Progression of my English Elm..

[bodhidharma]

I have posted this tree before in its early days but it always blows me away when you see the photo progression. I did not even start taking photo progression shots until 2007 simply because i did not know .. When a friend came over and took a heap of shots and sent them to me that the light bulb went on. I am now keeping records on a yearly basis and more in between if the tree is progressing well. i urge all new people coming into our Art form to do so even if you think it is a bit of an embarrassment. The tree you see here has been a work in progress from collection until now for about 8 years give or take and i wish i had pictures of its collection day. It took 8 hours for me to dig it up. i have made many mistakes with it but am getting the hang of it now. Every Bonsai person should have an English Elm in their collection as they are a wonderful learning tree and will reward you ten fold. The only thing left for me now is RAMIFICATION Grow the branches then cut them back repeat..repeat ..repeat..

[lennard]

Nice progression series. Bodhidharma.........and that is one massive Elm trunk !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just wondering about the pot(and I am no export on it having only a few trees in Bonsai pots):

Having such an impressive trunk I feel that the strong lines of the pot, the texture(picture on it), the pot being square and even the color and the size is fighting the tree for attention- and the two together is a little overpowering.

In my mind I see the tree in a little shallower but wider round green gray pot where there is a little space between the rim of the pot and the base of the tree.

If the above is a bad idea could you please explain?

Having to put a few trees in pots next spring and having to order them, it will help a lot.

Lennard

[bodhidharma]

G'day Lennard, the problem in this wonderful country of ours, which is not as Bonsai obsessed as some others, is availability. To obtain a large pot to carry this tree in colour glaze would, at a guess, be impossible. in large pots we get brown in varying shades. The original pot it was in had to be used for another tree so, this is what i had to fit it. Having said that, if i could get a glaze to fit and suit it i would not hesitate. But i do not mind the pot it is in at the moment. It will certainly do until something presents.

[Bretts]

Looking great Bodi
I have quite a few collected English elms and also one that was given to me. I like them alot but they are one of the few species that I find stop growing early Summer after their initial flush of growth. Most other species power on for the whole growing season for me. The English elm don't even get going agian at the end of the growing season.
If I trim them back I get a little regrowth but it seems they will take a long time to get anywhere if I can only get one growth spurt per season.
Grant was considering defoliating the one at the national collection last season but did not go ahead. Not sure what is happening this year with it so I wonder if you have noticed this with yours and how it responded to defoliation last season.
I have a paper bark maple that is frustrating in this way(Ray states they do the same with him) and an amur maple that can grow strong all season but the growth practically stops if I trim it back

[rowan]

Hi Bretts, sorry to butt in here but I find that if you let English elms dry out a bit for a few weeks over Christmas, tip prune, then flood them with extra water in the new year they push a new growth spurt.

[Bretts]

That's interesting Rowan thanks. I was wondering if they stopped growing because I let them dry out a little too much
I was thinking making sure they stayed wet was more work than I needed All my English elms are watered about twice a day at the moment but this guy has been on the dry side occasionally
I don't think Bodi will mind if I put a picture of mine up to illustrate what I mean.
This is the one that was given to me several years ago. The tree is very happy with strong roots (the roots where pretty sparse when I got it) but the leaves have all hardened off and no new growth. This tree would be alot of fun to work with but I only get one go a year at it
I would consider a defoliation this season but have not heard how they go with that yet

020.jpg

[bodhidharma]

I had to defoliate the big Elm twice within a month of each other. After the first defoliation it grew that fast and the weather became that hot and wet (187mm) in three days that it developed mildew and had to be stripped again mostly but not all. What you see is the second flush of leaves. I am not pre- empting but maybe you dont feed it enough. I top feed this tree with an organic pellet fertiliser every 3rd week. Elms will survive with little food but thrive with good feeding and lots of water. I have just scored this liquid product called profert and am going to try daily feeding on it re Walter Pall.

[bodhidharma]

This little Elm has been defoliated fairly religiously for the last three years and now the leaves just stay tiny as you see here.

[Bretts]

Ok I will try stepping up the fert and water. Thanks

[bodhidharma]

Oh, i forgot Bretts, mine stopped growing when i did not repot it yearly. I have always been under the impression that the older the tree the less it needs repotting. Apparently not with English elms.

[Bretts]

This guy was repotted this season after growing out in an orchid pot for two years recovering the poor roots. Others where not repotted this season but should have plenty of room in their growing pots
It may very well be not enough fert and water. Do you also use liquid feed?
The leaves on the second tree you show look similar size to the tree I showed. I think it has been in a pot for some years but probably never defoliated? The leaves of all my other English elms are much bigger. There is no reason I could not be wrong about the ID but they sure seem like the same tree except for the leaf size

[bodhidharma]

Do you also use liquid feed?

Only Seasol but the new stuff( Profert) will be used every time i water. i am excited about a change of fertilising regime

How the hell do i get the quote in the box

[aussiedamo]

could i defoliate my english elm now?

[bodhidharma]

could i defoliate my english elm now?

I dont know Damo, i have never tried this late. It could be a good experiment for you. If the tree is not your prize but just one in your collection and you are curious, then, this is how we learn. if you decide to find out then keep the tree in a protected environment once done e.g shadehouse. Dont feed it until new growth appears. I am thinking of the worst that could happen and i imagine the would be early dormancy. Anybody else knows what happens and want to input Anyway, remember it is always your call.

[aussiedamo]

well it is my most fave!!!!!!!!!
so i better not hey.
cheers bodhi

damian
p.s i was wondering ifd it was still possible to one day bring it up to you for some serious ramification???