AusBonsai

Hi, I have come across (rather found this tree in the garden forgotten) a nice jade that I think has great potential to be a nice bonsai, before I go in blind and with out a clue, I am asking for any ideas or pointers as to how to cut and train this tree, as it is in the pot it is 800mm tall and about 200mm around the main trunk, I like the more upright, informal upright styles

front

rear

I'd clean away the straight shoots around the base and cut the whole thing back so no shoot is longer than say 20 cm. Then remove it from the pot and loosen earth away from the thick trunk and see what you have. But you can't see the tree when it is surrounded by a forest of stalks and the forest is far too straight to do other than remove. The main feature is the thickest trunk so get rid of all shoots from the ground up to the thick trunk's first major branch. Then when you can see your subject photograph it from 4 angles, repost so we can then start your styling.

I have 2 at the moment and they are both from cuttings.
They definitely suit informal styles and have found the best way to shape is via clip and grow rather than wiring

Ken

and on top of that, anything you cut off stick it in some soil and you will have a hundred cuttings that will all strike with out a drama!

Some people don't consider Jade to be Bonsai material, but Janet Sabey in Adelaide and Don Deluca from Hay have some of the most amazing Jade bonsai I have seen, Janet uses more of a clip and grow method developing foliage pads to form dense silhohettes, while Don wires all the branches to form a more open traditional style with carved trunks.
You have some great material to start from, so experiment and you can come up with something great.
Cheers, Jonden

just an update, I have taken the plunge and cut and repotted the tree, when I took it from its origional pot I was able to get the main tree and a smaller one complete with its own root ball, that has been repotted and I will post a couple of pics of that later, for now I will just show how the big one is looking, (dont comment on the pot as the tree is a little bigger than I firs thought and it was all I had, and sorry for the low quality pics, didnt finish till just on dark and had to clean up)
front

right side

back

left side


I have left it for now but if anyone has any other suggestions I more than welcome them

i feel like i keep raving on about this book but craig coussins masterclass has a huge jade tree on the cover. it is so dense and has a great silhouette. i think it is a group planting but man its great. the one i am talking bout is the australian cover edition not the american one, the american one has a wisteria on the cover

if you cant find it i am sure i can scan and send it to you

edit-here is a link showing you the cover i am talking about http://www.amazon.com/Bonsai-Master-Cla ... 1402735472

The Mass Murderer strikes again. Took much, too heavy. More off would be better and kill the bar branching I know I'm severe but if you don't get the right skeleton now you will lose so much time because you will sure as googs remove this stuff next year. Your selection might be different branches but you have to get rid of the bar branch, remove the higher up heavyweights and do something serious about the 'Vs' that are your current first branch and near the apex.

Swing those sidecutters, Man. She's a crying afor it.