AusBonsai

Hi all,
Here's a pic of my atlas cedar. The second branch comes out at the back. I've bent it downward at about a 45 degree angle and then it goes straight backwards. I like that this branch gives the tree better depth, but I don't like the fact that it's so close to the third branch, making this area look like a four-way cross. Does that bother anyone else particularly... would it bother you enough to want to remove it?

My second question is about the pot. I've had it in this small round pot for about three years and it hasn't developed much in that time. So I'm thinking of a larger pot for it, but none of the pots I've brought from the shed look much good to me. Can anyone recommend another pot?

Any other thoughts on the improvement of this tree would also be welcome.

Thanks in advance., Andrew.

Andrew, nice Cedar mate, i don't think you need to remove any branches yet, maybe altering the angles of them ,thinning them out and positioning with wire, a change of apex direction is also something i would most likely do if it were my tree, i did a little virt along the lines i was thinking,the apex is a tad rough

Hi AnrewC , mate it take a long time to develop an Atlas Cedar in a small pot , they love root run .I have numerous Cedars and find they will fill a pot with roots in a single season .I usually over pot mine and root prune every second season allowing root run .Even in Bonsai pot conditions they can grow 600-800mm roots in a season , depending on the mix and fertilizers .I prefer pots that allow the root to flow around the outer , this makes it easier to maintain as the outer longer roots are trimmed off without disturbing the inner area's close to the trunk . It also give good continuous growth over a couple of seasons

Square pots with sharp corners restrict the flow somewhat and tend to send the roots back into the center creating a tough job when repotting as they need some serious teasing out to trim .Square pots with arched /rounded inner corners work well .I missed my re-potting this year and don't have the time or health to catch up . I will use have to utilize Ted Pointen's method if need be . All mine need some serious trimming and de-candling as well . I like the amount of taper on your trunk , those sharp bends are distracting , but over time they may smooth out some what or possibly conceal with some foliage moved around an over .

Cheers Alpineart

That's a very fine virt Craig - be nice if life was always that easy!

The problem with the tree as is, is that it has two long, strong horizontal branches coming out very close together. Craig's virt, by bending them both downwards and shortening the one on the right solves that problem very well.

The trunk is good for literati style, it's not bad potting, but if you wanted to improve it, maybe you'd go for a round pot, just a bit shallower? And maybe not so strong a colour - more in harmony with the colour of the trunk. Nice tree.

Gavin

Thanks Craig, for your virt. I agree with Gavin's assessment, that the main improvements you've invisioned are the better branch direction. I would add that you've also given the whole apex a good lean to the right, which harmonises with the direction of the lower trunk. Nice!

Thanks to Alpineart too, for your insights into the rooting of cedars. I think I might bring it out into a large training pot for a couple of years while I work on the top section, but I'll bear your comments in mind when I come back to potting it.

Cheers, Andrew.

Thanks, no worries Andrew, the apex looks better going with the flow of the tree i think, branch arrangement etc i'm sure you'll be able to sort over a few years easy, i like movement thru the lower trunk and the kink will look ok once the bark ages ,,were the kinks man-made? i can see the healing line, is that what it is? p.s-- i was going to say , future ideas may or may not include a shari down the trunk


,

Craig, this tree was a formal upright about 14 years ago, and at that time the first gentle sweep to the left was the lower-most branch. The kinks then, were second-order and third-order branches off that lower branch, and I turned them into the trunk of the new literati style tree. So I've only made use of the natural right-angle branching of the cedar, rather than bending the shape myself. The whole apex has been grown and shaped in the time since then, but as I said there has been little new development since I potted it in that small pot. Thanks for your interest in my tree! Andrew.

PS Yes - shari might be interesting to consider after I get it into a new shape.