AusBonsai

Morning all,

I'm just chasing a bit of input as to how best to approaching thinning out the top of my japanese cedar and define the pads. Right now it is very tangled in there, not sure if it was such a good choice for my first tree to style but I am thoroughly enjoying it never the less. I'm not able to attend a club in the foreseeable future for advice, I've been reading and watching a lot of youtube videos but would appreciate some advice if possible. The little jin at the bottom probably wont stay, the branch had to go and I figured I'd just give it a try.
If any more photos or info is needed from me I'm happy to oblige.

Thanks

That's not the same kind of Cryptomeria they usually use. It's a dwarf type and so it will be a little different. You probably won't get the long new growth that is normally pinched with the fingers. ( you might???)
Normally you train according to need. That is...If you want a branch to increase strength, then you let it grow out and prune rather deeply with scissors later when the new shoot begins to turn from green to brownish. If you need to create more density you use the fingers to pinch off the new soft growth after it has extended a little but not when it's really soft and tender.
I suspect that with your tree you might be able to get away with just scissor pruning to shape as it's probably naturally very dense any way.
Just proceed slowly with the thinning keeping in mind that if there is a replacement branch beneath the cut you should be safe. When you cut, remove the entire shoot at it's point of origin rather that cutting it half way (in other words there should be a growing point on every shoot you leave) and make sure you don't cut through any needles.
Good luck, these are not the easiest trees to maintain.

Thanks for the advice Mike.

I think I might have been barking up the wrong bush (so sorry, I'm sure that joke has never been used here before ) when I chose this one as my first. Might have to talk the wife into letting me get another tree, what a shame. Yes you are right it is a dwarf and very very dense, I'm thinking it might be an idea to change tactics again and put it in a grow pot to get bigger as I don't know if I can really get in anywhere at the top to do much. I am a little confused though, when you say remove the entire shoot, how does that work for shaping or are these 2 separate techniques?

thanks

Russ