AusBonsai

I pruned my elm about six weeks ago. Then eight weeks after that initial pruning, I did a ground layer on the elm. This is my fist attempt at any type of layering. About a week after the ground layer, the plant exploded with new growth. I don't know if this is a good or bad sign, because I would of thought that the ground layer would stop growth.

New growth is a good sign generally ... although I'm confused because you say you pruned your elm 6 weeks ago but did the ground layer 8 weeks later?
In any case, so long as the layer was done succesfully, the new growth should be creating new roots .
I posted on a ground layer that I did on a Chinese Elm, which required me to have another go at it before I got roots ... see here :
viewtopic.php?f=158&t=22397
Not sure how you did your layer, but if it is over 6 weeks since you did it you could push the soil back and have a peek, I would expect at least some root growth by now at this time of year.

Ryceman3 wrote: I'm confused because you say you pruned your elm 6 weeks ago but did the ground layer 8 weeks later?

Week 1 - Pruned
Week 2 - Did nothing
Week 3 - Did nothing
Week 4 - Did nothing
Week 5 - Did nothing
Week 6 - Did nothing
Week 7 - Did nothing
Week 8 - Ground Layer
Week 9 - Did nothing
Week 10 - Lots of new growth


Where I say "Did Nothing" that means I did no work on the plant and also the plant did nothing.

I am pretty sure this is a good thing. Good in a sense that your layer did not kill the plant.
To be honest, Elms are almost indestructible.

I did some heavy pruning last winter and one of the branch I took off that was 3 cm thick looked too nice to throw away so I stuck it in some coir peat and to my surprised, the large cutting took and this year, I got a small little tree.

Either your layer bridged or roots are already there. Both are better than a dead tree.

I'm thinking maybe I didn't scrape off the cambium properly after I made the cut and removed the outer layer.

Just an update. I had a peek at the ground layer and there's some decent roots that have formed.

Amazing how quickly it formed roots.

I've only been doing Bonsai for about three months and thought layering was a more advanced technique. Then I thought what the hell and gave it a go. Really surprised as how easy it is.