Advice on elm raft bonsai

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Hi,

This is an American elm raft with five trunks. The tree grew like crazy during the first part of the summer. I then reduced most of the new growth back to just two shoots. I kept the long branch emerging from the top as a sacrificial branch (trying to thicken the biggest of the five trunks). Any advice on what to do now? The tree is starting to put on a lot of new growth, but it's already getting "leggy" again. I was hoping for more back-budding to increase the ramification, but it seems to want to run.

Thanks for any help!

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BobbyLane

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I have one im developing, my approach is somewhat different, it was allowed to run last season, its first in a pot from a root cutting, this season it also grew well for the first half.
but since i want the middle trunk as the thickest, dominant one, ive been trimming back the two thicker ones either side of it, while giving the main one a free run.
but trimming them back isnt counter productive, in fact theyre being ramified while the main one grows thicker and taller.
also, to reduce legginess i wire branches here n there to go up n out, it allows light in, trees get leggy when light is reduced.
I also wire movement into shoots over summer and in winter too. once im satisfied the main trunk has taken over, i will allow the whole planting free runs, cut back, free runs etc
you can already see movement in all the trunks and all the branches, in winter you will see taper in the trunks too.
I do allow low branches free runs tho in this early process
some of these branches would droop if i didnt get wire on and wouldnt get much light, while just 'letting it run' is ok advice, there are definitely things you can do while the tree is growing to progress it. Depends on your goals too.

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