Help Styling/Adding Movement to Branches

[october]

p.s. I don't know if you can understand this from my virts here. However, this is how you create ramification in elms. Fig 1 is the new branch. Fig 2 shows the branch all grown out. As you can see, where I made the red lines in where you can cut. This is after all the branches have elongated and hardened off. From this point, you cut the end off of the branch and let the end bud become the new end of the branch. Likewise, for the secondary branches. You also cut them. However, as you go more towards the end of the branches, you leave shorter branches. Maybe 2-3 leaf sets. On the first part of the branches, you can leave maybe 4-5 sets. Also, as you go higher up the tree, you would leave less sets of branches. For example, the apex should be made up of shorter, tighter branches that consist of only a few leaf sets.

I know this may sound confusing. However, it is worth the time to learn because it creates beautiful images and promotes a very healthy tree.

Rob

 

[nathanbs]

Rob,
Quick question for you? Why dont you apply the same technique on your primary branch that you do on your secondary branches? According to your drawing it seems you cut it back 2-3 times longer than your secondary branches?

 

[october]

QUOTE=nathanbs;130469]Rob,
Quick question for you? Why dont you apply the same technique on your primary branch that you do on your secondary branches? According to your drawing it seems you cut it back 2-3 times longer than your secondary branches?[/QUOTE]


Hi Nathan. My previous virts diagram creating a side branch on a tree from the very beginning. Basically, if you had a small branch or bud on your trunk and you wanted to develop that into a mature side branch, this is what you would do.

Actually, you would apply that tecnique on the seconday branches, which, in turn leads to tertiary branches. Basically you have your main branch, then secondary branches. Then tertiary branches. The secondary branches run along the sides of the main branch. As the secondary branches progress along the branch, they become shorter.

My virts are very rough..lol.. I am not sure if they are getting the message across as clear as it is in my head.

Here is another one. By cutting the end of the branch at the designated bud, the new bud extends and becomes the end of the branch. A well tapered branch. This is arrow 1. Arrows 2,3, and 4 shows the secondary branches cut back. You keep doing this until you achieve full ramification. It is said a tree in not really finished, for lack of a better term, unless it reaches this level of ramification. Which is after the tertiary branches develop.

If I misunderstood your question, let me know.

Rob

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[nathanbs]

Sorry as this is literally the first time I used photoshop. This is what i was asking why you dont recommend. This is what I have always read and have been taught is the way to build a branch

 

[october]

You are on the right track. With elms, it is all about letting it grow and cutting it back. Also, about leaving certain amounts of leaf sets. The branch virts that I posted was mainly, but not exclusively, for creating lower, main side branches eminating from the trunk. After your main branch starts to come into place, then you can start working with the secondary branches. Of course the secondary branches at the beginning of the branch should be left a bit longer. One reason is because the elms, like many trees can become quite vigorous on the ends. So cutting the ends of the secondary branches as they near the end of the main branch are cut back hard. The secondary branches that eminate close to to where the main branch begins are left longer. Also, this is for aesthetic reasons. As you move down the main branch, the sub branches become smaller. Basically when you look at the branches from over head, they take the shape of a triangle.

Many plants are trimmed with this methodolgy. That being the more vigorous buds get trimmed back harder than the weaker or areas that are not as vigorous.

Also, elms are pruned in according to the levels of the tree. If you had a young, broom style elm. For example, the bottom portion of the tree are trimmed back to maybe 4-5 leaf sets. The middle section is trimmed back 3-4 leaf sets. The top branches and apex can be reduces to 2-3 leaf sets. This can all become confusing. There is no substitute for working on a tree in person with someone over a few seasons.

Basically, this information is for creating a ramified tree from the beginning.

I learned about elms from a few different sources. First, years ago, I had a private tutorial with Suthin Sukolsolvisit exclusively on chinese elms. Second was from basic research. Lastly, when I worked at the bonsai nursery. The owner had me work on elms. I think in a 2 day period, I must have trimmed and worked on about 150 elms for him.

Rob

 

[nathanbs]

When you are working on the lower portion of th tree and you leave 4-5 leaf sets how do you avoid lack of movement and lack of taper in that segment? Thanks for the info

 

[october]

Since you are creating a branch from scratch, movement can be added by directional pruning and wiring. Even though elms grow fast. The new branch can still be wired pretty easily in the first few years. There is plenty of time for direction. Also, there is a lot of waiting involved. When you are pruning, as mentioned, you need to wait until it hardens off before you prune. It is best for the branches to become strong. Although, you can cut after 8 sets of leaves are formed. In certain instances, the best thing to do is to let it grow even longer. Sometimes you will see trees that have a ton of long, young branches of a foot or more in lenth. This will help produce a strong branch which can be cut back.

The thing is that these are pruning plans and guidlines. Most people are not going to get an elm and grow an entire tree from a seedling. You work with what you have. If you start with an older tree and the branches have no taper and lack movement. You cut back to a bud probably half way of the length of the branch. Then, that bud grows the whole end of the branch and you devevelop from there. Trees are not as perfectly symmetrical as my virts.

This is all similar to if you chpped a tree. When you chop it, you either chop back to a young branch or hope you get a bud there. In time that new bud near the chop area becomes a whole new tree. You work with it as it grows. If there is movement issues, you can wire, if there are taper issues, you can cut back to a new bud once again. The clip and grow technique.

All the work descibed here is something that takes place over many seasons. In ideal tree conditions. The virts I showed demonstrate work over a few year period.

Rob

 

[gbupp]

You should definitely post pictures before doing anything. It is imperative that chinese elm new growth be allowed to mature and harden off before pruning. If the area you are cutting at has not hardened off, it may kill the whole, new, young branch.

Rob

Thanks for following up. I have actually been working on Chinese Elms shaping/leaf reduction on smaller Elms I've owned for a while. This big new Bonsai I got just requires a lot more branch work which is what I have no previous knowledge off.