To bonsai pot or grow box

[dbonsaiw]

i was shopping for a bonsai pot for this Chinese elm (yes, my Chinese elms still have leaves in February) and started to think it may instead need a chop and some years in a grow box first. It appears too tall and that thick straight top section could use more movement and taper. Before I whack off like 10 inches from the top, I thought I’d throw it out for some opinions. Advice appreciated.

 

[flor1]

From just the one picture I would cut the top off .
i would look at removing low branch on right side too.

 

[Michael P]

You could also air layer the top and have another tree.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I agree with @flor1 ; it is not far from a nice tree there in my opinion, with a little carving and wiring. You don’t really need a grow box for thickening, but then again, some time in an Anderson flat could really boost the health and development.

 

[eugenev2]

i was shopping for a bonsai pot for this Chinese elm (yes, my Chinese elms still have leaves in February) and started to think it may instead need a chop and some years in a grow box first. It appears too tall and that thick straight top section could use more movement and taper. Before I whack off like 10 inches from the top, I thought I’d throw it out for some opinions. Advice appreciated.

Hard to tell with one picture from one direction. But right lower branch i would keep, but i would fix the downward growth. Left first two branches seem too thick in comparison to the trunk, as well as the second branch on the left being in a less than ideal location. I would choose the branch that is relatively too thick and remove that.
I would leave the top and put the tree in the ground to use the top growth to assist with trunk thickening

 

[dbonsaiw]

Some more pics.

 

[Shibui]

and started to think it may instead need a chop and some years in a grow box first. It appears too tall and that thick straight top section could use more movement and taper. Before I whack off like 10 inches from the top, I thought I’d throw it out for some opinions. Advice appreciated.

If you are concerned about a tree in ground it will look 10 times worse in a pot.
Without even looking at pics I would say chop and grow again.
After checking the pics I say definitely chop and grow again.

 

[dbonsaiw]

If you are concerned about a tree in ground it will look 10 times worse in a pot.
Without even looking at pics I would say chop and grow again.
After checking the pics I say definitely chop and grow again.

Thank you. Bonsai sometimes brings to mind Cheney’s ridiculous quote about “known knows, unknown knowns etc.”. There are things I think I know about developing trees, things I know I don’t yet understand and then there are things I don’t even know that I don’t know. To me, the tree is off to a nice start, needs a big cut and development of the canopy etc. it seems years away from a pot (and that’s 100% fine). To visitors of my garden, the tree looks “finished”, especially given that it’s in the bonsai pot I got it in. Against the backdrop of all my other grow boxes and sticks, I receive gasps when I tell people that I think about 1/3 of the trunk needs to come off. “Why would you ruin such a nice tree?” Is the common refrain. Just double checking that I am not ruing anything and in fact will be furthering its development.

 

[Bonsai Forest]

i was shopping for a bonsai pot for this Chinese elm (yes, my Chinese elms still have leaves in February) and started to think it may instead need a chop and some years in a grow box first. It appears too tall and that thick straight top section could use more movement and taper. Before I whack off like 10 inches from the top, I thought I’d throw it out for some opinions. Advice appreciated.

Go for it