Where to chop

[eliass]

Hi guys opinions needed this copper beech looks great when in leaf but clearly the winter silhouette leaves a lot to be desired so its not a question of if but where? What do you think ?

[robc]

i kinda like the subtle movement in the trunk (even if it has very little taper) so i probably wouldn't chop at all

i would try to fill the empty space midway up the truck with new branches. if you cant get it to bud in the right spots on the truck you can always try tread grafts

or you could chop just above the first 2 branches and create a broom style

[Bougy Fan]

I am not familiar with this species - if you could get a sacrifice down low I would try to thicken the bottom rather than chop the top. But if it doesn't bud back then I would chop it at the 3rd or 4th branch and use one of then as a new leader. But not sure what the base would look like if you did that and needed a new front

[soda]

Ahh the kitchen work, i do that after my wife has gone to bed too

[Scott Roxburgh]

I wouldn't chop, just continue to grow the branches wider each year even twice the width.

[Kyushu Danji]

Don't chop, just get rid of the thickest branch you have in wire on the left-handside of the apex. I think this would immediately make a difference, and I also think that in time the apex as well as the other branches will fill out and give you better taper.

[Andrew Legg]

Eliass,

I'd not chop this tree, but rather grow it like a beech and not like a pine. Reconsider your intentions to bend all the branches down. Think rather of letting them grow up and out. This will do a few things. 1st, it will start to look like a beech. 2nd, it will allow you to fill all that empty space with branch ramification, and third, if you grow it a bit taller, the lack of taper in the trunk will be visually less obvious. Here's a quick virt showing what I mean:

beech.jpg

You may want to angle them even further upward. Just google the real trees and see how they grow!

Cheers,

Andrew

[eliass]

Lol you have to sneak them in when its cold for work on the kitchen bench... I am even thinking of restarting the apex from the first branch facing out from the front but not sure

[Andrew Legg]

Here's a nice pic.

http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/r ... ddock.html

beech2.jpg

See what I mean?

[Webos]

I would have to agree with the no choppy choppy crowd. Branches are now wired out flat like a conifer..Doesn't suit this type of tree. Would be better to let them rise up and out like a deciduous tree. Given time, could become a graceful tree.

Adam

[eliass]

You guys might have a point... Here it is in leaf unwired



I clearly have to re asses this tree .

[Andrew Legg]

Oooooooooooo - you have some annoyingly nice trees!!!!!

Good job mate, and lovely colour as well!

[craigw60]

I wonder if you understand the species you are dealing with ?
Fagus are extremely slow growing trees, even more so in Melbourne where they are not entirely happy. If you trunk chop this tree it will take you are very long time to grow a new leader. As as already been pointed out to you the branches on beech generally leave the trunk with an upwards movement then flatten out on the tips and they look best trained in that way.
They really only put on one growth spurt a year so building ramification takes a long time and pruning is restricted to tip pinching in spring when the new buds are unfurling.
Good quality beech bonsai are not common in Australia you should cherish yours and tread carefully with it.
Craigw

[eliass]

Thanks for the insight guys...last night made a few changes...



I think the consensus was correct will leave like this for the time being...

[Boics]

Seems like some really good advise has resulted in some sensible decisions here.
Well done to all that have contributed I think this has been a constructive thread and Elias final picture represents a more suitable and improved style.

My 2c is that I think this is a great tree.