I bought my first bonsai tree

[Tibar96]

After reading and watching a lot of videos for a few months, I bought my first bonsai, a chinese elm. I have it for about two weeks and it's doing good inside for now, as i bought it in the winter time i didn't want to move it outside this season. The tree seems pretty healthy, it has leafs on it and started budding pretty hard since in my room is 22 degrees C.
I will wait untill spring to repot it (it came in a really small pot) and then start fertilizing and styling it.
When it comes to styling i would need some advice because i feel like the trunk isn't the most developed and beautful. (i will attach some pictures below)
It has a S shaped trunk if u see it from the front and back, but if u look at the profile of the tree it s a pretty severe C shape. Also, the trunk isn't too thick or tempered.
My question is: should i just go on with the styling and developing the main branches or cut the trunk in order to thicken it and get rid of the extreme shape?

Thank you in advance!
Teo

 

[Eckhoffw]

Welcome to delicious!
I mean Culver’s.....

Ughh!!!
I mean welcome to crazy!

 

[coltranem]

Right now focus on learning to keep it alive. Watering is the first skill you need to learn.

As for where to go with the styling is really up to you. Some like the S shape others do not. If you like it that is all that matters. Study pictures of bonsai and see how branches can be arranged. With big curves like that you will want the primary branches coming from the outside of the curves where you can.

If you want a thicker trunk you have two choices buy one or grow one. If you want to grow one with this then you don't want chop it. Chopping is for increasing taper not building diameter. Unrestricted growth builds diameter. The less you cut the more it grows. Evergreen Garden works have to articles on their site on growing trunks.

If you'd like to make it look a little thicker you can reduce the height to make it appear thicker. However for now practice keeping it healthy.

 

[Tibar96]

Thank you very much for the quick answer!
Of course, my main focus is on keeping it alive and properly hydrated and everything else comes on the second place.
I'm gonna take your advice and take good care of the tree and let it grow unrestricted for a while, as i don't dislike the S shape or the height, just the diameter of the trunk.

 

[Tibar96]

The little tree grew like crazy inside (shoots at least 30 cm lenght) and i was able to wire it to give it some basic styling and it continued growing. About a moth ago i felt like the temperatures were high enough to move it outside and i also trimmed it again. Here are some pictures for a quick update.

 

[j evans]

Looks like a happy little tree. Probably will be even happier outside. Nice that you are enjoying it. Congrats!

 

[Housguy]

Yes, keep it outside for it to thrive. Looks nice, enjoy!

 

[sorce]

Welcome to delicious!
I mean Culver’s.....

Ughh!!!
I mean welcome to crazy!

It's like you knew I'd miss this one!

Thanks for the Backup!

I like the pot!
And the container is this tree is in!

Sorce

 

[Tibar96]

Yes, keep it outside for it to thrive. Looks nice, enjoy!

I will! Thank you!

 

[Tibar96]

Looks like a happy little tree. Probably will be even happier outside. Nice that you are enjoying it. Congrats!

Thank you for the advice! I will enjoy it!

 

[Vali]

When did you repot it? I'm asking because I just got one and am trying to decide whether to leave it in an unheated room to enjoy some dormancy till spring or bring it in a heated room. How did it grow this year?

 

[Tibar96]

When did you repot it? I'm asking because I just got one and am trying to decide whether to leave it in an unheated room to enjoy some dormancy till spring or bring it in a heated room. How did it grow this year?

I repoted it in February while it was still indoors and then gradually moved it outside (starting with sunny days and in the night i was bringing it back inside...i did that until the temperature was high enough for it to stay outside full time). The tree grew like crazy, it had 3 or 4 flushes of growth over the summer and now it s dormant outside, but didn't lose it's leaves.
As for your tree, i understand that it's not recommended for the tree to stay outside in the winter if it has not spent the previous summer and autumn outside, but in a cold room with temperatures above freezing it should be fine. Did you just bought the tree? Do you know if it was grown outdoors or indoors?

 

[Vali]

I bought it yesterday from Dedeman. It looks really healthy, like a normal tree in spring. I wasn't going to put it outside, just in an unheated room. I have 2 more chinese elms that I bought earlier last year and are now in the garden. One of them lost all it's leaves, but the other still has some on. I'm sure they will do ok till later when it gets a lot colder. I'm in jud. Alba

 

[Tibar96]

I bought it yesterday from Dedeman. It looks really healthy, like a normal tree in spring. I wasn't going to put it outside, just in an unheated room. I have 2 more chinese elms that I bought earlier last year and are now in the garden. One of them lost all it's leaves, but the other still has some on. I'm sure they will do ok till later when it gets a lot colder. I'm in jud. Alba

Ma bucur sa aud ca mai sunt si romani pe aici
Eu sunt din Bucuresti. In cateva zile coboara temperatura noaptea pana la -15 si aici.

 

[Njyamadori]

After reading and watching a lot of videos for a few months, I bought my first bonsai, a chinese elm. I have it for about two weeks and it's doing good inside for now, as i bought it in the winter time i didn't want to move it outside this season. The tree seems pretty healthy, it has leafs on it and started budding pretty hard since in my room is 22 degrees C.
I will wait untill spring to repot it (it came in a really small pot) and then start fertilizing and styling it.
When it comes to styling i would need some advice because i feel like the trunk isn't the most developed and beautful. (i will attach some pictures below)
It has a S shaped trunk if u see it from the front and back, but if u look at the profile of the tree it s a pretty severe C shape. Also, the trunk isn't too thick or tempered.
My question is: should i just go on with the styling and developing the main branches or cut the trunk in order to thicken it and get rid of the extreme shape?

Thank you in advance!
Teo
View attachment 280801View attachment 280802View attachment 280803

Omg . I got a Chinese elm in that same pot from some guy on eBay for $15 2 or 3 years ago. It taught me how to keep a tree alive