Malpighia coccigera #001 : Starting a bonsai from nursery stock

This is a progression of a nursery stock that I am using in a current online competition.
The target is to start with a raw evergreen material.

Start Date 01/03/2013
End Date 31/03/2014

So here we go:
Scientific name : Malpighia coccigera
Common Name : Singapore Holly
Price : Rs 150
Acquisition : Vaneron Nursery

Part II here
Part III here

Well its not much of a looker when starting.







Step 1 : Checking the root system







The root system is already well tough for my standards:
+ No extremely long lateral roots : You know those roots that coils 3 or 4 times inside the pot.
+ No tap root.
+ A really nice compact feeder roots.


Step 2 : What come into my mind for this tree
Well I had something in mind when I bought it initially.
From this view:

I had an informal upright tree in mind.

Now with the newly exposed root system, I'm seeing something else: Slanted to windswept style.

The long apex [ on the right ] would be reduced to half at least or more.


Step 3 : Preparing the pot
If the root was not good enough, I would have repotted in into the ground for now, but since it ok for me, it goes into the pot.
Ok, basic repotting stuffs here.









Step 4 : Preparing the bonsai soil mix
I'll be using:
1. Inorganic medium [ rock and pebbles and fired clay ]


2. Water retention medium [ Perlite ]


3. Organic medium [ Pine bark ]


End result:



Step 5 : Repotting
Adding a bottom layer + making a little mount to sit the tree on.



Placing the tree on the mount and securing it with the wires.



Adding the soil all around and working the soil in-between the exposed roots.


Removed excess soil. Its leveled with the pot's edge, but after sitting in water,
it will collapse a bit.



Placed in water for roughly 5~7 min.
Got one little worm that came out.






Step 6 : Adding some moss
I'm not adding any top soil... yet. I'll keep that for the end.
I'm adding some moss though, not really for embellishment but to prevent the perlite and other materials to fly away when I'll water or when its raining.








Conclusion
There's lots of structural improvements that are needed, but I'm not pruning anything or wiring anything for now.
I'll wait for some new growth first.
ToDo list:
1. Remove or redirect old apex
2. Remove unwanted branches
3. Wire and style branches that will be part of the design
4. Start feeding by mid to end of march.


Some sketches
I also made two sketches of what I have in mind for this tree in the future.

Sketch #001 : Slanted Style



Sketch #002 : Windswept Style



Part II here
Part III here