Hello I am Jo and I have just got my 1st bonsai a velkova but it does not look like any photo I have seen it seems to be twisted and some of the thin branches are 8-10cms long before there are any leaves please help me

Read some of the articles on the site, I’d love to help you but I have no experience with these trees.

This plant looks like it has been crushed up. It is a Chinese Elm, and should be outside as it is a hardy species and does not do well if you try to keep it in. Look in the store here and you will find some basic information.

It's Zelkova, not Velkova, but that's not what it is. It's a chinese elm / Ulmus parvifolia

Your Ulmus doesn't look very happy at the moment. Is it indoors?

As others have indicated.. It is a chinese elm. They can stand temperatures of up to -5C without any worries. If it gets colder, you will need to protect it for a bit. However, as this one seems to be actively growing, do not put it in full frost this year; It came from a greenhouse.

You will need to do a bit of readin up. The plant as is is just start material. You will need to trim out he crown; Each branch should live in its own part of the canopy, without other branches interfering. So all branches should roughly radiate out from the main trnk. Branches groing inwards should be removed.

THe initial trimming of such plants looks very drastic once done; You may remove 70% of the branches or even more in one sitting. Sometimes, to go forward, you have to take a few steps back.