AusBonsai

Hey guys, picked up this picea glauca from a local nursery and am keen to get its first styling under way. I am quite new to bonsai and after hours staring at this tree I am struggling for ideas! Any suggestions would be much appreciated!






Few decent side branches towards bottom of tree in 2nd photo

The​ main trunk splits into 3 at the top of the 3rd photo

Any ideas?

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Hi.

These trees bleed quite a bit of sap if you work on them too early. I think that you should be almost OK given your location and the cooler climate. Don't take too much off either, they can be a little finnicky.

Traditional thinking is that a branch should fork into 2. So where you have 3 branches coming out at one spot 1 will need to be removed this is aesthetic and having more than 2 can also cause excessive thickening in the area which may cause reverse taper.

Having said that, rules are not law. Thinking changes.

Probably not super helpful from a styling POV, but just take it slow, because once it comes off, it is hard to get it back on.

Bonsai look best with thinner branches toward the top of the tree. Most stock trees have thickest branches near the top of the tree. It is hard for beginners to cut off thicker branches from a tree they have just purchased but this is crucial to developing good bonsai.
As Sean has told you, try to only have V shaped forks (trunks and branches frok into 2, not 3 or more) wherever possible. This is not only more attractive but also good for the tree.

At this stage you can make almost anything out of your tree. Don't try to overthink it. Decide what shaped tree you would like and look for it hiding in your tree.

Best place to start is finding the main roots. BASE of the tree is the most important part. After seeing what's down there, look at the TRUNK for shape and taper. Then assess BRANCHES to see if the existing branches can compliment the base and trunk. At this stage you may need to compromise between the best of each of those aspects to decide the best overall tree.

Okay, thanks for your help guys, I have made the first branch cuts and am happy thus far. Trunk has good movement, now to look at the top! As always, any suggestions welcome!

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In regards to the two forks I am now dealing with, would it be an idea to take off the outer branch on each fork to keep a more upright figure? The tree gets very wide with all the forking towards the top. Cheers

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I can't see the whole tree in 3D making it difficult to give really informed advice. In general I'd try to take out the thicker branches up there. Trunks and branches should taper from base to apex. Having thick branches in the top of the tree just looks wrong.
If the remaining branches are spreading too wide or in the wrong places just move them. That's why we have wire.

Ok, I have made some cuts of some of the larger branches - there were just too many up top - and am now overwhelmed with all of the needles and smaller branches...tree is super vigorous and has up to 10 buds on any one tip!! I have now begun needle pruning. I have started removing single needles from the trunk and main branches and am wondering how far I go with this? Do I remove all single needles out to smaller branches? The growth is all so healthy I am finding it hard to determine where last season's growth ends and this season's begins...

Next will be wiring once I can come to a decision on which branches to remove higher up! And there sure is alot of them...

As always, your keen eyes and patience are much appreciated!

Thank you,
Tom

I gotta admit, it is a lovely tree and in very good health.

I personally would love to have your problem of deciding what to do next.

I agree with Shibui that you need to look for the taper in the tree and how to eliminate some of the heavier branches at the top of the tree. The hardest part for those new to bonsai is to cut off large branches and see the future of the tree, through the growth of the smaller branches.

Do you have a bonsai club near to you, perhaps some advice and incite from a few different people might be worth it.

It is just too difficult to see through the mass of foliage in the pictures you have posted to see what structure could lie beneath.

cheers,
Jeff

Thanks for your input Jeff and Shibui, I'm slowly getting a sense of where to go with this tree. I think I will keep the most central trunk bending slightly up the middle there. My only concern is that most of the branches attached to it are relatively short compared to other on the main trunk to the right. This is obviously due to it being hidden in the missile and surrounded by so much other foliage... Of the 5 main branches seen in the photo, do you have any suggestions as to which ones I should remove? I know it's hard to get a real feel for the tree from a photo...

Thanks,

Tom

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Better photo

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Another angle

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