AusBonsai

Hi Everyone. This time i picked up 2 elms (chinese ?) at the Ausbonsai market.

This is the first time i am working with Elm stock. Lots of information out there so i'll stick to a couple of specific questions. I am in the Sydney North area. Can i set some airlayers now and maybe even attempt some grafts?

Elm 1 has two strong branches forming one very heavy top. I'd like to airlayer and remove one. 1 is thinner than 2. 2 has more vigourous growth. Also i found that there is a surprise thick heavy root underneath all the soil. I am planning on chopping this of not next autumn but one following that. There are 2 sets of roots but no good nebari.

Elm 2 will need quite a bit of thread grafting to place branches. Not sure if hacking the long top will encourage any backbudding. Someone did attempt a thread graft but it seems to have been unsuccessful leaving a big hole behind. It only has cambium on one half of the tree.
















I wish i got the sellers details so i could ask them a few questions.

I live in Sydney west near the M2, M7 junction and for me Chinese elms mostly do not go deciduous thru winter. Most of the street elm around here are the same.
My garden is north facing and quite protected and so get new growth throughout winter.

In light of that, I would layer now as I can get 3 months of good growth before the coldest days set in so that (for me) should be sufficient time to set new roots. If not they will be happy over winter anyway and a head start in spring.
the important thing is if you separate the layer before winter, do you have a warm sheltered spot to overwinter the tree? If so then go for it now.

The larger one should back bud if you cut it back hard.

Trhead graft in later spring / summer if you want to have another go at it.

Ken

Great nebari on the second one. Good score.

I saw that second one at the sale and did a few laps contemplating it's purchase, then it was gone! Good score!
As ken said Cutting back will promote backbudding
Elms do often get large roots below soil level and root cutting grow relatively wasily


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Thanks guys. Thanks Ken. I am assuming peat moss is the preferred medium for air layering. Better get started tomorrow in that case. I do have mini greenhouses which can accommodate over winter.

Bonborn,
SPHAGNUM moss is the best layering medium, peat may work ok but might not have enough air. Plenty of people use the pot method with potting mix and you have probably seen Ray's method with muck but Sphagnum is still my best medium for layering.

I use chopped Spagnum moss and Diatomite

kcpoole wrote:I use chopped Spagnum moss and Diatomite

This is what i was thinking too. Meant to say spagnum moss.

There's been some good growth on this tree.



I don't want to thicken the branches much so do i keep on pruning back to ramify. Won't the tree get weak in that sense. I also have done 2 thread grafts and i need to let those ones grow out.

I think it needs some trimming on all the growth except the grafts, and some directional wiring to get the foliage in the right areas.
Looking good though.

Elm 2.

Any ideas on how I should design this one. Its got a lot of branches but I can figure out how to design it.

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bonborn wrote:
I don't want to thicken the branches much so do i keep on pruning back to ramify. Won't the tree get weak in that sense. .

Possibly yes, but that is why we fertilise during the growing season.
we need to control the growth and cutting back does that.

Re tree 2, I select the obvious branches to remove then re evaluate. I see a couple on the inside of curves, so unless there is a reason to keep them, then off the go.
same applies to several for the same spot on the trunk. delete all but one ( unless otherwise required)

branches going the wrong direction and cannot be bent to co operate, gonesky!

I see one near the top that is vertical, is there are reson to keep?
then you can look at whats left and decide the directions to take

Ken