Originally Posted by Joanie

Avin, for some reason I can't get your images easily... are they really large? Anyway, just guessing here, but generally you want to trim serissas by cutting back the new growth to stimulate growth closer to the trunk, so for instance trim the end of each branch back by four or five leaf nodes. Remove any shoots that are growing straight up or straight down. Always remove any new shoots growing out of the soil, or on the trunk under the soil line. If you want to thicken the trunk down low, let lower growth stay for a while, as long as it is actually attached to the trunk and not just coming out of a nearby root.

Look at your tree and study how the branches grow. When you trim something, pay attention to the leaf set that is still on the tree. The new growth will come out of that area, so you can sort of think ahead about where you want the new growth to go. Serissas grow in an alternating way... one set of leaves will go up and down, the next set will grow side to side, the next set up and down.... so if you trim it down to a set of leaves that grow up and down, you will get new shoots that grow up and down. If you trim it back to a set of leaves that grow left and right, you will get new growth that goes left and right. By thinking about which way the new shoots will grow, you will help to form your tree.

Remember, too, that if you let a branch grow longer it will get thicker and stronger. If you trim a branch shorter, it will slow down the growth of that branch. If you want to make your lower branches thicker, you must let the grow the most and keep the top branches trimmed.

Does that help?? Remember, I'm a beginner too, and you should always get as much advice as you can before doing anything to your bonsai that could change it much.

Also remember to keep your tools clean and sharp. Don't go from tree to tree without cleaning your tools.

Joanie