Dwarf Alberta Spruce - 2 years of Development

[MujiRyan]

I am looking for advice on how to potentially improve this tree. I think It is looking better with age, but not sure on what to do to really make it look nice. The first picture shows its progression through the first full year, and the second picture by itself shows what it looks like today. I just recently removed a lot of bar branches. I did not realize that was bad when I first styled it a few years back. I left some Jin's to make it look more aged.

 

[Srt8madness]

IMO the tree looked best in the second picture with the "Bonsai " text. You had interior foliage and lots of branches all around the trunk.

Idk much about Spruce, but if they back bud reliably I would focus on regenerating that interior foliage.

 

[MujiRyan]

IMO the tree looked best in the second picture with the "Bonsai " text. You had interior foliage and lots of branches all around the trunk.

Idk much about Spruce, but if they back bud reliably I would focus on regenerating that interior foliage.

Yeah, I definitely made some mistakes early on. This was my first tree, so I was pretty inexperienced.

 

[Cruiser]

By removing branches, you have given the tree incentive to bud back along the trunk and remaining branches this growing season.

I’d give it plenty of fertilizer and let it grow until Fall. Remove wire if it starts to bite.

Come Fall, if the tree is healthy, you can cut back to buds and growth closer to the trunk. You might also consider wiring at that time.

Narrowing the canopy of the tree will help rein it in to the right proportions and improve the overall appearance.

You were right to reduce the whorls even if the immediate result isn’t nice to look at. One of the problems with this species is trunk bulging from too many branches growing around fixed points.

 

[MujiRyan]

By removing branches, you have given the tree incentive to bud back along the trunk and remaining branches this growing season.

I’d give it plenty of fertilizer and let it grow until Fall. Remove wire if it starts to bite.

Come Fall, if the tree is healthy, you can cut back to buds and growth closer to the trunk. You might also consider wiring at that time.

Narrowing the canopy of the tree will help rein it in to the right proportions and improve the overall appearance.

You were right to reduce the whorls even if the immediate result isn’t nice to look at. One of the problems with this species is trunk bulging from too many branches growing around fixed points.

Thanks for your advice!