Cool. Stealth squirrels… watch out for the moose…(sorry, if you miss the Rocky n Bullwinkle refrence…)
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General process for decideous seedling trees…
Clip off just the tip of each tap root. Put into potting soil for now. Shallow pot. 2-3"? Just above the nut. Light fertilizer. I would put both into one pot.
Second year, if they have several long leaf internodes, cut back to three nodes, after the growth hardens off. Keeps internodes short.
Third year, spring… as buds form, cut roots back by half…?, and pot into bonsai soil for decideous trees… I still use 1/4 composted humus. After leaves harden off, cut top back to 5 nodes; by now, you should have 4 branches and a top node…? If branches have gone crazy long, cut back to 2 nodes.
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Repeat. Move to a deeper pot, 4" deep when needed. Shallower is better…? At this level, in spring when a leader gets to the 4 leaf stage, pluck off the lead leaf.
Usually something disrupts this process… Especially voles and squirrels eating new growth. Cover with hardware cloth cone. They will sprout from established stumps…
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English oaks as bonsai , finished bonsai…plan on probably 36 tall for the leaf size to balance. Ive never got them to reduce. I have one English oak in bonsai pot and 10 in the ground ( they have gotten away from me. They are 10 feet tall…)
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Others may have better ideas. This works for me.
Have fun. Bonsai on!
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