Rmj, how much tree to use?

[wireme]

Three options I have been considering.

Keep the planting angle and develop the tree using the first branch only.

Change of angle, design from 2nd or 3rd branch.

Use the whole thing.

Opinions?

Mp

 

[wireme]

Option 1 might be easier to see from this angle.

 

[dkraft81]

I think you should use as much of the tree as possible. Have you considered a cascade? Looking at pic three a cascade style jumped out at me.

 

[wireme]

I have not, at least not recently, I can see it though, thanks.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Nice tree. I agree that you should use as much as possible, but I'd be inclined to shorten the straight branch you covered up in the second photo. Tons of movement and character, and shortened a bit, very powerful. I don't like cascades, but could be persuaded here...

 

[wireme]

Thanks for the input. Nothing drastic will happen to the tree this year. I like to have a plan though for the purpose of developmental pruning. Option 1 could be pretty sweet but a lot of growing time needed for that first branch. My current favourite is 2nd pic with heavy bends in the long branch crossing the jin. Cascade? Looks good in the pic, I'll have to hang the tree off the bench and ponder that one!

 

[JudyB]

Yeah that would make a very dramatic cascade, give dkraft a prize!!!

 

[Vance Wood]

I would not consider a Cascade either. The trunk is too powerful and deserves more than what a Cascade would give it where the cascading branch tends to dominate the design and diminish the power and nature of the trunk. IMHO

 

[Dwight]

I liked the idea of a cascade as well until I considered Vances comments. In a non cascade design that long branch is bothersom. I'd shorten it even more than you indicated in photo 2.
Another option is to ignore it until fall then send it to me.

 

[fourteener]

I am a big proponent of movement. The base starts off with a generous helping and then those two sections of straight trunk with no taper bores me to tears. I would SLOWLY work my way back to that first branch. As you take away the extensions I would wire out the foliage on that branch to take in as much sun as possible(foliage like solar panels).

The last thing you want to do with RMJ is make it burst into juvenille folaige. If you do you just bought yourself a grafting project because that foliage is horrible. Every time I trim up my RMJ I really do an extensive wire job to get as much foliage gathering sun as possible. It's also the tree I have positioned in my yard to get all day sun.

Are you confident with this being the front?

If you like the length of it a semi-cascade might work as well... in the end...What inspires you about this tree? How do you set that off so the viewer can take it in and not be distracted?

 

[fore]

For me, a good cascade needs to have a trunk that nearly rides down the side of the pot. Not something contrived. I too would use the entire tree. Lots of options. Great tree wireme!

 

[wireme]

I am a big proponent of movement. The base starts off with a generous helping and then those two sections of straight trunk with no taper bores me to tears. I would SLOWLY work my way back to that first branch. As you take away the extensions I would wire out the foliage on that branch to take in as much sun as possible(foliage like solar panels).

The last thing you want to do with RMJ is make it burst into juvenille folaige. If you do you just bought yourself a grafting project because that foliage is horrible. Every time I trim up my RMJ I really do an extensive wire job to get as much foliage gathering sun as possible. It's also the tree I have positioned in my yard to get all day sun.

Are you confident with this being the front?

If you like the length of it a semi-cascade might work as well... in the end...What inspires you about this tree? How do you set that off so the viewer can take it in and not be distracted?

Yes, pretty sure this or close to it offers the best front. Other sides are good as well but this seems best.

I suspect that if the tree was viewed in person rather than photos more people would agree with your suggestion to reduce to the first branch. I see it as possibly the best tree but also probably the longest term plan. I would probably take at least 3 years of working the foliage back before removing the upper trunk and then I don't think I'd be entirely satisfied until that branch thickened substantially, 10 yrs maybe? If I were to go that route I would put some different movement into that first branch soon and begin pruning the top a bit harder than otherwise. For now I still see something I like in pic 2, I'll prune accordingly leaving options for a taller tree. If I get to the point of bending that branch the way I'd like to then it may become more clear.

 

[wireme]

Well... After a lot of thought and debating options the decision has been made. I suppose I've gotten braver as I cut off the top quicker than I thought I would. The upper trunk foliage was 80 percent trimmed back this spring and the trunk chopped this morning.

 

[Vance Wood]

Now you find yourself like a lot of us, making decisions where you have to finish the idea. That's the trouble with bonsai; you come up with an idea and in several months you might see it come to pass. Don't lose hope or vision, regardless of the negativity you may encounter on the way.

 

[A Random User]

Well... After a lot of thought and debating options the decision has been made. I suppose I've gotten braver as I cut off the top quicker than I thought I would. The upper trunk foliage was 80 percent trimmed back this spring and the trunk chopped this morning.

I like this as the front.
The jin on the right is very overpowering.
Rather than shorting it... I would suggest that you bring the top of the tree over to the right to incorporate the jin into the design of the tree. I think if your apex of the tree actually covered up a portion of the jin, it would also break up the length of it.

 

[sorce]

The straihtness of the jins bother me more than anything else. Its like the old story is it has an easy life, till it died by the hands of a Bonsai ARTIST.

Where the new story has twists and turns, deception, intrigue, sex, drugs, rock and freaking roll.!

I'd ditch both jins, or do like Psycho Owen with the torch and bend em.

Main thing. Going through the first pics....I'm glad you kept it upright. That base deserves nothing else.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

http://bonsaiunearthed.com/fujikawa-kouka-en/feeling-light-headed/

Sorce

 

[Vance Wood]

Sorce may very well be right but let the tree be and do it's thing for a number of years. It is amazing sometimes how a tree can take our mistakes and turn them into something positive that we can utilize somewhere latter down the road. It is in that way we kind of provide our own pre-bonsai and Quasi-Yamidor trees. A lot of times those things we do wrong and throw our hands up in disgust will come back and kiss us on the cheek years later. You kind of have something in your heart and somewhere in the very deep recesses of your imagination that needs to come out of you yet. Just let it be and do it's thing. You can always throw it away latter or sell it. I know a lot of people that would give good money for a tree like this.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I would love to see all four sides of it. The base is spectacular...but curious what else I'm not seeing.

 

[The Bonsai Herald]

Nice tree. I agree that you should use as much as possible, but I'd be inclined to shorten the straight branch you covered up in the second photo. Tons of movement and character, and shortened a bit, very powerful. I don't like cascades, but could be persuaded here...

I agree with Brian's suggestion. Nice tree!