AusBonsai

Advice for 30 year old Cypress, please. It has heavy, ragged foliage. Should I pinch it into to shape or can it be cut to regain balance and form.

Check out graham potter, some great tips.

Mick

Hi Doug, are you by chance the gentleman who came into Bonsai Farm this morning? A gentleman came in and was talking to Lindsay about a 30yr old Cypress.
I was the guy without a jacket

Yep - that's me; and I bought some new tools and will cautiously start work.....Doug

Looks like good material for a upright/slanting tree.

Prior to cutting much, I suggest that you wire the branches down and try and place them to make a nice shape tree such as the drawing below. If there are still too many branches out of shape, then proceed with the cutting.

I avoid indiscriminate pinching as it leads to poor bonsai that have branches that look like pom poms. Cut back to new growth and form branches as you would for all other bonsai.

I also recommend that you take this tree along to a club, or back to Lindsay to get a few pointers.