Pick a front exposed root contorted quince

Leo in N E Illinois

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You are asking for opinions.

None.

This tree is too immature to be "exposed root. Too many of the roots are too thin, too young. If it were mine, I would bury about half of what you exposed and wait a couple years before lifting it up another inch or so.

As is, majority of the fine roots will die. They are too slender to be exposed.

Exposed roots should be strong enough looking supports for the whole tree. Pick which of the slender roots are needed to thicken up, keep them. Remove the excess slender roots that are not needed to balance the support. Then bury the tree deep enough the slender roots you kept are covered to prevent dehydration.

At least that is what I would do.
 
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You are asking for opinions.

None.

This tree is too immature to be "exposed root. Too many of the roots are too thin, too young. If it were mine, I would bury about half of what you exposed and wait a couple years before lifting it up another inch or so.

As is, majority of the fine roots will die. They are too slender to be exposed.

Exposed roots should be strong enough looking supports for the whole tree. Pick which of the slender roots are needed to thicken up, keep them. Remove the excess slender roots that are not needed to balance the support. Then bury the tree deep enough the slender roots you kept are covered to prevent dehydration.

At least that is what I would do.
Thanks but I didn’t ask for opinions, I asked which front. But hey, all good, agree to disagree. I like the roots the size they are, larger and they would over power the individual trunks. Chocolate and vanilla I guess.
 
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I think the Greeks called this, hubris.
I don’t see how pride has anything to do with that, but ok? I asked a simple question about which front was better, not if the roots were to immature. I feel the way quince grow with many small trunks instead of a single large trunk, big thick roots would look to overpowering. Maybe it’s a 3D to 2d thing idk. I respect his opinion and input on most things, was just correcting his false statement.
 

leatherback

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Neither. Seems like you first will need to sort through the trunks. There is too much happening now.

In the long run, probably the first picture will become your front, as the second does not have any roots on the right.

All in all a bit of a confused image at the moment, I am afraid.
 
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Neither. Seems like you first will need to sort through the trunks. There is too much happening now.

In the long run, probably the first picture will become your front, as the second does not have any roots on the right.

All in all a bit of a confused image at the moment, I am afraid.
Thanks that was my thoughts as well. I have not done anything but repot it yet but was looking for opinions on the front so I could start working it. Not sure why everyone’s being so downer about it. Never claimed it was a finished tree. For me picking the front is always the first step
 

TN_Jim

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The asymmetry of b appears more natural / believable
 

Shibui

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Side A appears to have better depth in the trunks but there is an awful lot of trunks competing for space and attention. If some trunks are removed it could change the whole look so the better front could also change as a result.
Second view the root mass looks better balanced and broader but there are 2 larger trunks blocking the view of the rest of the trunks and a couple of forward poking branches/trunks. Removing those offending trunks could make that a better option.

For my 2c I think enough of those roots are mature enough to be exposed. Although exposed roots don't tend to thicken quite as fast they will continue to thicken even above the ground.
 
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Side A appears to have better depth in the trunks but there is an awful lot of trunks competing for space and attention. If some trunks are removed it could change the whole look so the better front could also change as a result.
Second view the root mass looks better balanced and broader but there are 2 larger trunks blocking the view of the rest of the trunks and a couple of forward poking branches/trunks. Removing those offending trunks could make that a better option.

For my 2c I think enough of those roots are mature enough to be exposed. Although exposed roots don't tend to thicken quite as fast they will continue to thicken even above the ground.
Thank you for the thoughtful response. The plant was long forgotten at the nursery and roots were exposed when I bought it. I exposed maybe a 1/2” of them.
A082FDA7-2582-4B3F-B1B3-FE3CAAB4231D.jpeg
There were an insane amount of roots when I repotted it so I was not concerned with losing a few little roots up top, there are a TON under the soil.
E12E7045-3CA8-451C-A68E-C106595BF33C.jpeg023EBBA8-E0DA-4498-BDDA-1E1FDC9ADA2B.jpeg
When I repotted it I originally like view A but then I thought B had a much better view of the main base.
The whole point of this thread was to get opinions on a front so I could start reducing and styling the trunks. Not sure why you got that but the people before did not haha.
Seems like side A is most popular so I will move forward with that.
 

Shibui

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Don't be too hard on people for offering alternative opinions. We get many people asking for an answer to something but they really are not aware of the real question they should be asking. Just people trying to be helpful. Whenever you post a picture you are going to get opinions, constructive or not, relevant or not. We also have no idea of your experience with either bonsai or plants in general when you first post so usually assume little or no knowledge to cater for the worst possible. If you don't want them either don't post or just ignore the superfluous and wait for relevant. Getting indignant won't help get better responses and is very likely to do just the opposite.

Now back to your tree: When designing bonsai there is nearly always compromise. The best view of these roots may not correspond to the best view of the trunks which may not correspond to the best view of the branching. You may have to compromise the very best view of one in order to get an acceptable overall look. At the moment it is not possible for us to give an informed opinion because only you can see the 3D structure. We are all working from a flat view so can't actually see what it would look like if one trunk was removed or the whole thing was turned just slightly left or right.

There were an insane amount of roots when I repotted it so I was not concerned with losing a few little roots up top, there are a TON under the soil.
I doubt that Leo was concerned for the overall health of the tree. If you search some of his posts you will find he does know quite a lot about plants. My guess is that he was trying to point out that some of the thinner roots above ground may die off after they are exposed to the elements. given that we are working from photos without any scale that's certainly a legitimate concern but I don't think losing a few out of that bunch will cause any real problems for the look of the exposed root section. In fact, I'd be inclined to remove some of the awkward looking ones anyway.

It will be interesting to see what you manage to make out of this one.
 

sorce

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correcting his false statement.

I completely understand your thoughts.
Believe me. I do.
So don't take this as I'm not on your side.

I'm on Bonsai's side.

Seems Leo was in a bit of a hurry, I can tell from the missing end quote " after exposed root.

This hurry is probly why the beginning words were so direct. Just "None" instead of, "I don't exactly have an opinion because..."

It simply meant, he doesn't have the information you seek, and he was explaining why.

My take .....which is really just a truth truth...

You agree, that some of the roots may die, which, will change the look, which, may change the front, so.....

Finding the front is semifutile.

Or we have a previous mission.

Leo leaned toward futile and decided to proceed with speaking of the previous mission, righting them roots.

My first thought was also "them roots are too skinny", but from a design perspective, and I meant the newly exposed ones.

But like I said.

I completely understand your thinking.

I lean towards the semi of futile and would care to find what could be the best front now.

I personally, consider these only good for a "forest" without small detail. Or like a "shrub" accent like they use them in Japan.

So the roots would be the ONLY thing that matters to me.

But, in perfect balance.

Which would mean covering them with sphag at this point, at least.

Sorce
 
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I completely understand your thoughts.
Believe me. I do.
So don't take this as I'm not on your side.

I'm on Bonsai's side.

Seems Leo was in a bit of a hurry, I can tell from the missing end quote " after exposed root.

This hurry is probly why the beginning words were so direct. Just "None" instead of, "I don't exactly have an opinion because..."

It simply meant, he doesn't have the information you seek, and he was explaining why.

My take .....which is really just a truth truth...

You agree, that some of the roots may die, which, will change the look, which, may change the front, so.....

Finding the front is semifutile.

Or we have a previous mission.

Leo leaned toward futile and decided to proceed with speaking of the previous mission, righting them roots.

My first thought was also "them roots are too skinny", but from a design perspective, and I meant the newly exposed ones.

But like I said.

I completely understand your thinking.

I lean towards the semi of futile and would care to find what could be the best front now.

I personally, consider these only good for a "forest" without small detail. Or like a "shrub" accent like they use them in Japan.

So the roots would be the ONLY thing that matters to me.

But, in perfect balance.

Which would mean covering them with sphag at this point, at least.

Sorce
Thank you. Seems to be a lot of confusion that I am upset/emotional about it. I work construction, takes a whole lot to get me worked up haha. I tried to correct him as politely as possible as to direct future comments, but it seems the lack of real life emotion through text got in the way. I 100% respect Leo’s opinion. I’ve done quite a bit of research on these quince and have found few examples of them this size in America. I will be going for a forest/clump style as most every other example of quince I could find. No doubt it needs years of work, hence why I only asked what front to start working on. I purposely only asked that at first to keep it simple. Seems that blew up in my face haha
 
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I completely understand your thoughts.
Believe me. I do.
So don't take this as I'm not on your side.

I'm on Bonsai's side.

Seems Leo was in a bit of a hurry, I can tell from the missing end quote " after exposed root.

This hurry is probly why the beginning words were so direct. Just "None" instead of, "I don't exactly have an opinion because..."

It simply meant, he doesn't have the information you seek, and he was explaining why.

My take .....which is really just a truth truth...

You agree, that some of the roots may die, which, will change the look, which, may change the front, so.....

Finding the front is semifutile.

Or we have a previous mission.

Leo leaned toward futile and decided to proceed with speaking of the previous mission, righting them roots.

My first thought was also "them roots are too skinny", but from a design perspective, and I meant the newly exposed ones.

But like I said.

I completely understand your thinking.

I lean towards the semi of futile and would care to find what could be the best front now.

I personally, consider these only good for a "forest" without small detail. Or like a "shrub" accent like they use them in Japan.

So the roots would be the ONLY thing that matters to me.

But, in perfect balance.

Which would mean covering them with sphag at this point, at least.

Sorce
Oh and surface and finer roots were covered with top dressing as I always do.
 

sorce

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I personally, consider these only good for a "forest" without small detail. Or like a "shrub" accent like they use them in Japan.

I was thinking of this.20200127_123411_Burst01.jpg

But this is a closer example to yours...
20200127_123428.jpg

Except yours IS the roots.

This type of "long accentish" spirit is what I'd aim for overall. IMnarrowO it's all they are good for. Or, what they're best used for, yours being something better than these already because it adds the roots. I wouldn't concern myself with the top much other than to keep the wide shape, and get flowers in a silhouette of your choice.

It's their roll IMO.

Sorce
 

sorce

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An invisible slab perhaps.

Mounded with trees moss up between the roots.

It could be maintained like that quite well indefinitely.
Then depending on table height, it can be as low as possible, or raised with a stand.

Sorce
 

penumbra

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It has no front or back ... yet. It needs to develop more IMHO. I would put it in a round pot and enjoy it from all views, at least for a while.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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@Norcalkbonsai
I was not at all offended. You would have to work a lot harder than a mild agree to disagree to offend me. We're good. To the others who leaped to my defense, thanks guys. But really, its okay, and Norcalkbonsai is okay.

You are right. I did not answer your question.
@sorce was correct. I got interrupted, and had only written about half of what I was intending too. I "never" leave a quote without a close quote. ;)

more in my next post
 

Pitoon

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For me it's really hard to tell a front. I think if you can somehow get the nebari to spread out more it would look a ton better. I do like the roots, just maybe more all around the base.
 
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