how to shorten the trunk of your tree.

danandem · Post by **danandem** » January 4th, 2009, 9:44 pm

hey everyone,
would anyone be able to tell me how to shorten the trunk of a bonsai tree, my swamp cypress is quite tall and i really like it tall, but incase later on i want to make it shorter i want to be able to do it properly, i dont think just cutting it to the desired hight would be right? or is it?
best wishes, dan

stymie · Post by **stymie** » January 4th, 2009, 9:52 pm

Yes Dan, the chop is the only way. If you still want a leader pointing upwards at the apex, make the cut just above a candidate branch and sloping away from it. The branch can then be wired and bent upward to encourage it to be the new leader.

Bretts · Post by **Bretts** » January 5th, 2009, 8:25 am

Dan I gather since your tree is a swamp cypress that it will be in the formal upright form. Trunk chopping in this form takes a little more care than the informal upright or other forms.
This article should be some help. I think the tree in the article may even be a swamp cypress or one of it's cousins

I use an electric carver when doing this.
http://www.bonsaisite.com/chopping.html

Asus101 · Post by **Asus101** » January 5th, 2009, 10:22 am

Why don't Australians do flat tops on their BC?

AusBonsai

how to shorten the trunk of your tree.

how to shorten the trunk of your tree.

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Re: how to shorten the trunk of your tree.