Of roots and chops....

[Starfox]

With repotting time for my Elm fast approaching I thought I had a plan as this will be my first repot and for the most part I am comfortable enough with my plans and how to go about it but two things have thrown me.

First is the root bulge that you can see in the pictures, now I'm comfortable with the root trimming part but not too sure on the best way to handle the larger surface roots/nebari that have got pot bound and what would be best practice to encourage it along.
The surface roots had been covered with moss which I have just taken off and this is what I found underneath.

Any ideas the best way to approach this?
My plan is that the angle in the middle picture will be the new front of the tree so that will at least give the roots more sideways space if that makes sense.
I have a couple of slightly but not much larger pots to choose from and would ideally like the tree to sit a bit lower too.



Secondly I want to chop a fairly large part of the trunk where it splits, I'm OK with that much but the two things that I'm thinking is what would be the best angle to make that cut that will look ok with the taper as the trunk grows and secondly although not something I plan on rushing into it will leave a pretty big scar and is that something I can deal with somehow at a later date?

In the pics the red is where I want to chop and the black would be the new trunk.

.

 

[Starfox]

Also another question is if I chop the trunk how much more smaller branches can I remove safely before it is too much for the tree?
Am I better off making major chops all at once or to do it in stages over a few years?

 

[M. Frary]

You can cut this off where ever you want. You can cut all of the branches off if you want. The tree will push buds out like crazy. You can do it all at one time including rot work.
It's an elm by God! Let it rip.

 

[Starfox]

Thanks for that, I just needed the clarification because the more I look at it the more I want to get rid of.

 

[sorce]

Oh yeah....I didn't reply cuz you know my thoughts on this already.

But I can't leave you hanging!

Some new thoughts......

Smoke has a blog post where he does an eneven ground layer around a base like that.....I think you could ground layer that, throw it a wide basket, and let it grow.

That's a nice wide flare.

I said before.....chop out those heavy trunks....
But looking at it again....you may be able to keep those, and just go through and cut out some "offenders", like this here, to keep the yellow from swellow!

And just go up Doing that, keeping a lot of the finer branching, and removing the larger offenders.

You already have a lot of good branching.

With that new wide ass base....I think you can thin it out a bit, and go for a final image that is maybe a few inches taller.

You already have a shitload of ramification close to the trunk.
If take advantage of every non offending branch of I was YOU.

I'd start the ground layer, remove stuff that needs immediate removal....and ponder a bitchin close future thru summer.

You'll get great "bones", taper in the canopy, and an excellent "bit larger" image real soon IMO.

I wouldn't hacky so muchy.
Just offenders.

Keep strength.
Focus on the nebari!

I'd look to Bobbylane posts for inspiration. He has a sick eye for what to keep in these scenarios.
And he Probly has a natural tree pic to share of what yours could be.

G'dia!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

You have shitload of taper and movement built in already!
(unless you want straight broom branches for the straight trunk.)


And mad close buds to pop.

I'd eye it for a while, cut it back to spots like those.

Sorry.....I want this tree!

Sorce

 

[Starfox]

Cheers for the replies, I'm going try and dig up smokes blog post and check that out and also have a look at some of bobbylanes posts too for a bit of reading.

I also agree about taking out the larger offending branches and ones that don't fit, thinning it out more than anything and keeping the rest. There is quite a bit up in there that doesn't need to be.

You can't really tell from those pics but that left hand side has a wicked slight curve whereas the right side is totally straight and I think keeping the left will go better with the taper. It's also a natural extension of the trunk so it has that going for it too.
That will also give it a bit more height and totally take away that broom look.



As you say there is a lot built in already that is good and from what I can tell I could pick a number of options but I do like that option. It may leave the right side a bit lacking until there is more growth and of course there will be a whopping scar.

 

[Adair M]

Is it possible for you to post pictures of the whole tree from all four sides. Just so everyone can get the "big picture"?

 

[Starfox]

Yeah I can do that, I'll take some now.

 

[Starfox]

Pics aren't the best and the light is crap, sorry. But here it is from all sides#

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[just.wing.it]

Pics aren't the best and the light is crap, sorry. But here it is from all sides#

.View attachment 96011 View attachment 96013 View attachment 96014View attachment 96015

Wow, is it crammed in there, or what!

 

[Starfox]

Wow, is it crammed in there, or what!

Totally, I think there is one of everything up in there. Sometimes two.
It's good in the way that there is plenty to work with but even if I was just to thin it out and keep the keepers it will still need to have a direction applied to it at some point and the sooner the better I guess.

 

[Adair M]

Well...

It has potential to be a pretty good broom style. The cuts you drew would counter productive to making a broom, however.

From the looks of the branches, it has been pruned like you would a hedge. Sheared over the top, with little or no attention to the branch structure.

See how they seem to go every which way? If you were to go in, and selectively prune out the "crossing" branches, that is the ones that go from the outside of the canopy in towards the center, it would improve its appearance immensely!

Here's a picture of my shohin broom.



See how the branches all move from the inside of the canopy towards the outside? Make yours look like that.

Now for the nebari:


Your pot is the wrong shape. It needs to be substantially wider in all dimensions, but shallower. You don't want to force the roots to go "down", you want them to grow "out". Away from the trunk. With elms, they look best with relatively large (wide) but shallow pots.

 

[Djtommy]

I agree, this could become a nice broom.
Unless you really dislike broomlook i would follow adairs suggestion.
I just wonder, If you do chop it whats your vision with this tree, how are you thinking of designing this tree?

 

[petegreg]

Well...
It has potential to be a pretty good broom style. The cuts you drew would counter productive to making a broom, however.

I waited if somebody can see a good broom in this tree. And I can't agree more with Adair.
I like the second picture (from the post with all 4 views), where the tree trunk flows to the right and the nebari is widest. Yes there's too many branches and are grown chaoticaly. But they don't cause reverse taper, that is good. You can just select those that you want to keep and reduce their length for branch taper, movement and ramification. If you want.

 

[Starfox]

Thanks guys for the replies it is much appreciated, I want to reply properly but last night I sliced my hand open pretty badly and had to go to the hospital for a load of stitches.
I feel pretty rough right now but I will get back to you soon, maybe a beer will fix it.

 

[sorce]

Of oops and hops!

Pics or its just an excuse!

Damn!
My bypass pruners are never sharp enough to cut a branch clean, but stop em with your thumb, all of a sudden they want to work!

Time to get ambidextrous!

Sorce

 

[Starfox]

lol, a bit like that.

I think it is the tetanus booster that is making the fuzz more than much else.

So there I was making a Sandwich like a boss.....



It goes around more behind my thumb, strqight down to the bone.

Never did get my dinner though.

Sorry folks for the squeamish.

 

[sorce]

Nice!

That bread looks soooo good too!

Sorce

 

[Geo]

Sorry to see that @Starfox .Good you got the Tetanus shot though.Reminded me that I need a booster.