simplysaid wrote:

BonsaiLearner wrote:

You could try trunk splitting if you want to keep the height.

Hmmm... never heard of trunk splitting in Bonsai. I'll look it up.

There are some videos on youtube, check them out. Pretty cool stuff. Doesn't work for all species I think.

I'm not sure whether it's hard to keep the tree alive or hard to make realistic, but I've read it's hard. I'm not sure about it not being suited to certain species, maybe it's a design thing like deadwood on deciduous trees.

simplysaid wrote:

I took a look at what's making the bulge in the trunk. Seems there was a branch there at one point and was either removed or died. Now it's a knot. Do you think this will grow out over time, or just get larger with the tree?

I think it will not disappear, but it will not get bigger. So, if the trunk gets twice as fat, and the bulge stays the same, it will be smaller, relatively speaking.

Auk wrote:

simplysaid wrote:

I took a look at what's making the bulge in the trunk. Seems there was a branch there at one point and was either removed or died. Now it's a knot. Do you think this will grow out over time, or just get larger with the tree?

I think it will not disappear, but it will not get bigger. So, if the trunk gets twice as fat, and the bulge stays the same, it will be smaller, relatively speaking.

This is the answer I was looking for! I really don't want to start doing advanced techniques on this tree.
Let's hope for the best. I have a club member who has some Colorado spruce Bonsai but I haven't made the time to get together with him.
Thanks to everyone for the opinions.

Auk wrote:

simplysaid wrote:

I think it will not disappear, but it will not get bigger. So, if the trunk gets twice as fat, and the bulge stays the same, it will be smaller, relatively speaking.

.

Yep, this is what i'd do. It's not that big of a bulge, to worry about. In a few years, you won't even notice it.

Samantha: fingers crossed. I will train it and treat it like that knot will stay the same size as the tree gets bigger. I'm looking to give this tree an informal upright look.

and if it doesn't work, it would be worth experimenting on with more advanced techniques that you wouldn't be comfortable using on a perfectly tapered tree.

BonsaiLearner wrote:

You could try trunk splitting if you want to keep the height.

sounds better than going threw life with the scar this would produce...

slightly imperfect is better,

Samantha wrote:

BonsaiLearner wrote:

You could try trunk splitting if you want to keep the height.

sounds better than going threw life with the scar this would produce...

I'm sorry, I don't understand. Do you know what trunk splitting is?
www.bonsai4me.co.uk/AdvTech/ATtrunksplitting.htm