Long Term Project...

[Tidal Bonsai]

I got this piece of material online, thinking it was much better than it actually is. When it arrived, I was pretty disappointed. I have nicknamed it Jabba, since it's shaped and textured like Jabba the Hutt from Star Wars.



Pros
- Nice thick trunk (1.25 above nebari) and a big root flare
- Seems healthy for the time of year
- It has been trained into a shallow pot.

Cons
- Scars!!!
- No roots until you get way down into the base (I was expecting gold under there...)
- No real rhyme or reason to the branching.

Is there a possible plan of attack anyone can see to make this into something resembling a bonsai? I am thinking:
1. This Spring, trunk chop right below the circular and horizontal scar in the center of the trunk.
2. 1-2 seasons later, air layer off the bottom and start the nebari from scratch this season.
3. Grow out to be a Shohin broom, which will put it around 5-10 years of growth to make something pretty average.


The other option I was thinking was throwing in the towel, choping it to hell and makeing it into a "fairytale bonsai." As Walter Pall Said "make what's ugly on the tree even uglier."

What do you think, is it worth the trouble, or should I have some fun?

 

[miker]

Your tree is in the process (or should be soon) of going dormant, make sure you have a plan for winter storage of the tree. Some may suggest keeping a Chinese elm indoors for the winter, but I would think your tree will be healthier if it is allowed to go dormant in a protected spot outside.

Also, you will want to wait to trunk chop until spring, just before the tree would leaf out. Or, in the case of your tree, grow it out for a few years for a thicker trunk before you chop.

 

[Tidal Bonsai]

Your tree is in the process (or should be soon) of going dormant, make sure you have a plan for winter storage of the tree. Some may suggest keeping a Chinese elm indoors for the winter, but I would think your tree will be healthier if it is allowed to go dormant in a protected spot outside.

Also, you will want to wait to trunk chop until spring, just before the tree would leaf out. Or, in the case of your tree, grow it out for a few years for a thicker trunk before you chop.

Thanks for the tip, it's a Zelkova, not a Chinese Elm as far as I know. All work is going to be done in the spring as stated above

 

[Zach Smith]

If it was mine I'd start by layering it next spring, then when the roots are good and solid transplant to a large pot or tub to allow for stronger growth. Nothing wrong with the trunk size you have, but since the tree is not particularly styled yet make it into a bigger specimen and create the entire branch structure from scratch.

I think there's plenty of promise here. But it is a longer-term project.

For what it's worth.

 

[drew33998]

Im with Zach. Maybe faster to do a broom style tree.