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Forget wiring it. Get yourself a fairly heavy rock or something similar and weatherproof, then force it (gently, so as not to snap the shoot) against your new seedling so that it ends up growing at an angle. Let it keep on growing to get thicker, then when the time is right cut it back to that...

The size is based on what is required to bend the trunk/branch. At this stage you can really only put some movement in the trunk. It needs to be a much bigger specimen for more detailed training techniques (setting branches). That requires unrestrained growth. You'll want to do all sorts of...

Good angles. Is that electrical wire? If so it's usually too stiff for normal bonsai use.

At first I thought the title was, "Does you age dictate your potty procedure?" For sure. But on the bonsai front, I try not to have too many really big trees though that's really hard sometimes. Repotting them is no fun, so if I sell all the new arrivals I only have to rip 'em out of the tubs...

Actually, I've had a lot of bird activity this year. They dig in the pots for seeds and don't replace their divots like the squirrels do. So I guess I'll take the squirrels.

Usually I get oak seedlings sprouting by mid-year because the squirrels bury acorns in my pots. But I'm sure if I planted the acorns in pots, the squirrels would show up to dig 'em back out. I'm convinced they don't really eat the acorns, just use them to dig holes everywhere.

Do both. It's the best way to learn. Better yet, plant half of the acorns in a pot and let them germinate inside, half outside. Move the inside ones outside when weather permits, and compare how they do.

I'll throw in a couple cents' worth that makes sense to me (and possibly only me). When a shoot takes off and I wire for movement, it's partly to introduce movement where none will be the case otherwise - that's the "looks good now" idea that's been expressed above. Frankly, a tree full of...

Don't separate the trees unless you're dissatisfied with their placement. Mostly trim around the edges. If need be you can take out a few wedges deeper in. But you want your forest to function as much as a whole as it can.

I'd say that the one thing we never want to see happen is for all of bonsai to become "industrialized" - obviously here I'm not talking about the industrial "mallsai" business which of course has been around a long, long time. The growing/collecting and developing of nice material is a real joy...

Don't forget to seal the trunk chop!

Reduce the roots and chop the top at the same time. Cedar elms are easy to collect. Very forgiving and great to work with.

Dollar-wise, I sell more large Bald cypresses than anything else. Size does matter. I don't fool around with seedling-size material (whole other market). For collected material, nothing smaller than 1" base. The "sweet spot" for most buyers seems to be around 2" base - a good combination of...

The best way to start is to see what's already out there in your particular market. If someone is selling a tree of the same species and size, age and quality of yours for 100 euros, then you may want to price in that same range or perhaps a little less since you won't be a known quantity in...

Good list. I don't know the root kill temps for BC or Chinese elm but can relate that both have survived 15F on my bench (a not intentional experiment). I just posted a blog on winter protection at my website, considering what may be headed our way. Couple of species also not shown on that...

If it wakes up it'll be hungry. First thing's first.

Chinese elms can take quite a bit of cold. With that said, however, your tree is at the very least in a weakened state, so you'll probably be better off waiting for somewhat warmer temps to put it outside. Or failing that and if you can, outside during the day and inside on freezing nights...

This is a Chinese elm, and most likely it's dead. Your only hope is to put it outside immediately, but only if it's not freezing where you are. When you pruned the roots, were there any white growing tips? If not, then that's even worse. But again, outdoors as soon as possible is your only hope.

I'm so sorry to hear that, Bill. I didn't know. My prayers are with you.

Nice to see you posting, Bill. Hope you and yours are well.

Glad to help. I don't have a photo handy, but I've got a pot on the bench with about 20 seedlings in it I sprouted last year from about that many seeds.

Just stick them into a pot filled with soil and almost all of them will germinate. I know from personal experience.

Whatever works is fine. I was just offering my view on the likelihood that in a small container, a tree with that big a trunk chop is somehow going to erase those acute angles in any timeframe that would satisfy most of us. The smaller the chop, the faster and easier it is to heal it and make...

Water oak makes a great bonsai; it features small leaves that are reminiscent of Live oak, and takes readily to container culture. I have also grown Southern red oak. I wouldn't rule out any oak without trying it first. FWIW.

Good job chopping the trunk back. You'll get multiple buds along that length near the chop, which will allow you to select the one that's in just the right spot. I wouldn't make my selection until there's at least a foot of growth and the new growth is starting to harden off.