i like where this one is headed. how tall is it? if it were mine i would be taking some cuttings and strinking them, then using the struck cuttings to fill in that gap at the base where the roots go apart. i think you could extend the lower branches out a little more, and it will fill in nicely! the reason i say about the branching and to get it out further is that branching on tall trees that are short make the tree seem even taller. if you spread it out some it will help the overall composition.
J.
SHOHIN YAKUZA!!! taking the top half of trees of since 2005!
and growing trees for the future generations! 50+ year plans
Jamie wrote:if it were mine i would be taking some cuttings and strinking them, then using the struck cuttings to fill in that gap at the base where the roots go apart
basically in a way plant the new cuttings and graft it where the root seperate?
pretty much mate, get the cutting to strike then use them to fill in the gap they will also give you the ability to chose where they exit the trunk and you can build a nebari.
J
SHOHIN YAKUZA!!! taking the top half of trees of since 2005!
and growing trees for the future generations! 50+ year plans
I like the trunk as it is, the seperation into two parts provides movement at the base. Solid Nebari is great but this tree is unique. Id leave it as is.
For mine all it needs is more branching.
either chop it back to about 200mm high or thread graft some branches into thos gaps pretty easy fix and like jamie said fix up the roots while its going in for an overhaul
I like the base and trunk as it is now.
The bootom left branch needs to be much bigger and extend more and the one above it lowered if you can to Fill in the gap below, and create a void above ( maybey Graft a new one in there)?
In the right, I woud like to lose the bottom branch, keep the next one but extend it and develop it like the first branch. The next one up I would also lose.
This I would I think give seaparation and plenty of room to grow the selected branches
If I get a chance I may do a Virt of what I mean but not tonight
Hi John, I would take the Ant solution and shorten it for more taper. In the process of doing that you would more than likely get it to bud back some more and increase the volume of branches lower down the trunk.
Craig
Please excuse me for mentioning a few things that might generally add to our discussions on bonsai.
The first is: let's not talk about "a tree" or "the tree". It's got a name and it's got growing habits, which
have to influence our way of thinking about it. Secondly, if an opinion on styling is needed, let's not just show only one side of it. Thirdly, let's post photos that allow everyone to get a good visual impression of it. And let's not throw ourselves into the fray of hasty, superficial judgements.
So, John Dumper has posted a Chinese elm here. The vigorous branching at the summit of the tree as well as the enormous, divided roots are typical of this species, which is strongly apically dominant, with an equally strong root system. (It beats that of the privet!) The two lower branches will never develop properly as long as the upper ones are allowed to grow as they are now. The root division would in nature have been below soil level. To get a flare at the trunk base, they need to be shortened drastically over a period of time and buried below the surface again. I agree with the people here who have advised shortening the trunk to get a better taper. Two more things: # 1: this Chinese elm is planted too far off the middle of the pot, and # 2: I see some shari work on the trunk, which speaks of a wish to make the tree look like a bonsai. Remember John Naka's priceless advice: "Don't make your tree look like a bonsai, make your bonsai look like a tree". (Apologies to the old-timers, who have seen this saying posted a hundred times already.) Where there is no need for a shari or jin, leave them off and concentrate on the most essential characteristics of your bonsai.
Lisa
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Here I go again, one would think I had a direct line to Sal Liporace's thinking. The tree is too tall. I'd cut 'around' the red mark and use the branch on the right as the new header. While you were establishing your header you could let the top stay and have the branches elongate enough to use them for thread grafting in the lower areas.
When the grafts had taken I would carefully remove the top knot so carving could be done to look as tho the top had taken a lightning strike and the shari would be deepened to look as tho the top took a gouge out of the trunk as it ripped off. Several years of work but the tree at the moment is telling two different stories... lush at the top, hardship at the bottom. I would work on the hardship angle.
The way elms grow you will never get the lower branches to thicken with the same speed the upper structure will so the tree will always be unbalanced if you leave it this way. I like the Fairy cave at the base... lots of interest in the tree .. lots of potential. A great workshop tree to get one to one advice. If you prefer it this height then I would keep the upper structure well cut back all the time to allow more energy to flow to the lower branches to fatten them.
I think a darker pot would blend better with the tree. The current pot and the tree don't feel right to me.
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Last edited by MelaQuin on June 9th, 2010, 4:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I'm don't like those fat exposed roots-I would plant it in a much deeper pot -covering those exposed roots-and try to get some radial roots growing -once established then would remove those fatties-if this can be done it would also reduce the height-and trunk would flare from ground level---after all that I'm wondering if elms readily send out new roots
taking the top half of trees of since 2005! 
