helpw/pruning

lele

I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to prune this tree. I've had it for over a year, and I just dont know where to start.

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Macross

Hey Lele!
It would help if you could say what flavour of tree it is, and maybe a picture.


Thanks, Mac

lele

oops

Attached Images

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Macross

Hey Lele,
Its a bit hard to tell from the pic, but it looks to maybe be a spruce (Picea) of some kind?
It depends on what style you want to acheive? If your like me, you don't know what style you want, aslong as it looks good and stays alive.
Broom or informal upright is good because your half way there.
Informal upright starts with large branches down the bottom, and getting shorter as you go up the tree, like a christmas tree.
Broom is like a ball i suppose on top of the trunk.

I hope this helps a little.
Thanks, Mac

Joanie

Lele, you need to tell us what kind of tree it is. And then we can help you a little more.

Macross is right, there are two general styles that would suit a straight trunked tree... formal upright and broom. But broom wouldn't really work for a spruce, I don't think... that's more of a style for a leafy tree. You can work on getting some movement into the trunk, either by wiring (heavy duty wire, however, and spruces sort of spring back and need to be wired repeatedly) or by cutting off some of the top and wiring up a branch to become the new top, which would change the direction of the tree's trunk movement.

The best thing to do would be to look at a lot of books and pictures, and get a feel for how a tree like this would be shaped in nature. Then, work on shaping yours the same way. Usually, bottom branches are heavier and stronger than top branches on an old tree, so you need to let the bottom branches grow wild and restrain the top. That way, the bottom branches will get thicker than the top ones. Also, you need to thin out the branches, by choosing the best branches and taking off the others. All of this is easier to do when you have read and studied more.

The best advice is joining a club in your area... doing work in person teaches you much more quickly and efficiently than on the internet. The basic skills of repotting, pruning, pinching and wiring will all be easier for you to learn if you go to a club for a while. Besides that, it's fun!

Disclaimer: I have not worked on spruces, don't have any, and am only giving general information here. Ask for further information if you need to.

Joanie

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lele

I think it is a blue spruce, and I think it will be an upright style.

Attached Images

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Macross

Hey Lele, Mac again.
I think you need to look at the gallery and maybe some other galleries to get some ideas of what you want to acheive, thats what I've been doing.
It takes a bit longer, but unfortunatly, Bonsai is not an Extreme sport. Yet. although it would be interesting?
Any how, have a good look at some pics, and or go to a local Bonsai nursery and have a look at the trees up close to see how they have shaped them there.
But don't spend too much. LOL.


Cheers, Mac

lele

Thanks for the advice.How did you know I was spending too much?

Macross

Ahhhh, your fairly new too Bonsai, and like me if you go to the Bonsai nurseries, you are like a kid in a candy shop and want to buy as much as you can because they all look fantastic!
I find its hard to restrain myself somtimes!

I had another thought, thats three in as many days, I betta be carfull or i'll use them all up.
Any how maybe take a pic to your bonsai nursery and ask there advice?

Keep smiling, Mac