Bonsai at Large

I had a question regarding the Bonsai technique and if it could be used with larger plants. For example, I live in a village home in Western New York with a small back yard. I am currently growing a Metasequoia
glyptostroboides which is about 4 feet tall and growing. This tree will quickly get too large for my property. I could lop it off at the top and grow an odd-looking/ shaped tree, though the trunk would no doubt continue to grow in diameter. However, I was wondering if I could grow the tree to approximately 6 feet tall or so and incorporate bonsai wiring techniques to keep a more natural shaped mature tree at a reasonable size for my property. Have never personally tried bonsai, so I asked Paul James, host of Gardening by the Yard and this is what he had to say:

Eric, your question intrigued me. So here goes. There is some logic to the approach you're considering, namely topping or wiring the tree, but it won't work. Topping the tree will indeed ruin it's shape, and wiring won't actually restrict its growth. What you'll have to do is prune the roots, which is the method used to keep the growth of bonsai trees in check. In late winter or early spring, you'll have to dig up the root-ball, remove up to one-third of the root mass, and replant. You should simultaneously remove up to one-third of the top growth. Only then will you be able to maintain the size of the tree at whatever size you determine. I hope that helps. Good luck.

Best,

Paul James

So there you have it. Even giants can do bonsai if they so choose and while I may not be a giant, I will certainly take on this giant gardening challenge to enjoy my Dinosaur Tree for years to come. Thanks Paul!