AusBonsai

Kyushu Danji wrote:Hello Grant,
I have read that some elms can be kept indoors during winter if placed in the right position. Is the corky bark elm one of them?

James

The corky bark chinese elm is fully deciduous whereas the ordinary Chinese elm can keep its leaves over winter and might be able to be kept inside to some benefit but I wouldn't bother.

I would not keep the corky bark elm inside at all,

grant

Thanks for answering that question Grant.

Hi all,

I am off on a short break and getting some stuff done around the house and on my bonsai. I have got a fair few trees repotted that haven't been done for years as well as a few that have.

I decided to try this elm in a deeper pot and am pleased with the outcome.
.

Grant

Looking good in that new pot Grant. It is surely a nice tree.

One of my corky bark elms has been in leaf for a month or so and has put on about 6 inches of growth i will be wruning and wiring it soon and its not even spring yet.... Looks like it will be a busy year.

Jow wrote:Looking good in that new pot Grant. It is surely a nice tree.

One of my corky bark elms has been in leaf for a month or so and has put on about 6 inches of growth i will be wruning and wiring it soon and its not even spring yet.... Looks like it will be a busy year.

Hi Joe,

This tree has only just started to bud up and will still be a few weeks before it is in leaf. I hope we have a warmer summer this year than last years cool and wet year.

Grant

Some colour in 2013

Wonderful specimen Grant and the color this week was awesome, it got my vote

Gerard wrote:Wonderful specimen Grant and the color this week was awesome, it got my vote

Thanks for your vote of confidence.

I was busy when the public choice vote got announced. Any body know which trees were favoured by the public and conventioneers?

Grant

It was a great display and few people agreed as to which was best.
I think the juniper was the winner but I am not certain I heard correctly.
The cascading Kunzea and cypress were high in the voting.
I had a difficult time deciding,
The gum
The banksia, if so which one
The jack pine
The privet
The deodar cedar
The grevillea
When I spoke to others the list just got longer
Oops I nearly forgot the Nicholi group

I can only say WAW!

Hi Grant,
Fantastic Corky! I have a Corky that is around the same age. It was grown in the the ground for the first 15 years, lifted annually to be root pruned by a well know Victorian Bonsai lady, Greta Brezny. She has since passed away but many of her trees are still around.

A number of growers in her era grew Corkies but some of the trees have subsequently died or died back requiring restlying. I have seen it with my tree where it was neglected for a few years and had little trimming or pruning to some of the branches. They died or at least become very weak. I believe if you are not regularly working on the branches cutting back and pruning, sap flow reduces and the branches eventually die. It has prompted me to ask after looking at the growth your tree has put on after branch shortening.

Have you found that with Corky Bark Elms?

Many people struggle with Corky bark elms because they do not keep the tree well fed; trimmed back after good growth to allow light in and keep the inner branches healthy and keep it in full sun.

The ordinary Chinese elm seems to thrive on neglect; but not the corky or seiju elm.

The wonderful bark is their best feature and very desirable but you have to do the work on the tree on a regular basis to keep it looking good and in a healthy state.

After the hard cut back I have followed the above advice and will now trim the tree out lightly two to two to two right out to the tips. It is too firmly set in the Black Pine style so I will keep the pads of foliage rather than going to a natural deciduous style.

I need to trim off the few hanging down bits and bulk up the pads etc.

Grant

Grant Bowie wrote:The ordinary Chinese elm seems to thrive on neglect; but not the corky or seiju elm.

A very true statement Grant and, as usual, i found that out the hard way. I am now getting the hang of it after losing a major branch. Yours is stunning and a credit to your skills and wished i could have seen it up close and personal in Canberra.

I was lucky enough to see it in person caught my eyes straight away I think it was one if not the best on display in Canberra

Sorry for the crap phone photo

bodhidharma wrote:

Grant Bowie wrote:The ordinary Chinese elm seems to thrive on neglect; but not the corky or seiju elm.

A very true statement Grant and, as usual, i found that out the hard way. I am now getting the hang of it after losing a major branch. Yours is stunning and a credit to your skills and wished i could have seen it up close and personal in Canberra.

No please. Do go on.

Thanks

Grant