Let's see if this helps. First picture is last spring right after digging or collection if you like.
Second picture is just 1 year of growth. Last fall. I let the branches grow freely all year. Since this tree is going to be an almost broom they are thick enough.
Third picture is this spring after cutting the branches back. See the big stubs? Those will be the primary branches. Meaning all or most branching will be coming from there. I think the actual term for those is sub trunks for this style of tree.
The fourth picture is the same tree with wire. I've been told my wiring looks like crap but this isn't so bad is it? It's getting the job done. Anyway. See the long little branches I wired up on the top of the stubs? I'll let those get to about half or a little larger of the diameter of the stubs they are growing out of. At that time I will cut them back to an appropriate side branch and wire it up as the next section of the primary. All of this will be done in around a month to a month and a half. They do grow that fast.
Since I'm not cutting the branch off all of the way it will be growing small branches out of dormant buds under the cut. Since those are coming off of the main branch those are called secondaries. Those also will be wired into position and cut back continuously as they grow. And as that is happening they will also sprout branches along their length. Those will be what is called tetiary branches. As they get cut cut back they branch out and those get cut back. Ramification is all of those little tetiary branches and the little twigs that grow out of them.
Most of this is going to happen this year except for some tetiary branches and fine twiggery. Once it gets to developing twigs I will be able to put it into a bonsai pot. Next spring. From there it is just a matter of hedge trimming to keep shape and building even more fine twigs. Did I mention they grow fast.
Now. Once in a bonsai pot you might think I would back off on the feeding. Not so. I never get coarse growth because all of the cutting and keeping it in full sun all of the live long day doesn't let it. You get long internodes from lack of sunlight because a plant will reach for the sun and stretch out. Also the constant pinching and cutting keeps the leaves small. A little secret. You don't need to defoliating elm trees. This is an American elm. They normally have 2 inch or longer leaves. By having all of those fine branches the leaves distribute evenly. A tree only needs so much surface area of leaf to photosynthesize. If it has one branch with 10 2 inch leaves if I make it grow 2 branches it will have 20 leaves at half that size. As the twigs get smaller and there are more of them the leaves will naturally get smaller to distribute leaf surface area throughout the tree.
I do have to note that I have never had anyone teach me. You are lucky. I learned all of this stuff on my own. Trial and error. If your teacher does things differently and comes up with the same results who is wrong. Not me. Or him.
I must also say I'm awful rough and pushy with my trees. They are mine after all. But I do get results.
I hope this answers some questions for you.
I see I took a picture of it in a pot too. I tried that on for size and didn't like it. So I put it back into the collander. Needs a larger shallower pot. But I think I'll stick with blue.
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