Toyo Nishiki Root Over Rock

[thumblessprimate1]

A little neglected. Healthy, but the growth not controlled. Left to itself some branches really took off growing strong, while weaker ones did not. The shading from the stronger ones didn't help. So I may have lost a couple finer smaller branches. I like the variation of large and small branches, but I can hope what's alive will regain vigour.


Removed the strong thick branches like one circled.


The branch traced is a root cutting that I threaded through under the main root cluster in hopes it'd bond one day. I grew significantly; it was cut back hard atop.

A peak between the leaves.


Thinned back some leaves of branches cut back hard and somewhat weaker branches. I also have weak branches with 1 or no leaves; got to get light to them. Some may not make it, and some may be dead already.

So this is how it is now. Back to the same sunny spot most of the day. Hope I get buds on the finer growth again. May be ready for a pot this fall or next spring. What do you think?

 

[GrimLore]

That is a gnarly one! And good to see it doing good. Next step(s) ? Perhaps fall and spring chops for ramification? Honest not certain how they ramify there.

Grimmy

 

[thumblessprimate1]

That is a gnarly one! And good to see it doing good. Next step(s) ? Perhaps fall and spring chops for ramification? Honest not certain how they ramify there.

Grimmy

I'll wait for next spring to do anymore pruning. I didn't want to do too many updates until I get some real signs of life as in more leaves. With some sunlight and some water spray, I recently can see some green in the bark without scratching it. Hopefully, they all make it and get going from the hard cuts and removal of the big branches. I'm curious how the roots look below the soil line. I'm anticipating the possible need for grafting on and embedding some roots that are gnarly to compliment the branches.

 

[GrimLore]

Hopefully, they all make it and get going from the hard cuts and removal of the big branches. I'm curious how the roots look below the soil line. I'm anticipating the possible need for grafting on and embedding some roots that are gnarly to compliment the branches.

Seems to me an option but in my mind time is better. Perhaps in the Spring lift it 1/2 - 1" and let it grow to develop large roots? When I work roots I do that and remove the fine one's that are exposed and the heavier roots plump up and create more under the new soil line. For ROR (could be just me) I like to see a few heavy roots only as if it is struggling to hold on...

Grimmy

 

[Bonsai Nut]

So this is how it is now. Back to the same sunny spot most of the day. Hope I get buds on the finer growth again. May be ready for a pot this fall or next spring.

Thank you for sharing your progress. I have a toyo nishiki that I have only had for one year - and it continues to challenge me. Straight running growth from only the tips of the branches, limited back budding, just a pain in the butt to style. I am waiting until the spring and going to prune it back hard to within a few inches of the nebari - and wire every single branch the moment they are 2" long.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Good news! Seven days later, it looks like all the tiny weaker branches are not lost. I can see buds beginning to leaf out on all of them. I'll take some pictures when they leaf out more. I don't think they'll show well with the phone camera. I love the smaller branches as their internodes are super short, and I put a lot of twists and turns in them from the start.

 

[GrimLore]

Good news! Seven days later, it looks like all the tiny weaker branches are not lost. I can see buds beginning to leaf out on all of them.

Good to hear! Nice when redirecting auxin works

Grimmy

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Buds on nearly every weak branch. I think there's one last branch that's beginning to reveal some green. No big loss if otherwise.

 

[GrimLore]

I think there's one last branch that's beginning to reveal some green.

Nice! Funny I took hundreds of leaf off mine yesterday.

Grimmy

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Full of leaves and still growing. I got to put in more effort to keep from losing the finer branches this time.

 

[GrimLore]

Full of leaves and still growing.

Excellent! Thank you for posting progress on this one - me likes

Grimmy

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Me glad! I had to start thinning some leaves the other day.

Excellent! Thank you for posting progress on this one - me likes

Grimmy

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Before and after


Thinned out for light to reach inside and to slow down the strong branches. Even weaker branches needed some thinning if the blocked out other weak ones further inside. I left the weak interior branches leaves alone.

 

[GrimLore]

Thinned out for light to reach inside and to slow down the strong branches.

Looks like the internodes are a lot shorter now too

Grimmy

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Looks like the internodes are a lot shorter now too

Grimmy

We'll see. All those short internodes are from before I potted into this larger pot. Leaves were smaller too. When I cut back hard this year on the strong growth, I removed some of them completely.

 

[GrimLore]

We'll see. All those short internodes are from before I potted into this larger pot. Leaves were smaller too. When I cut back hard this year on the strong growth, I removed some of them completely.

Mine looks so odd with all the tight foliage - more like a contorted shrub I did some plucking yesterday to see what is going on with all the new smaller branches and it is going to look even more strange next year after I cut the new branches back some from this year and let it hopefully grow more again. Damn thing is so thick I also found a low branch to be a foot long root sucker which I will cut away after leaf drop and plant.
I am going to apply what I do to two contorted and a couple of Chinese cuttings this Fall and see what they do too. According to my older crappy notes I am pretty certain they will react the same - time will tell.

Grimmy

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Halving some leaves, plucking a few others, and a liitttle wire.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Japanese Quince has been one of my most satisfying species to work with. It's hard to believe that it's not been even two years since this was started. I'd thought it's been longer.

After cutting back hard or completely the strong branches/suckers, some branches grew back. I removed some and shortened some. Then grew back my preferred branches with shorter internodes. Some more suckers appeared. Aside from that, I keep halving leaves and removing some wherever a leaf blocks light from a weak branch. Most of the leaves are halved.




Today, I wired some more and added movement.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Defoliated, repotted, rebound the roots.

 

[0soyoung]

shan't

If we were in a common office environment, I'd leave a quarter on your desk,

I've rued the death of the adverb.
It pleases me that quaint contractions live on!


Interesting quince, btw