Yellow montery cypress Wiring & Pruning first or Repotting first? Guy wires or wiring?

[Shritan Da Artist]

Just bought this lemon cypress from my local garden centre. The garden centre owner suggested to repot this up first. I thought that would it be better to structurally prune and wire this up along with using guy wires for the trunk first and then repot as soon as new growth shows up. I want to make this a formal upright and the trunk to get fatter and how do I get movement in the trunk? Please provide guidelines on how much foliage to prune off and roots to prune of at once. Does this respond well to pruning or wiring?(I've seen this as dense hedges around my place)

 

[River's Edge]

Just bought this lemon cypress from my local garden centre. The garden centre owner suggested to repot this up first. I thought that would it be better to structurally prune and wire this up along with using guy wires for the trunk first and then repot as soon as new growth shows up. I want to make this a formal upright and the trunk to get fatter and how do I get movement in the trunk? Please provide guidelines on how much foliage to prune off and roots to prune of at once. Does this respond well to pruning or wiring?(I've seen this as dense hedges around my place)View attachment 560378

I suspect your climate will vary the responses quite a bit given the tropical influence! From a basic horticulture perspective if your primary goal is to grow the trunk then I would retain the foliage ( no pruning ) avoid weakening the tree ( no wiring or bending ) and repot the tree to a more suitable container for bonsai development and growth. During the repot I would be careful to limit root cutting and improve the substrate for optimum growth conditions in a more free draining mix.
here is where your climate particularly heat and humidity will vary the best choices to accommodate your location and balcony site. Local experienced Bonsai enthusiasts may be the best source of information.

 

[Shritan Da Artist]

Thanks a lot!!! But what about the straight boring trunk? It's almost getting unbendable

 

[ShimpakuBonsai]

I want to make this a formal upright and the trunk to get fatter and how do I get movement in the trunk?

The trunk of a formal upright tree is (nearly) always straight and if you want movement it will become an informal upright IMO.

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[Shritan Da Artist]

We'll, I wonder why is the foliage needle like? I guess juvenile foliage? How much time will it take to become mature with dark foliage? I see that there is scale foliage at the top new growth... Should I air layer the top off?

 

[River's Edge]

Thanks a lot!!! But what about the straight boring trunk? It's almost getting unbendable

What is the actual diameter of the trunk just up from the base? It looks very easy to put some movement in that trunk from the picture if that is what is desired. Questions you may ask yourself. What style is best suited to this tree? How can I make the most of this material?
I find these questions best to ask prior to purchase. It helps me understand if I am interested in this particular tree or species.