AusBonsai

alpineart wrote: ↑January 8th, 2023, 6:13 pm Hi tim , I have tried this with tridents but they like to grow up in a matter of days .With my large semi cascades and cascades junipers , cedars and crab apples , I grow them on their side for 30-50 % of the growing time just to aid growth in the right direction and to prevent the tip from dying off and growing another upper apex .
If i forget they let me know by dying at the tales , reminds me I had better trim and tilt mine again .

Dare to be different , I like it .

Cheers Ian

Thanks for the tip Ian, i'll definitely give it a go if i see any weakness in them occuring. It's throwing dormant buds all over the main trunk left right and centre so it 100% does not want to be growing like this. I just keep rubbing them off whenever they pop up.

I'm finding it hard to break my preconceptions of bonsai to grow informal uprights with downward sweeping branches at every opportunity, so this tree along with the mume from you are an exercise in doing different things.

I gave it a trim today to open it up and see the drop line of the branch. Mini apex at the top, pads below and i have a shoot under the lowest pad there that i might bring even further down to pot level in future if it can manage the strength to do it.

Hi TimS , the mume would be an easier candidate for this style .I have a leggy stick here that elongates and cascades without any issues , all the others want to grow skyward .

I do cut it back , but its not a bonsai or trainer just a neglected stick in a pot most likely why its doing what it does .Keep at it, you never know what can grow out of an idea .

Cheers Ian