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Hello it is very interesting to growing a tree from scratch and then caring for it over many years can bring a real sense of achievement! If you wish to grow your pine into a much taller plant, let it develop to the appropriate height before pinching out the tip. Your pine have the right size for wiring. Twist the wired stem into a tight S shaped coil. Leave the wired pine to grow and thicken in its pot for about a year. Remove the wire after a year. You can create the bonsaï of your dream!
For the birch it is not the same. You have to pinching and pruning your plant after select the rights branches. Be carefull because birch can lose braches by dryness.

a+ tchoco

Turning any tree into an "S" shape is tacky, unnatural, and something against which 99% of knowledgable bonsai growers argue every day. It is seen all the time in the mass produced little cuttings imported from China and sold as 'bonsai' in big box stores, but is not desirable at all in trees we grow ourselves. The only thing I think you need to pay attention to is that birch should not be worked on in the middle of winter, but later in the spring.

The best way to get ideas on styling a tree is to 'look'. The web has a wealth of pictures, there are many sites with albums of finished trees and don't forget to look at nature. Make some sketches, join a local society, attend a workshop or a spring critque (which many local societies offer) and get advice on styling.

Bob

Yes...for Gods sake...stay away from the 's' bend !!!

I never said that turning tree into an perfect 'S'. I would say turning in an unnatural S shape. I am sorry for the confusion and i am agree that you don't have to create commercial bonsaï!
An other way to create a good taper are field-growing techniques like 'clip and grow'. You can have more informations about this technique in the internet. In four or five years, your tree could be like this: http://www.orlandobonsai.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/IMG_3536a.jpg

Tchoco

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:4678}}

Spammo.

thanks for the help larke /s

i was hoping sombody would be able to to tell me how i can trim the trees-without killing them. I would love to trim all the needles between the buds along the trunk but i dont know if that would be detrimental to the health of the tree. of course i know about bending but have no inclination to do so. I would also be open to pinching the top bud or cutting it off completely if somebody told me that it would help dwarf the tree itself. I know monterey pines like to grow tall but this thing has really shot up in the last year and i want to stunt the growth as much as possible.

also, side question.... i have 5 oak trees in a large flat pot but there seems to be a little earthworm activity ( pilings after a good rain) is this detrimental to the oaks or is this ok?

thanks everybody!

Go to www.evergreengardenworks.com/articles. There is excellent information about your question in detail.

HiHi, I too have a pine that I grew from a seed, it is the ordinary pine that grow here in Florida,not sure of the specific type,but mine has longer needles.Anyway,til I'm sure what it will do when older, I've hung two of my TB Racehorse old shoes from XmasTree ornament hooks onto the main trunk and lower branches,forming a "windswept" look to it for right now.Looks quite dramatic for such a young tree (about a year old not and 1ft or so tall) Have taken off a few of the tiny branches that lay inbetween the ones I wanted to keep and "all is well".Yes, they do grow quickly and especially with this tree, I've been able to shape a lot more with such quick growth.I also have a sweetgum and a live oak and a goldenrain tree,all "yearlings" too. There is slower growth with these,but I'm looking forward to help from others when it comes to these types of trees and their Bonsai Training. Good Luck !!!