics coming in about a decade
. Anyway, Happy New Year to you and your tree!
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Wonderful suggestion! I surely will think about it. For this year at least I am keeping it this way to maintain lots of foliage so those huge splits down below get the energy to grow and heal.Kind of late to this thread but I'd thought I'd add that I find assymetry to be an extremely helpful factor in establishing everything from movement, direction, tension, etc., in a given bonsai design. I really like this tree. If it were mine, I'd consider chopping it even lower and building the apex from the lowest branch on the right side, over that largest directional buttress, then carve the crap out of the trunk on the left to build some taper and interest there.
Here are two pictures of my collected Rocky Mountain Juniper. It may be comparing apples to oranges but I think the photos can give you the jist of what I'm talking about above. I've been grafting better foliage on the tree for the last few years and once the grafts are strong enough, I'll be building the new canopy mainly to the right and over that dominant root... pics coming in about a decade
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Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
Spring 2024
ShadyStump
Imperial Masterpiece
Now that we've seen more of your yard, I imagine mowing the lawn can get a little hinky sometimes.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
I've shredded my water hose with my mower at least more than once
BrianBay9
Masterpiece
Gonna need a forklift for that thing! Oh wait. Is that your carved plywood "slab"? Still heavy I bet, but at least it's not a stone.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
It's not bad at all. It takes two people to move it but it was relatively easy.
Cajunrider
Imperial Masterpiece
The top 2” of the big split has healed. The rest will take much more time.
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
I'm a late-comer to this thread, but in the future you could consider splitting the root that is causing you anguish - and not the trunk. As long as you split the root along the grain, and pack the cut with sphagnum moss until it starts to heal, I would think the tree would barely notice the procedure.
