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I have had this chinese elm for about 3 years now. Never really learned how to groom properly. But it isnt looking full or vey healthy. It just came out of dormancy but didnt produce the amount of buds or leaves i was hoping it would. I ferilized it resently and added some new top soil. How can i get my bonsai to where i want it?

Hi there,
Welcome to the forum.
Where do you live and where is the tree kept?
That information will help us provide good information for this Elm.

if you have been growing this one in this pot with good growth for 3 years i would sugjest a repot... first with the soil dry ( the soil will have shrunk compared to being wet) pull it up but not out of the pot. my guess is it will be jam packed with roots.a larger pot and root prune may be in order

Thanks for the replies!

I live in Los Angeles and I keep the tree outside on my patio (doesnt get much sunlight, maybe 3-5 hours/ day)

I agree with manofthetrees. It looks like you need to re-pot it. If the 3-5 hours of sunlight are morning hours I think it's fine. If they are in the hottest hours of the afternoon, I'd move it.

I did my first re-pot and was amazed at what I found lurking below the soil. Take a look at these photos:

Also, I think I could use a lesson in trimming. Any tips or suggestions?

i dont like that shape of the pot...4 me it is still the best to use flat,round pot and grow some moss.

Everyone has their own methods, like you growing trees without drainage holes.
I think the pot looks great. Wow no wonder why the tree wasn't in such good shape, it was pretty much strangling itself, nice job

That is a great job. Don't worry too much about other people's opinion on pots. It's all about personal taste. I happen to like the pot.
Don't grow moss in the same pot. Moss requires more moisture to stay alive than the tree. It will eventually lead to problems. Put it on when displaying the tree, and take it off again. Moss likes damp,shaded areas.

My opinion:

You did a great job with re-potting, nice healthy root system! Good pruning, not too much roots gone, a little compace dish of roots

Of course, there are better and more beautiful pots as this one (you probably buyed this tree in a garden centre? These trees are mass-produced and are often placed in mass-produced pots, just like this one) however this mass-produced tree, has got a really nice look and doesn't look like a mass-produced tree anymore!

Don't worry about the pot, if you like it, it's fine and it doesn't really matter, only the tree will look better, but this is not a competition or exhibition

What kind of soil is it that you put it in now, it looks like good drainage soil.

About the moss: I only put moss on trees that have very little pots and dry out very quick (I only have moss now on a forest, planted in a very shallow pot, otherwise I needed to give it water twice a day in summer).

If you put moss on it now, it will keep te soil wet and absorbs many water from the soil. Just before an exhibition, people put fresh moss on the trees, but after exhibition, many people remove it again.