I ordered a Japanese Black Pine 'Yatsubusa' that had been grafted onto a regular JBP rootstock, the whole thing is about 10 years old. It arrived today in the post and I've noticed inverse taper along the trunk. Is there any way to correct this without doing a trunk chop?
I think maybe air layer the top braches and then the trunk might backbud. If so, should I do one airlayer at a time?
It seems to have a bulge both at the graft line and the top where all the branches meet. I'm not keen on trunk chopping it as I did that to a Picea Glauca which promptly died. Or should I leave it alone and put it in the ground and hope the inverse taper goes away?






thanks in advance
Xanthe