AusBonsai

Nice chage Kerrin,
the extra branching you might be lucky if you can cut back the apex branching a little in spring.
I hve one and got some low down much later after it design was firmed when I cut back a lttle harder and it shodu out around an old branch chop.

Re planting in the ground, unless you want to increase girth then I would not. its Nebari looks OK for an elm already and with a nice selection of branching and ramification I think it will look sweet.

Ken

Well it's been a year,

This one was completely left to its own devices, only fed and watered and barely looked at over the growing season. A number of times I have been on the verge of doing some work on it but for one reason or another have not been bothered until today,

Cut back, cleaned out and wired Looking forward to another year (providing it doesn't decided to bail out on any of the remaining branches as elms seem to have a tendency to do)

Kerrin

kez wrote:Cheers guys,

The first branch is acting as a kind of second trunk and the branching will come down off this as it develops, unfortunately there's no bending it down, it's about 1.5cm thick

Kez

Hi Kez, You can try what Ken P suggests. But I would suggest cutting a channel on the underside of the branch. 1.5 x 6-7 long and about 1/3rd to 1/4 of the circumference, the depth in, no more than 5 mm. The resulting bending after wiring you will find is so flexible. Try to plan so that the bend/twist is where it will not be seen. It will heal over in 3–4 years.

Good Luck, AnneK.

Thanks for the comment Anne, however the above quote was in reference to the tree as it stood 2 years ago... it has been altered since

Regards

Kerrin