How to prune eastern white cedar?

[Javaman4373]

I collected this white cedar in the spring of 2022. It had been heavily browsed by deer. I buried the pot over last winter and the tree emerged in the spring with most of the foliage rather brown. It gradually pushed new green growth over the summer and most of that growth was out on the ends of the branches. I see it can back bud to some extent. I seek recommendations on how to prune it to get more compact foliage, when to prune, and how to shorten the length of the branches.

 

[nuttiest]

Very nice! What would happen if you moved the lowest branch to the right? It looks directed to the wrong side from front and back. Then, it could be somewhat upright as a second trunk, or could be a branch that interacts better with the curve above the exposed root area.
Not sure about the pruning in vermont because here we prune heavier in summer than spring.

 

[Javaman4373]

Very nice! What would happen if you moved the lowest branch to the right? It looks directed to the wrong side from front and back. Then, it could be somewhat upright as a second trunk, or could be a branch that interacts better with the curve above the exposed root area.
Not sure about the pruning in vermont because here we prune heavier in summer than spring.

I could try that. The branches seem fairly flexible. By "to the right", I assume you are referring to the first photo. At its base, that branch is fairly thick and stiff, but I think flexible enough out from the trunk a bit. Since those photos, I have done some pruning. I removed upward growing foliage, ans shortened the branch growing furtherest to the left in the first photo.

 

[nuttiest]

Yes, the first photo, but both front and back are choices, right? Looking again it looks like there is a knot right where it needs to bend, so maybe not safe for the branch, but there is a lot of nice bends going on up there it could be the apex and gain the most strength until it gets the shape you want.
But then you would have to move that lowest right branch

 

[Javaman4373]

Yes, the first photo, but both front and back are choices, right? Looking again it looks like there is a knot right where it needs to bend, so maybe not safe for the branch, but there is a lot of nice bends going on up there it could be the apex and gain the most strength until it gets the shape you want.
But then you would have to move that lowest right branch

I wired that first branch and tested the ability to move it. In doing that, I decided to use as the front shown in this photo. I did reposition some of the branches that were already wired. From the other direction previously shown, there was a branch crossing the front that I was not keen on. Now I want to wait and see how the tree responds going into the fall.

 

[nuttiest]

I think that looks like the second trunk works in the long jin now.

 

[Javaman4373]

I think that looks like the second trunk works in the long jin now.

I didn't make that jin. That is how I found in in the woods after extensive deer browsing.

 

[Viridian Bonsai]

Very interesting material! Would love to see how this develops!

I have heard mixed messaging on how to treat the foliage of this species. I have heard from some sources that one should prune them like we do shimpaku and never pinch, while others say that we can pinch twice a year like hinoki to achieve those dense, cloud-like pads seen on the sawara and hinoki in Japanese exhibitions.

It would be interesting to hear from someone who pinches their arborvitaes to see how they typically respond to the technique. I definitely appreciate the cloud-like pads on the top hinoki bonsai in Japan so it would be great the achieve this aesthetic with a native, North American species.