I've always liked the look and form of canopy trees. I bought this Chinese Elm last week from Bonsaiboy.com
I live near Tampa, FL. My climate zone is 9, close to the 8 zone.
I have plans to maintain and hopefully transform this Chinese Elm into a Canopy type Chinese Elm. Some aren't big fans of the S-Shaped Elms. However this one is suttle, that and I really just don't care what you think :-D
I did some preliminary pinching/trimming of the top-end inner budlings and left the bottom ones completly alone, reading the threads from
http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/showthr...ght=Chinese+Elm it saying that these methods would be promote taper since these trees, especially in this form need all the help they can get tapering into a fine looking tree. There were 2 old nasty stubs left from the nursery in which I bought it from, on the lower part of the trunk that I cut off flush (and do intend on making concave -for healing purposes- but unfortunatly my tool supply really really lacks because I have a shallow wallet)
I REALLY NEED some people to step up and drop some posts on as to what I should look out for, *special* maintenace for this type of tree, and helping overall tips on how I should get this job done. I've literally been sitting here over 10 hours (probably the longest sitting session in the past 2 years) and read every post possible trying to sponge myself with knowledge. I know the basic fundamentals on how to take care of the Bonsai, but I wish for this one to be in the very best health (let along not dieing.) I would like to have it look something like this gentlemen's fine piece of art.
http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/showthr...ght=Chinese+Elm (This is nothing short of mastery.) I know it takes a GREAT deal of time and patience, I would just like to start off on the right foot.
Stuff I Wish I Knew:
1.) How to properly expose and cultivate a healthy Nebari.
2.) Fattening a trunk (by other means than top-end pinching) if possible)
3.) Properly gnarling branches.
4.) Supplies without having to go to the internet/ends of the earth. Mainly sealant and annealed copper wire.
5.) Proper ridding of fungus and liverwort type deals (if it happens)
Thanks-
Tim