Hi, This is ChineseElm! I wanted some help with my pre-bonsai. I purchased this 3-4 days ago (It's a Chinese elm) and it looks pretty nice. Maybe not that much foliage though. I live in AZ, and I need some help. It looks like it came in an organic-heavy bonsai soil mix. When should I repot it? When to prune it? I also noticed that the lowest branch is going downwards. Any advice on when to cut it?

Thanks
Chinese Elm

Image attached below

Hello and welcome to the empire.

Please bear in mind that this is an international forum. Local abreviations like AZ will not be recogniced by most users.

Since it is a newly purshased tree and I asume you are a beginner in bonsai you should not do any styling, prunning or repotting. The only thing you should think about is to make it survive and grow well the first year. That includes to understand that this species do absolutelly best outdoors all year. Most trees kept indoors die within the first year. If you live in an area that gets deep frost below -10 for long time the tree needs to be protected in greenhouse, cold frame or just a shed. Learn how to water correctly and spend the first year study bonsai and your tree. If it grows vigourously in summer you can cut long branches back to 1 or 2 pair of leafs.

This tree needs to put on a lot more foliage before it can be worked on.

If it is back to full vigour late winter or early spring, I would cut the two branches growing in the in curve of the trunk. I like down growing branches, but yours is growing a little bit too much down in my opinion. That can be corrected with wire or possibly by changing angle of the tree when repotting. I would not cut that branch. But in any case, I would not correct anything for quite a while. Earlies in late winter 2022, but possibly late winter 2023. Bonsai is a maraton not a sprint.

Ok. What wire size should I use? I have no idea as I'm new to this. (Of course, I will wire in late 2022)

And leatherback, is that you? From Bonsai Nut?
This is Chinese Elm, the banned account.

And how often to water it ?

Use the smallest wire that can do the job.

Watering is done when the tree needs it, not on a scedule. When the soil is moist, but not dry water abundantly over the whole surface until there is a steady flow comming out of the drainage hole. I water mine one to two times per day in the peak of the summer and 1 time a month or less in winter.

yes it is me. Be carefull, people get tossed put of here of misbaving too..