New growth getting long.

[anthony burce]

What to do with this here seiju?
I chopped it early summer/spring. It had nothing on it at all. Then after some care all this started happening. Am i in danger of letting something getting too long? Whats it going to take to get branches that are more "branchy" instead of this fishbone ferny look. Do i need to clip and grow to have that change in direction effect for ramification or what?

 

[GrimLore]

What to do with this here seiju?

You can always cut away what you do not want BUT growing a new branch is not usually an easy option. Myself I would let it go and see how it goes naturally before chopping further.

Grimmy

 

[sorce]

I got one in August. A Hokkaido.

I've been looking at it a bit.

Lotta bud removal is what I've been thinking about.

Lotta leaf removal to make it look like a real tree, I reckon.

Or microscopic. That is my goal!
Right tiny!

Sorce

 

[timetravel_0]

You'll need to divert the flow of auxin. Removing the terminal bud will encourage the tree to produce growth axially down the branches.

What are your temperatures like?

It's starting to get close to winter.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

If you're in the U.S. or Northern hemisphere, leave it alone, let it go dormant, and prune it in late winter. Pruning it now may encourage new growth that won't harden off before winter.

 

[M. Frary]

Leave it until spring like Brian said. I would let the top lead go probably another year.
These trees are weird at first. The branchlets do look like fronds. They are just elm branches and leaves in miniature form. Wire young for movement because they are a little brittle.
This is a picture of one Bill Valvanis has. Ramification!

 

[Adair M]

Anthony,

Basic bonsai technique (other than wiring) is to "let grow, then cut back".

On deciduous trees, you build branches slowly. Let them grow out to 6,8, 10 inches, then cut back to 1 inch! Then, it buds out again. Let the new shoots grow out again, then cut back to 1 1/2 inch! (Or maybe 2). Yes, this takes a long time. But it builds taper into the branch.

Too often, you see branches on a tree that have no taper. The owner didn't cut the branch until it was the length he wanted. And then started building side branches and ramification. That is the common way, but not the best way. It is quicker, but you get poor long term results.

This is why we see few really great deciduous trees in the US. It takes a long, long time to develop them. Much longer than conifers.

 

[GrimLore]

What to do with this here seiju?

I forgot to ask if that is Redding CT or CA?

Grimmy

 

[anthony burce]

Hey so sorry guys. I was expecting email updates on replies. Didnt get any. Im in redding ca. Heat is huge here, but obviously thats coming to an end. Ill leave it alone and do some work on it around february when spring temps start up again.(really its that soon) thanks for the suggestions i really appreciate it!