First off, hats off to Jason. He's busy as he can be preparing for his grand opening next weekend, but still found the time to talk back and forth with me and get pictures and videos of his stock.
The tree arrived safe and secure. I noticed the sun waning, so I took a couple quick pictures. The last one has an energy drink for scale. The plan is to let it adjust this year and then assess this fall. I'm thinking that a chop at about half the current height will be in its future.
Personally when cutting a trunk I would have to consider a couple of things...
First of all for me bonsai is all about getting the the tightest most compact tree as possible.
Which gives the tree an even bigger, and stronger appearance.
So, with this in mind... the first thing that should always be the deciding factor with larger material
Would be how small of a pot the tree through stages will eventually be able to end up in.
No reason chopping a tree down and trying to make a very small tree, that can only fit in a
Gigantic pot... this would be counterproductive, the pot would then make your tree look very
Small. Now, I am pretty sure of where this material originated before Jason, and the guy that
Had it had field grown it... but in my opinion lacks the discipline of proper maintenance, so the
Roots might need some work. Jason is good, and I don't know what he has done.
Having said this, you shouldn't have a problem getting this down to a small pot in time.
Next I would consider the size you are thinking you want to end up with. For me I see alot of
Major branching up high, which is obviously where all the energy is... would this be where you
Would want to begin your first branching? For me, this would be to high. There is to much trunk
That is instantly seen and unless your tree will eventually end up being more than twice the size
That it is currently at, it is not compact enough.
So, then for me then the ultimate discussion of where to begin on this tree would be instead
To concentrate on branches lower down, building this tree from the ground up, and not concerning
Oneself of what the height should be. I would work these first letting them grow wild until the desired
Thickness is achieved, and then once this is done, move on tho the next ones higher up. I feel
This would be the fastest, most efficient way of building this tree.
Now to do this, I would suggest totally removing all the branches above and not putting up a leader
At all... by putting up a leader or allowing these heavier branches to remain, you are centralizing the
Trees energy to this point. Which would be fine if one was trying to grow out your trunk, and trying to
Thicken it. But, I your trunk is already there.
Now, for me... what is going to determine whether I would chop or not, would be how the tree then
Responds to this. Some material will easily revert it's energy and start building up
These lower branches, others will not. Now, obviously some new growth is going to pop up around the top.
This will have to be let grown some, but should be somewhat kept in check. However, if one
Is having to work it all the time, you will only end up weakening the tree, in order to try and
Alter its energy. So, at this point, I would personally consider consider chopping the trunk. Which will
Then inevitably force the energy down lower.
I would listen to the tree and let it tell me what it needs,and work with this, rather than against.
From personal experience... when I came to terms with this I found I ultimately achieve what I had set
Out to do, and in half the time. I think making a definitive decision, that can't ultimately be changed, on
A stump that is years and years away from a finished tree is just something that one at this stage in
The game, should not even be a consideration. Just my nickel, two pennies, and a half dollar...
