AusBonsai

shibui wrote: ↑July 13th, 2021, 6:05 pm You have done great job growing this one. Far too many pines end up with thick but long, bare trunks and branches. Plenty of viable options to develop with this one.
Trunk 1 has more interest with the bends as it is but I think that converting it to the leader would lose all the thick trunk you have grown and the new trunk line would be basically straight.
Using 2 would allow some of that great trunk to be used. I was concerned that 2 had nowhere to cut back to but a closer look shows a couple of very small shoots down low - ideal places to continue the crazy angles the chop will give. There may even be shoots on the main trunk that could be used for low branches?
One possible concern with using 2 is the abrupt angle change - close to 90 deg from the main trunk. It is probably possible to soften the appearance by rotating the tree slightly.

On the available evidence I'd probably use option 2 but bear in mind I can't see all the aspects of the trunk in a couple of photos and only guessing at scale.

Ryceman3 wrote: ↑July 13th, 2021, 6:55 pm Looking at that last shot, and with only one pic for reference I think #2 seems like the option I’d be leaning towards too. From the shot you show, I’d look at trying to bend that leader forward and maybe left a bit to help with flow and transition from the eventual chop. Definitely need to develop and utilise those little shoots on that leader.
It’s a nice looking base, hopefully whatever you go with the next stage adds to the hard work you’ve already put in. Nice work, not enough of this kind of development happening.


EDIT: sorry, I wrote my response as you posted above … so my comments refer to your original post not the last one (to avoid confusion)

Ryceman3 wrote: ↑May 17th, 2022, 9:03 am That’s looking promising. How is the budding on the potential leader (near your thumb in last pic)?
It’s looking a little bare but hard to tell properly in the photo. If you can encourage more budding/nurture any buds already there I think you’ll be able to develop something very special from here.

tgooboon wrote: ↑May 17th, 2022, 9:30 am The option of keeping the smaller trunk #2 with the improved movement is good.

My view is remove the major trunk a bit higher which already has great taper to this point and keep at least 2 good options. Keep #2 and also try and develop a bud slightly higher and create another leader like in the picture.

In another 1-3 years you can decide which is the best.
JBP slightly taller option.png