Hey All,
I recently acquired an approximately 10 year old BC that has been in this pot for 2-3 years. I really like the tree and plan to help it into a flat top design. Questions:
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There are a number of small branches down the trunk - I feel like I should remove these before the growing season starts/while still dormant to direct the trees energy to the chosen branches. I want the final look of very few if any branches on the trunk.
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There are some thicker branches and some cutoff branches higher up that I could remove or Jin. I quickly Jin-ed them to see the effect and it’s kind of cool, like the tree lost established branches in a storm or by being struck, etc. I have heard these could be prone to rot though, which obviously is cause to eliminate and heal the wounds.
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There are some “floating” deadwood roots. I plan to repot deeper, but should I instead remove or jin the end of some of these now?
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Should I remove all but the two leader options at the top, or leave more up there for vigor’s sake?
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I will carve the chop mid growing season this year. When I do, should I carve to only one leader, or do the “forked” just in case one doesn’t work out?
Photos attached which hopefully illustrate my questions, as well as an edited photo to show an idea of keeping those jin up top. Thanks much in advance.
All best,
MG
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I would bring the branch on the right in the last picture up to become part of the crown. I would also wait a year or two to remove the roots that are above the soil so you don’t also have low wounds to heal in addition to now only having a few branches. I would also allow the back buds to grow this year to provide nutrition to the roots - they will leave small scars when removed in the fall.
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Thanks, @MartyWeiser - solid insights. Just to clarify, you do think it makes sense for me to remove all those lower branches (like the last simulation photo) around now then?
All best,
MG
MG - I would leave most of the lower branches for at least the first part of the year to feed the roots since you already jinned some larger branches. You can then take them off as the top starts to gain strength.
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First let me recommend that you join the Bald Cypress Bonsai, there is a wealth of information in the files tab from Randy Bennett.
As for your tree, my suggestion on the short cut roots, hopefully they are still alive, when you repot cut them at a reverse angle facing the soil and as you said pot the tree deep enough to have those foot tips push new growth. Two seasons down the road those cut ends could disappear. You’re gonna have to do something with your chop, with a flat top hollowing it out and a bit of carving works well.
As for branch removal I wouldn’t be concerned with that now, having lots of options is a good thing and you never know which ones could develop to be beneficial to the final design. I would suggest getting them wired down and get some movement into them. I’ll post a picture of one flat top I’ve been developing over the past 2 seasons.
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