Trunk Chop Misconception

20 years ago

I feel like beating my head against the wall because of some of the crap I've been reading here lately. Some of you need to quit reading and start doing so you have a concept of what others are trying to share.

I don't have a problem being corrected if wrong here, but I doubt I am. Most of the world class, most distinctive, and beautiful of bonsai in the world today are products of trunk chops. Don't correct me if you've read it, but correct me if you have first hand knowledge and you know. My 11 year old daughter reads quite well thank you, doesn't mean she has all the answers.

The trunk chops weren't done last week, last year, or even in this decade. Time seems to be a big hangup here. I see twigs in pots posted here and it's off to find your next bonsai. You still haven't found your first yet. You've started a project that will last the rest of you life if you are lucky.

I'm not demeaning you're effort. Been there, done that, still doing that. It's fun, but IMHO it's not bonsai. When you lower your standard to what bonsai is, then all the sudden you think all bonsai are that way.

They aren't. If you did some serious research and study and allowed yourself to have an open mind about the process you don't seem to understand, then you might learn something.

Do I have all the answers? Heck no. Really don't care to know. But I'm not the one making some pretty silly statements here on the forum.

This is one of my few projects going right now. Will it be world class? Don't go there. Don't care. I'm not smart enough to water some of those peoples trees, much less have an opinion on that.

It's a project, not a bonsai. It's narrow leaf ficus that has been trunk chopped. It doesn't have taper. I don't care. Not all styles require taper. Will it have it down the road? Maybe, but I don't care. It will only be 10 inches tall. Taper will not be the focus.

I would like to think a massive nebari and heavy foliage will be the focus. We'll find out in 10 years or so if I'm lucky.

It's in a very small pot now because I'm not in a hurry and frankly IMHO it looks nice in it. I'm not looking for out of control fast growth. A long period of branch refinement is more in line I think. Am I following correct procedure based on ideas from people smarter than me? I don't know. Input would be great, but not from someone that reads about how it's done, but from someone that knows how it's done.

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I fully understand now why this forum is dying. It's not all about pop ups and spam.

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Comments (3)

raiun42
20 years ago
rjj1
I like your tree (unless I'm the auther all that "crap" your talking about). Grin.
I think the taper will be less apparant as the tree ages . If not , you can cover the abrupt taper and some of the upper part of the heavy trunk with some stratigicly placed foliage pads.
I think when you see a large heavy root base and lower trunk , then part of the trunk is partiallly hidden by foliage ,then thinner upper trunk , our minds accept that the trunk tapers all the way up.

I did a chop like this on some Chamacyparis , and left them in the growing pot for another season , being very top dominant,and vigorous the new leader got bigger than the old trunk. so now I'm doing like your tree and potting to a smaller pot . I believe it will slow down the upper growth, and make finer ramification easier than the ground or a grow pot. This is no flash, I'm sure experianced people all ready all know this.

I think some of the misunderstanding about drastic pruning when looking at masterpiece Bonsai , is that it's awkward stage , and scars , and abrupt changes all took place decades ago. Now all we see is a gracefull "perfect" tree.But it didn't allways look like it does now.
You said this tree would never be master class, but I believe with time and effort, it could be. One of the best American bonsai ,I ever saw, was a Ficus nerifolia , root connected group "Banyan Style"called The Cloud . Down in S Florida, it all started with a few little ficus cuttings , probably less than $20.00 worth, not nearly as impressive as your tree , time and imagination.
I probably will never have a world class bonsai, but that never was the point. When I look at at a potential bonsai, I look for future possibilities . If I can visualize a future tree, then I feel challanged . Am I good enough to make this happen ?. Then I either pass, or pick it up. The question of world class , or masterpiece never enters my mind. If that makes me a hobbiest , or a backyarder , then I'm a happy one , and therefore a successfull one .
Thanks for the chance to ramble.
Luck with you tree.
R
bonsai_audge
20 years ago
Randy, in the interest of furthering your point, I'm posting one of my (few) bonsai projects (is it a bit of both?). There are actually two amur maples in this picture (sorry for the blurry photo). The large one is taller than me now, approximately 6-7 feet tall. The smaller on, to the right, is 1 year older than the first.

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To trees, different ages, totally different sizes. Completely different regimines are planned for each tree. Does this mean that one will be a bonsai and thus the other one cannot be? I don't think so.

-Audric
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rjj1
Original Author
20 years ago
R

I think you who I'm doggin'.

Like I said, so many are hung up on the now. How it looks today, tomorrow and maybe next year. None of that is really that important in the long term scheme of things if you are wanting a nice tree.

Used to attend a club and do demo's. It amazed me how many people were terrified of drastic pruning, which in most cases doomed their trees to mediocrity.

Audric

I like the movement on the lower trunk of the big one. That should be fun.

randy