Thanks for the suggestion brandon7 (I feel like I'm a character out of Ayn Rand's "Anthem" or Logan's Run :)

Here's the tree when I planted it a year ago:
http://photos.gardenweb.com/garden/galleries/2009/06/zelkova_spring_08.html

And here it is this year with the "weepers" that I think need to be pruned:
http://photos.gardenweb.com/garden/galleries/2009/06/zelkova_spring_09.html

I really want to make sure that the tree grows as much as possible while maintaining the vase shape I bought it for.

I believe it looks fine. It's a young tree and growing well. I have one a bit older and yours will be a vase shape. They grow a bit like jack rabbits when young.
The main thing to do is make sure there are not too many main branches or trunks. They tend to be clustered and need to be thinned if not done by the nursery you purchased from.

Here is a link that might be useful: link

I agree with Paula.

I also know how you feel about all the technical computer stuff. I have a degree in computer engineering and could still use a fifth grader around to give me advise on the darn things.

Thanks for the advice and the link, Paula. I may have to get an arborist in because the question for me on branches and trunks is "how much is too clustered and how much should be thinned?"

Back to the weepers - I planted a 3rd one a week ago and the landscaper who brought it over started getting me nervous about the weepers so I did trim a few on the bottom and a few around the middle. I mean, the guy does deal w/ trees a lot so it seemed to make sense to trim maybe 8 inches or so off some the weepers at the correct node to foster the proper shape and promote stronger growth on the stem below. If you notice on the '09 pic, the middle section has a bunch of much shorter branches so it seemed right. I hope I haven't messed it up.

He also mentioned cutting back the ones way at the top but I don't want to stunt it's growth so I'm going to leave those alone.

Hey Brandon - funny about the computer stuff. I was actually referring to having a number after your name (which is pretty common I guess in the world of user names.) I know this isn't a literacy blog but calling you Brandon7 really evoked the themes from Rands novella (and the classic B-movie "Logan's Run") about the loss of individuality and such. The entire population in the book shares the same 8 or so names and are only differentiated by the number after that name. Just thought it was funny (but maybe a bit to heady for a garden blog! :)

The weepers is just the way it grows. They sprout out long, but give them time and it will grow into it. I was concerned at first, too. Mine is 10 years old and I didn't cut any of the weepers and it is just fine.

Could you repost how it looks now 14 years later?