Hi Guys
So I picked up this guy yesterday and I'm unsure weather or not to plant him in a grow bed to thicken up, or cut it back and wire to get some movement in that pencil trunk. It seems to be in very good health and I am hoping it will make a fairly good tree.
Any help or advice is as always, greatly appreciated.
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I'm very much at the novice sage myself, if it was mine I would layer the top this year. It seems to be a bit more interesting than the lower half. You can always chop lower for movement after you remove the layer. They grow very easily from cuttings so should be easy to get a successful air layer.
Probably have to agree with above. I would look to find layer opportunities from the top. You can put down multiple layers on the same tree provided there is foliage above each layer site. Look for places with a bit of movement in the future base and some branching close(ish) to that spot you can use to shape the new layer later on. Layering is great, but if you layer at a spot with no taper/movement and no interesting branching, you end up with a succesful layer of pretty ordinary potential for bonsai.
I would leave the rest of the tree to develop, hopefully thicken a bit and then go for a big trunk chop next winter. That trunk is super straight and too thick for bending of any real significance I think (if my perception of scale is correct from the photo). If you trunk chop low next winter you will get several new shoots that you can develop taper and movement/branching from ... for me that is the best bet.
Chinese Elms are pretty indestructible trees so there is lots you can do. It will also depend on what style you want for your tree. Chinese Elms look good as formal uprights so you could keep the bottom section for that and create something else in the top layer. If your keeping the bottom section for a formal then into a grow bed after layering.
Cheers
Kirky
KIRKY wrote: ↑October 5th, 2020, 10:53 am
Chinese Elms are pretty indestructible trees so there is lots you can do. It will also depend on what style you want for your tree. Chinese Elms look good as formal uprights so you could keep the bottom section for that and create something else in the top layer. If your keeping the bottom section for a formal then into a grow bed after layering.
Cheers
Kirky
I think wiring a trunk like that would be a waste of time. Sure you would put some bends in that may make it a little more interesting but the lack of taper will remain. Taper in a trunk is on of the vital signs of age - thick near the base down to thin at the apex. The best way to get taper in a trunk is trunk pruning. Each time you chop the trunk and grow a new leader there will be taper because the new part is naturally thinner than the older part below.
There's not much indication of the real thickness of this trunk but if you believe it can be bent it must be pretty thin. Is there any real point layering such a skinny trunk? Layering would take nearly 6 months during which time you won't be able to make any real progress on chopping and growing a new apex. Another tree will probably only cost $10- $20 to buy. I always ask is it worth the delay? Chinese elms are also quite good from stem cuttings. For such thin trunks I would go straight to the first chop and use the pieces to attempt cuttings. Little lost if they don't strike but a far quicker result if any do strike.
Before deciding to do anything I would urge you to check where the main roots are. No need to unpot, just dig down all round the trunk and see how far down to the thicker roots and are they right round the trunk and at a similar level. How far down will help decide where to make the trunk chop (or layers). Roots all round the trunk at a single level will be great for a broom style bonsai but if they are higher on one side you would probably tip the trunk over a bit and aim for informal upright instead.
How thick to grow the trunk depends on your taste and the size you are aiming at. Really small bonsai obviously don't need to have really thick trunks but smaller bonsai are harder to do well and harder to keep alive. If you want to try for a larger bonsai the best course would be to plant the tree in a large pot or better still in the ground and let it grow for a couple of years. Then your layers may prove more worthwhile. A couple of trunk chops while it can grow freely will help add some real taper and maybe some bends in that trunk.
There's not just one way to bonsai. Usually several roads lead to similar outcomes.
it will make a fairly good tree.
