Hello! An introduction and a few questions :-)

[Gurudas]

Hello! My name is Gurudas and I am currently living in Florida (zone 9) about 30 minutes north of Tampa. I am excited to be a part of this community and looking forward to learning more.

If I may, I would like to ask for some feedback about a JBP that I had purchased. I have attached 4 photos and will refer to them as #1, #2, #3, and #4.

So the 1st question is, at this stage of the game, if I have an idea of the size that I would like the tree to eventually be as a mature specimen (roughly 2-2.5 ft in height), would it be acceptable to keep the portion of the trunk that is below the lowest branches? If you look at #1, there is reverse taper between the lowest and 2nd branch on the right from scarring when a branch was cut (you can see this in photo #2). I am considering using photos #3 and #4 as the front and if I were to proceed with this, would there be enough taper? Or would it be better to chop off and use one of the lower branches as a new leader?

If I were to not chop off and create a new leader and choose photo #4 as the front, would the lowest branch be in an acceptable position to use as a first branch? In this case, I am planning to use the branch right above the big scar in photo #2 as the new leader.

Thank you for bearing with my questions!

 

[Anthony]

Welcome!!

See if Sifu will look in.
@Adair M

Good Day
Anthony

 

[Gurudas]

Sifu/Sensei, this student is ready. Come already! lol

 

[M. Frary]

roughly 2-2.5 ft in height

This means you would need a trunk approaching 4 inches in diameter in order for it to be in scale.
It needs a lot of unrestricted growth to get to that point. Planting it in the ground will take the least amount of time. But it's going to take a few years.

 

[Gurudas]

Got it! Thanks for pointing out the 1:6 ratio. I need to come down in height.

 

[Gurudas]

Also, would it be wise to go ahead and make a decision about which branches are staying to prevent any more reverse tapering from developing at the first level of branches? At the movement there are 4 branches and the reverse taper can be clearly seen in photo #1?

Thanks!