Very simple. BioGold cakes supplemented with some fish emulsion every so often. That's pretty much it.
What used to be single ones at one point, all the trees have now fused together forming one living system. It has become extremely challenging since the "system" now views the smaller trees as expendable favoring the stronger ones. I have to be very vigilant that those smaller trees remain healthy by aggressively restraining the vigor through pinching and cutting back where necessary the larger ones. A real challenge that will continue for the life of the bonsai.
I have noticed that by doing leaf cutting in June (cutting each leaf in half) the tree tends to produce quite a bit of back budding which is hardly an easy task with Japanese beech.
I have recently transitioned to B.O. from Japan and fish as the standard for all my trees.
Regarding the survival of smaller trees among the larger in the forest (now fused), are you giving attention evenly 50/50 to overall apical design while removing larger growth to accomplish the energy distribution? (is this the big picture way of looking at it?) How do you decide what to remove/keep?
Is this a similar concept as pruning away unsightly “suckers” growing off a trunk or branch, because they steal energy?
I have no forest, clump, etc. compositions but I am very attracted to them and would like to begin. The nursery I work at sells flagstone and irregular stone slabs (for land/hardscape projects), two of which I’ve set aside for potential use (a 1”drop in the center of each slab like small cliffs/shifts in the rock).