AusBonsai

Thanks for clearing that up shibui. I feel like seiju look quite similar to Hokkaido. That's why I asked.

That stock tree is a WEAPON. Wow.....

Good luck with your Hokkaido bonsaiforrest! Think of using clip and grow only as a blessing because I think it's a really satisfying way to style a tree....

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk

Thanks Reece...Will probably be needing all the luck I can get. Although as Deepeetee mentioned I should come up with a definite plan ...I'll be doing a light trim over the weekend and the waiting to see where it back buds...Then a sketch of my desired outcome...Then take cuttings or air layer branches that I are not needed in my plan...Then be prepared to be patient (now knowing that Hokkaido's are such slow growers)... & then on the slow road to a seriously long term project...Can't complain that's bonsai...Isn't it...?

On the topic of cuttings - So if I was to take branches off my Hokkaido to use as cuttings what would be the best technique...? I was hoping to remove one of my branches that's about 3/4 inch thick. Or do you think it would be a safer bet for me to air layer...? As Hokkaido's are such slow growers would that mean that producing roots on an air layer would also be a timely patient wait...?

I find cuttings quite easy to strike and they don't take any longer than other elms. I normally use 4-6 mm thick pieces of young wood. You can also strike tiny little pieces but it will take a few years to grow anything big enough to work on. Technique is the same as all cuttings - treat the freshly cut base with your preferred rooting compound, set cuttings in cutting medium and place in a bright, humid place while roots form.
This year I have put in a larger cutting - about 2cm thick- to see if it will strike (branch that broke off the stock tree)

I do lose some rooted cuttings after I pot them up. I think it may be a fungal issue so now give preventative fungicide after potting up new cuttings. These do not like too much shade - growth is slower and some will die when grown in the shade. A couple of days after potting up rooted cuttings move to a sunny location to get good results.
You could try air layering but can you put a layer on without breaking any nearby branches or snapping the one you are trying to layer? I expect you would have roots on a layer in a few months during spring and summer, like other elms.

shibui wrote:Did Ray also warn you that these are extremely brittle. Whole branches break off if you look at them too hard so look toward clip and grow rather than wire and bend. Don't be surprised if branches suddenly go brown and die either. It seems to be something they do but there is usually so many branches that after the dead one is pruned you cannot tell that it is missing.

I think that broom style is generally the best way to go with these.
You'll probably need to cut branches hard to get some taper into them but, even though slow to grow, they do grow back pretty quick after pruning.

Was out in the rain today checking on my trees.... My Hokkaido was totally covered with fallen leaves from our ornamental plum... In the process of removing all of the leaves, I noticed that all of the thinner branches (4-6mm) and smaller shoots were all very pliable & easy to bend (even though I pushed them none broke). Really don't know why & as to how this all works seeing as they were so brittle in Spring & Summer. Had an idea, seeing they are such slow growers I would be able to wire from (while their more flexible) now on until the end of winter, let set, and remove the following year without the wire cutting in...if that all makes sense...........