I've been reading through John Naka's "Bonsai Techniques," and decided I really wanted to hone in on the fundamentals — mainly looking to do a "textbook" example of a formal upright with a focus on proportions and branch placement (golden ratio).
I've had this DAS potted up since early April in pure pumice and it has been very healthy. I don't have a "before" picture, but this was your typical bushy $20 big box store find, 40" tall. I put it in a pretty big pot, so had to do very minimal root work.
In a few years, I would like to do some root work and re-pot into a shallower pot that is more in proportion with the trunk thickness. There is "ok" nebari under the sphagnum, but that will need development.
Knowing that I'm probably pushing the limits of abuse here, I'm only doing primary wiring. In subsequent years, I'll focus on pruning to encourage ramification, and then work on secondary and tertiary wiring.
The shari exists simply to correct inverse taper at the 2nd and 3rd whorls. I will refine this in subsequent years.
Anyway, probably too long-winded for what this is… I would appreciate any constructive criticism or advice.
by mlee0000