Pyracantha from air-layer

[akhater]

I already know the reactions that some will have on this post but I do need to ask so here it goes.

Last spring I layered a large Pyracantha, the branch in question has no movement and no taper. Here is the part when you will told me I did wrong and I know/agree but I wanted a heavy/large base and had no movement/taper on these branches in the tree.

Anyway the layer worked just fine and I cut it this spring and the new tree is now living on its own root system.

my question is if i leave a sacrifice branch very low next to the base and prune back all others would this help ?

 

[akhater]

this is how it looks today

 

[Poink88]

The remaining trunk is still very straight. Personally, I would cut it down further (or air layer again) at least by half...maybe more. Leave the bottom branches as sacrificial branch and remove once you got your ideal trunk thickness. JMHO.

Edit in:
On your OP (1st pic), I would have chopped it just above the 3rd branch up above the plastic sheeting. Tilt it and use that long (3rd) branch as your new leader. In effect leaving the burried/wrapped part as your main trunk. It is a matter of taste so this is just mine.

 

[akhater]

Thank you Dario for your input, this one will probably be cut further next spring but maybe about 1/3 or so. for now I am letting it regrow strength.

the issue is that I didn't have a look at the root ball at all, I just planted it so I wouldn't touch the roots and break them. Guess next spring I will repot have a good look at the roots/nebari and chop

maybe with more pictures then you'd be intrested again to igve me your opinion

 

[october]

Hello akhater.. I think I might have a very possible solution for you. Here are a couple of virts. I think if you air layered the top 1/3 of the tree at the point that I marked in red. Maybe even a little lower so that the branch at the air layering site can make for some nebari. Then, when it is time to pot it up, tilt it a bit towards the right. This will make for a trunk with some nice movement. All you would need to doo would be to grow the branches and foliage out.

I hope this was helpful.

Rob

 

[akhater]

Thank you so much Rob for your input,

when I first started this layer I wanted to do something similar to this
(taken from http://www.fotolog.com/bonkei_bonsai/41135281/)

that's maybe why it is so hard for me to visualise it otherwise and why I went for a big base with some taper not worrying about movement

However your virtual made me think a lot about another pyracantha I have and I just created a new thread for it http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?7721-Pyracantha-the-3rd maybe you could spend a couple of minutes looking at it

thanks again

 

[akhater]

double post sorry

 

[october]

I see a good future for this pyracantha. What you can start doing is begin growing the new future tree above where I marked in red. Start by growing the branches out and growing a lot of foliage. Then, when the branches are ready, wire the whole upper section to take on the future tree's shape. Then, in maybe a couple of years, all you would have to do is air layer the already formed bonsai from the host and put it in a pot. This is what I see for this tree. I believe it to be very possible within the next 4-5 years.

Meanwhile, I will look at your other pyra