So this is a JRM i collected from a relatives backyard about 2yrs ago. they were getting ready to dig it out and throw it away before i got my hands on it.
they claim its roughly 20yrs old but not certain. any how after letting it grow some i figure id start getting a little work done on it especially some ramification, i have some years of work ahead of me. i re potted the tree in some random grow box i had laying around early April. its been about 3 weeks now and buds have opened up and starting to come to life within the past week. im looking to chop the top 3 inches off at the end of summer (i hate the top bend) and chop the first branch on the bottom left as well. for now this is what im working with. just thought id share.
Early December

Early April

Current

I would chop it in the third branch, prune the first and second closer to the trunk and start from there.

Clicio wrote: I would chop it in the third branch, prune the first and second closer to the trunk and start from there.

is this what your are suggesting on the top chop?

Even lower if you have a branch to be the new apex, in my humble point of view...

Hi there Crent,

This tree has potential, however there are a couple of things that might be hard to correct in my opinion.

First there seems to be a total lack of tapper. This tree seems to be growing in an absolutely straight line (with no much tilt) right from the trunk base up to the apex. So, maybe creating a new apex with a new branch wouldn´t be that crazy. At this point Clicio´s suggestion might seem pretty logical.

Secondly, there is that fat root on front of the tree that seems to be sticking into your eyes once you look steadily at it. That would be hard to disguise or to deal with it... I´m not completely sure, but maybe rotating the front of the tree a bit would help.

Hope this point of view might prove helpful to you.

Alain

Clicio wrote: Even lower if you have a branch to be the new apex, in my humble point of view...

ok after thinking and looking at the tree last night i was very skeptical about chopping it lower like you mentioned but now i understand where you are coming from. when time allows i will chop at the 3rd branch (maybe lower) and create a new apex. so i can hopefully get some taper. thanks

alainleon1983 wrote: Secondly, there is that fat root on front of the tree that seems to be sticking into your eyes once you look steadily at it. That would be hard to disguise or to deal with it... I´m not completely sure, but maybe rotating the front of the tree a bit would help.

i totally agree its an eye sore for sure. but for free i figure i can deal with it.. i tried re-positioning the tree when i re-potted it this April but any other angle didn't seem pleasing or just looked very odd. at one point i had moss growing all over the base and it slightly hide the root from plain sight. at this point i dont know what to do about it but hide it lol.

crent89 wrote: at one point i had moss growing all over the base and it slightly hide the root from plain sight. at this point i dont know what to do about it but hide it lol.

Ha, understood Crent. In any case, maybe this set of articles might help you out on this Nebari improvement task.

bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/AT%20Grafting%20Th...mprove%20Nebari.html
bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATApproachGraftingforBonsai.htm
bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATApproachGraftingRoots.htm
bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATthreadgrafting.htm
bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATthreadgraftingroots.htm
bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATApproachGraftingRootsProgression.html

Just a side note... You can read these 6 articles in any order, but in order to get a better understanding of them, it might be highly recommended that you read them all in that exact order.

In any case, hope it helps with your Nebari endeavours

Alain

alainleon1983 wrote: maybe this set of articles might help you out on this Nebari improvement task.

so lets see if im understanding this.
if i maybe graft some roots in these locations (empty gaps) it might help make the nabari seem a little more pleasing?

A good trim of the roots, and planting it properly in the soil (minimum 2cm below soil level) will also help create roots.Grafting should be a last resort imho.

leatherback wrote: Grafting should be a last resort imho.

There is a grafting fever going on right now, it's amazing!
Grafting work show ugly scars 90% of the time, devaluate a otherwise good tree, and like LB said, most of the time there are better alternatives.