globe blue spruce

does this have any promise? i rescued if from a build being razed. but have no clue to a style.

We need a picture, Ricky. Read the tutorials in the "testing" forum.

geez instructions are a beautiful thing huh. thanks for the help!
but still dont have a clue with what to do with the tree.

Your problem is that the foliage is way out on the tips of the branches. But you'd probably figured that out already.

I don't know this species and have no idea how well (or if) it backbuds. But I'd pinch the foliage back to nice orderly pads, then fertilize heavily for a while to see if it does backbud over the summer.

If not, I suspect you're going to have to settle for some kind of a literati shape for it with one or the other of those trunks.

I agree with Jim. If it buds back you will have some options. I'm not sure but, I think you need foliage at the ends to draw sap. Which may mean that the right side will die off. I am no expert on the spruce so don't let me rain on your parade just yet. Should it decide not to bud back, then you might be able to create a litariti or bend the branches downward creating a cascade.

Regards,
_Joe

this is my tree after i cut it back. it is budding on the ends but not budding back. is there hope?

One of the problems with blue spruce is that it is very hard to have it backbud, if not impossible, so I wouldn't place much hope on that one...

I would consider bending very carefully the branch ( the highest one)with the foliage at 180 degrees and wire it in such a way that it would make nice pads. I would also jinn the stumps.
Food for thought.

I've grown bue spruce (Picea pungens) before. My one back budded quite well.

In the end though, I killed becuase I overworked it. I now have a couple of firs (Abies) which are very similar to spruce in their care requirements.

With your tree, I feel it was a mistake to cut off all that foliege, please don't do any more cutting or styling for a couple of seasons. If you fertilise it and let it grow, it will gather the energy it needs to backbud effectively. As with all conifers, if you remove all the foliage from a branch, it will die, unlike with a broadleaved tree. Spruces like strong sunlight, but don't like to get too hot (they come from higher ground and mountain ranges). They also appreciate a breeze.

To get the tree to back bud, you first must divide the foliege into weak, medium and strong areas. Look at the buds on the end on the branches. On strong branches there will usually be 3 or more buds, on medium, 1 or 2, and only 1 or 0 on weak branches. The needles will also look stouter and greener in strong areas.

On the strong branches, over the winter, I remove some of the stronger (larger) buds on the stonger branches, leaving 2 buds in place at the tip of the branch. Then when the tree grows in the spring, the new growth will fork nicely. This avoids inverse taper issues and also redirects enegry to weaker areas of the tree. On strongly growing trees, I have even cut back whole strong areas to reduce the number of buds there, but I don't think you'l need to do that on your tree.

You may see 3 small buds in the branch tips in medium areas. In this case, just remove the weakest one.

Start giving it a balanced fertiliser, such as blood, fish and bone. In late spring, when the new growth reaches about 5cm long, pinch off 50-70% off each shoot in the strong areas, and 25-50% off each shoot in the medim areas. Don't touch the weak areas. When the new needles begin to darken, give it a fetiliser with a bit more nitrogen (half strength every other week) until Autumn comes. This will encourage the tree to throw ot new buds, and because you have pinched back it primary growth areas, it should back bud.

Look on bonsai4me for more info. Don't worry about styling right now, I can already see a few possibilities! Nice find, happy growing.

Richard

thank you so much for ur advice, that gives me a great place to start!

G'day Ricky...

I'd like to put a little muscle behind one thing that Jim said...NO MORE TRIMMING for two years or more.

Further, always remember, and don’t ever forget, bonsai is a trip that requires time and patience. Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.

Pat…mounted on my trusty stead, riding off wildly in all directions…

This type of spruce backbuds not only well but extremely well. It will even bud on old wood w course bark. I hav 2 and I cut back a few branches comletely removing all foliage w the intention of making a jin and even those branches threw out new buds! I wouldn't get ur hopes up for that but yes it will male a a good tree. Good part is now u will have complete control over new branches as u can prune and wire to make foliage pads in perfect placement. Id fertilize heavily and keep pnching new buds. Mine bud pretty much the whole of summer. Good luck