Help! Brand new to bonsai and need design tips!

9 years ago

Hello all. First time posting. I received a gift of a Chinese Elm Bonsai (although the tag said otherwise and I was misinformed on its care for some time!) and I can't quite get my eye to see a design yet. I just pruned back all the crossing branches and such and I am left with some of the longer ones. I would like to do an informal upright as I think it suites the trunk best, but I don't know where to cut next. I am fine with making it look ugly with the future in mind, but I don't know what to do! Any advice would be great, thanks so much!

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Comments (5)

moochinka
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi... my suggestion would be to find local clubs to join, learn all you can about bonsai in general (read lots of books, not just 1-2 because they'll all have diff. viewpoints and you want some consensus on things). After you know it all :), you'll have a better idea of what to do when with which trees, and what not to do. I would shorten most of those branches however. But don't try to do everything all at once... the tree doesn't know or care that you're in a hurry, but if you mess up it'll let you know and it'll be too late. You need to know about climates, indoor environments, lighting, temps, humidity (vs watering), watering (the hardest thing to get right ever), which trees to keep in and which to keep out when and where and why. Pruning for shape is not the be all and end all, and Mr. Miyagi was an actor ;). Go find the clubs, then take your tree in to a meeting when they say it's the right time to do it, and listen. Better to have a dorky looking thing (like the above) for a while than getting it wrong - you can't glue branches back on :). And right now keeping your tree alive is the important thing. Good luck!
benpcoleman1 thanked moochinka
deepbonsai
9 years ago
hi read alot of books. but also patience is the most important thing when styling you don't want do to much and damage the. read up on that tree. some tree can take heavy pruning some trees cant handle it. I hope this helps
benpcoleman1 thanked deepbonsai
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I have one jade bonsai and 3 in training. All of them are indoors-one in a window with your same conditions and three under lights. Mine are crassula ovata, which is true jade. You can prune them just about any time, however just before the growing season is best. Right now they are in growing season, but would soon go dormant if outside because it gets so hot. Yours may not go dormant inside because it is in more controlled conditions. I would not prune hard right now (just in case) although that is a technique used to fatten up the trunk, but you must do so selectively and with purpose. It takes some time to get it back to the full state you may be looking for. If you are removing leaves just twist off, but if you are removing branches, use a clean hand pruner. I usually cut at a forty-five degree angle with the cut facing away from the front view. This looks nicer asthetically for viewing purposes. Don't cut any closer than 1 1/2 to 2" away from the main trunk, depending on the size of the overall tree and look you want. If you cut too close, the remaining part of the branch will typically shrivel up and fall off. You don't have to prune anything unless you are doing so with a purpose though - a branch crossing another, awkward placement) Jade trees are susceptible to lots of pest. I am with you on that one. I have about 40 or so succulents outside in my front garden. They are all doing great. I brought a jade home from school for summer and after I watered it noticed droplets of water set high in the plant but not on the leaves. I realized there was a very fine web. This is the gift of the spider mite. They love jade. There are several teas that you can mix to kill it, just do search in the cactus and succulent forum if you ever need to. The other thing you can do is use the Bayer Tree and Shrub Systemic Pesticide. It is really strong stuff so only mix it one tablespoon to one gallon of warm water for the succulents. I've read others who use the same ratio for their bonsai as well. I've never done it though. The soil should be slightly moist and then drench the soil. This helps the plant fight off almost everything. DON'T get it on the leaves and don't have it in direct sun for a couple of days after you do this. But this is only necessary really if you decide to keep it outside. Indoors you need to watch for mealy bug. On the leaves, you can treat by spraying a mix of 50/50 water and rubbing alcohol or lemon liquid soap and water. Spray it daily until the problem resolves. Make sure you check the underside of the leaves where it likes to hide. If some parts are pesky and you can't get them, dip a q-tip in the alcohol directly and rub the little bug right off. Good luck with everything. BTW, is it 7' or 7"? If it is 7', I REALLY want to see a picture. ;0)
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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years ago
How about posting a view from every 90*? From that picture, it looks like the trunk could be chopped above the second branch that faces forward, with the branch growing what appears to be almost vertically as the new leader, but new views might prove that idea to be off the mark.

Whenever I look at these imported trees, I look at them with an eye toward branch placement that would allow me to cut them back hard enough that the "I'm imported" signature look is removed. I'm not saying that to be mean or critical of your tree, but these mass produced trees are immediately recognizable for what they are. If I was buying one, I'd buy it based only on what the roots look like and the potential to cut it back to just a few inches in ht and build from there. If you hadn't said the tree's future is the priority, I wouldn't have said something that could be taken as being harsh, even though it wasn't intended to be taken that way.

Al
Lanelle Clark
9 years ago
The key to see the natural design of a bonsai tree is to start with a scalene triangle. Look at all the angles of the tree. Maybe find some bonsai wire and bend some branches to more of a design that pleases you? So far it looks like you have a good start!
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years ago
Triangulation is something you can find in most trees that appeal to the eye (but not in bunjin or broom style, eg), but that's a general guideline that helps the artist decide what shape might be appropriate as the tree develops. Generally, the first step is to look at the material you're working and choose a trunk line and perhaps what branches the material happens to offer initially. Generally, the 'triangle' part is dictated by branch length/arrangement and really isn't much of an initial influence.

Al

Help! Brand new to bonsai and need design tips!

Comments (5)

moochinka

deepbonsai

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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

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