For the last two years since I started Bonsai I have just been maintaining my small Bonsai Collection due to A) trying to improve my knowledge and B) quite a bit of worry about making that first cut.
I’m now looking to take my learning on to the next level and start to learn about and do
More of the pruning and styling of my collection.
I have decided to start with my Blue Moss Cypress, aka Boulevard Cypress, and was hoping for some of mutual styling andnpruning advice to get me started as well as any of Ryan’s videos that may be of help as well.
There are quite a few brown foliage inside the tree that I will remove too. There is quite a thick first branch as well that I think could do with being removed as well
@BonsaiJourneyman, that’s a nice looking tree! I think it will make a fine informal upright, and I’m excited to see more of its trunk line and branch structure once you get it cleaned out. Did you get to watch last night’s Pruning stream? It was really helpful, especially for the tips on pruning for cleaning. Have fun with that one!
Thank you for the compliment on the tree and styling tip @blewis1975.
I haven’t managed to see the Pruning stream yet as I’m in the UK and its usually live whilst im getting my beauty sleep lol but will definitely checked it out once it gets put up in the archives.
I’m going to do some clearing out of the tree at the weekend so will post up some more pictures once the cleaning work is done.
Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Boulevard’ Did the tree have a label for botanical name when you acquired it? I see diagonal marks on some branches that tell me it was wired to train as a bonsai at some time in the past. I believe the pictures were taken outside and I hope that is where you have been growing it. I think the nursery stock stream would be very helpful to give you guidance to style the tree
. https://live.bonsaimirai.com/archive/video/nursery-stock-series-pt.-3
Looking for the base of the tree, and any poorly positioned branches are a good start. Getting light and air into the interior is important for the health of the tree as well as desirable to give the illusion of age. Good choice, and the right time of year I think. … but would defer to those practicing locally. Do you belong to a bonsai club or support group? The local knowledge and support is well worth the dues and helped me get access to soils and wire and pots that are reasonably priced.
These are nice trees, I have a couple of them and enjoy working on them. That said…they have a tendency to shed inner growth and when branches get older, they don’t backbud very well. That means, conserve whatever interior growth you have. Keep the plant open enough so that sun gets into the interior. You’ve already got what appears to be a pretty wide canopy for the trunk size, so I’d advise doing some cut backs and thinning now.
They can thicken trunks and branches quickly, so keep an eye on them when you apply wire.
One of mine has become pretty leggy (it was already that way when I got it, but I let it get worse) and I may have to try grafting to bring the foliage back closer to the trunk.
@Bonsai_bob I acquired the tree from a Beginners Course that i attended a few years ago and was just told that it was a Blue Moss Cypress and it was after some research on the net that i found it to be also known as the Boulevard Cypress. The wire marks were unfortunately caused by me leaving the wire on to long without checking after the Beginners Course so lesson learned there.
Thank you for the link to course Bob which is something i will definitely be checking out as well as a few other streams of Ryans that will help me out.
I don’t belong to a club currently but it is definitely something that i am looking into doing.
Thank you for the tips @Chris and i definitely know how fast those trunks and branches grow hence the scaring on the tree but like i said earlier - lesson learned on that one.
… but would defer to those practicing locally. Do you belong to a bonsai club or support group? The local knowledge and support is well worth the dues and helped me get access to soils and wire and pots that are reasonably priced.