At the time I had been doing bonsai for only a few months and I loved it.
I don't have any pics from that time but it was in a bonsai pot and it had been trimmed and kept somewhat compact...it was basically sold as stock to be trained, styled and developed etc.
So I admired it for a few months as it was and and then decided to grow it on so I repotted it and let it run untouched for about a year.
After a while I became unhappy with the look of the bulbous roots so I decided to try an air layer.
warning, lots of pics
Just before doing the layer... Cutting the layer... After layering I slip potted it up a pot size or two... Then I got a bit lazy with it and just left it alone with the air layer on for around a year
It had grown really well and the longest branches were around one meter in length (sorry, forgot to take a pic).A couple of weeks ago I just cut back the growth...
I figured it was well overdue for the layer to be severed so I had a look at it yesterday and was surprised at what I found... The bulbous roots below the layer had completely rotted away!...
So I cleaned the base up a little and pruned the roots back... I have left the branches intentionally long to see where it back buds etc. I have a few options for a front and I have a good idea of how I wish to proceed with the design. But I am just going to let it regain its strenghth for the moment and then I will decide on which branches to eliminate and where to cut back to. I am pleased with the direction it is taking
Sorry about the quality of some of the pics.
Cheers, Dario.
If the wood was harder I think something would have remained.
