AusBonsai

The first of the deciduous bonsai are bare and that means time to start the annual end of season trim for maples.
Please note that these trees are old with really well developed branches and ramification. In the early years of developing bonsai we put lots of effort into CREATING more and more twigs for ramification. By this stage I've switched tactics to MAINTENANCE pruning aiming to thin out and reduce length.
Different techniques used for trees at different phases of their lives.

First to go under the scissors was a Japanese maple
No before shots of this one. You'll have to be satisfied with the after trim pic. Then an older, larger Japanese maple. Shoots with long internodes are no use to enhance ramification, especially near outer ends of branches. Some shoots have become thicker. This one escaped trimming later in summer and grew longer and thicker than desirable. Remove thicker shoots from outer and upper parts. Then on to an English elm. This tree was collected as a sucker under a large elm in a paddock. Stock have grazed the suckers and created natural bonsai trunks. All I did was develop the branches.

Great info as always Shibui. Thanks for posting the pics- love seeing your collection of deciduous trees.
Struggling to see any difference between the last two shots of your elm. Maybe wrong photo uploaded?

At least someone is paying attention.
You can go straight to the top of the class KCAR.

Just checked the files and it appears I did not take a before but got 2 after. When I uploaded I just assumed My apologies.

Here's a few more done today. Apologies for the sideways shots. Ausbonsai seems to re-orientate pics taken in portrait.

All looking good Neil, I've always liked that multi trunk Japanese maple in the green pot from your first post, It is really maturing well!

Look forward to catching up soon.

Joe.