Hello all, this is my very first Bonsai that I have kept alive for over 2 years now. It is also the first time I have styled a tree.
A couple of notes:
- The side you see in the first 2 photos is the front of my tree
- The first large counter clockwise bend in the trunk rigid, this is no changing it.
- The 2nd bend, going clockwise, is what I just did and is still flexible.
- I have recently removed well over 20-30% of the foliage so I am hesitant to do more this year
What I am struggling with is the primary shape of the trunk. I have a bit of a S curve which is not desirable but it is at least asymmetric. What changes would you make to it? I am not quite sure what to do with the top.
Also struggling with limb selection: which ones to keep? I know it's a bit hard to see but like I said, I don't want to cut anymore this year.
I would love your input!
by thenotdylan
2 Comments
Something that helps make it a little easier is to try to follow some basic rules. Here are a couple to get your gears turning:
*Don’t cover the trunk. Reveal it.
*Don’t have more than one branch coming out of a single spot on the trunk. This is unsightly and will cause bulging at that spot.
*Don’t have bar branches, where two branches come out from across each other at the same level from the trunk. Looks bad and causes bulging.
*Does the movement of the trunk make sense? For example, you don’t want straight and curved trunks. You want one or the other.
*Branches should be on the outside of curves, not on the inside.
*Remove or wire branches that cross the trunk or main branches.
*Remove or wire branches that go straight up, down, or towards the viewer.
If you can go through the tree, starting from the base of the trunk, and fix the issues above, then it should help clear things up. It will leave you with less options, but with problems removed.
Of course, there are times when you need to break/bend these “rules” I hope that makes sense.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you’re not sure, don’t cut. You can remove a branch any time, but you can’t put it back.
Personally, I like your tree. I think it needs a bit of what I listed, but I like it. I like the trunk line you’ve got going, and I would think about continuing the movement in the top portion of the trunk at some point. That first big branch might be the biggest issue right now, as it is covering the trunk.
https://preview.redd.it/vyxqo1cn89vg1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45bd6936ef607ec534a608e42b1f7fc8f3645a43
I would Jin the orange section after bending and twisting it (maybe growing it out even first) to look something like the purple line. You could continue the Jin into a shari. Then I’d wire up the yellow branch to fill out the canopy in the blue. Obviously vary the bends both in direction as well as size. Twist the branches too, so that the lifeline goes around the trunk for future shari.
Obviously this isn’t something you’d do right away. Do thr work in a season appropriate manner over the next few years.