What would you do to this Chinese elm to make it better?

[Lawrencek]

So we've had this indoor Chinese elm young bonsai now for about 2ish years (idk the actual age of it I think it's like 7 years old) and repotted it about 4/5 months ago for first time. I like it but would like it to be more 'impressive' I don't want to necessarily make it bigger but I really want to make it fuller with many more branches and leaves so it looks like an actual tree. Sometimes we just leave it to grow longer but the branches shoot from all different directions and it ends up looking messy. But then we trim it back and it sort of looks bare. We keep it indoors for the novelty of having something nice to look at when we're in the kitchen, I know it would thrive more outside but we want to keep it indoors. It's a 'broom style' bonsai but more like an informal broom because it has a slight bend in the trunk.

Any suggestions/tips other than time and repotting it in a bigger container ?

I attached two pictures of our tree and a pic of something that I would like it to look like eventually

 

[PaulH]

If you want to build ramification like that I think the tree will have to be outside. I know people keep elms indoors but I've never seen a good one that is not outdoors.

 

[dbonsaiw]

With respect to the ramification, let the branches grow out in the spring a few inches and then cut them back to 3 or 4 leaves - prune back to where buds are growing in the crotch of existing leaves (this is what will ramify). You can prune back like this multiple times in the growing season. Branches growing in the wrong direction can be re-directed with wire or cut off altogether. As the branches ramify and the canopy fills in, you can basically hedge trim the tree a few times per season to maintain the size and shape and further increase the ramification.

But, developing the tree anywhere near the level of the pic provided will require you to encourage growth, including by being outside and getting into a larger pot. You will need to repot from time to time in any event, so why not get it into a container in which it will thrive?

 

[rockm]

To make it "impressive" requires the tree to be outside. Sorry, indoors you won't get the tight, vigorous growth required to build branching. You will get long, lanky, loose branching indoors that will "weep" like it is now.

The differences are sunlight exposure, air circulation and humidity levels. All are vastly inadequate indoors to develop much of anything.

 

[Shibui]

Developing bonsai usually requires lots of cycles of grow and trim. We let the shoots grow longer than looks good, cut back a little further than looks good. Repeated cycles contribute to more shoots and therefore ramification. Not every shoot will grow in the desired places or direction. Wiring can move some to desirable spots but some will just have to be removed and start again.
This is the reality of bonsai.
The more a tree grows the more you can cut back and therefore the faster development will be.
Really good ramification requires lots of branches close together. You won't get this when shoots grow in low light because nodes are further apart. Good light levels are one of the key factors which means outdoors or strong grow lights.

The other factor to developing good bonsai is time. It is hard to speed up development because trees only grow at a certain rate.

 

[Paradox]

@Lawrencek
All of the advice above is good.
However I am reminded that we are now in October.

Where are you located? Please put your location information in your profile so we can give you the best advice and not have to repeatedly ask you where you are.

It might be a bit late in the year to just throw the tree outside right now depending on where you are. The tree has been inside so is not acclimated to outside temperatures that may be fairly cold now.

So if you are in a place that is getting cold and experiences winter, I will suggest you keep the tree inside as you have for the winter. In the spring, when it gets warm enough, put it outside. It will take some time for it to adjust to the difference so I would just let grow and get stronger. Feed and water it. Let it experience the cooler temperatures in the fall and go dormant next year. Dont worry, your tree will know what to do. You'll have to find a cool place to keep it over the winter that stays below 40F. The following spring as it starts to bud out again, prune the branches back as suggested above.

Remember bonsai is a marathon not a sprint

 

[Colorado]

Ramification like that requires repeated judicious pruning. Lots of pruning over the course of time.

 

[sorce]

Step one though...

Airlayer it at the wide part where that rogue root is.

Sorce

 

[penumbra]

All good advice above. Frankly I am surprised you have kept it that long inside. I have a couple dozen outside and the only one I every managed to kill was being kept inside for a single season.
But you are not going to get the answer until we have your location.
If you look in the archives this issue literally comes up all the time.

 

[Lawrencek]

@Lawrencek
All of the advice above is good.
However I am reminded that we are now in October.

Where are you located? Please put your location information in your profile so we can give you the best advice and not have to repeatedly ask you where you are.

It might be a bit late in the year to just throw the tree outside right now depending on where you are. The tree has been inside so is not acclimated to outside temperatures that may be fairly cold now.

So if you are in a place that is getting cold and experiences winter, I will suggest you keep the tree inside as you have for the winter. In the spring, when it gets warm enough, put it outside. It will take some time for it to adjust to the difference so I would just let grow and get stronger. Feed and water it. Let it experience the cooler temperatures in the fall and go dormant next year. Dont worry, your tree will know what to do. You'll have to find a cool place to keep it over the winter that stays below 40F. The following spring as it starts to bud out again, prune the branches back as suggested above.

Remember bonsai is a marathon not a sprint

far Northern England near Scotland

 

[Paradox]

far Northern England near Scotland

Please add this information to your profile so we don't have to repeatedly ask. Bonsai advice is often location dependent and we will never remember where you are in a forum with 26,000 people.

 

[BobbyLane]

Pretty much what others have said. This video helped me a lot when starting out

 

[Mike Corazzi]

FICUS is for indoors.