Weak Chinese Elm suggestions

[Underdog]

I picked up this cheap little Chinese Elm in Florida last March. 25 dollar little grafted tree and my first Chinese Elm. Cut it back and repotted in a similar sized container then.
It's never really took off this season or seemed Happy. I suspect a fungal issue as it had an almost white powdery mold on the trunk and branches I scrubbed off w/peroxide but the new growth would brown and wither up before getting mature.
I've alternated Daconil and peroxide baths thru the summer and seems to have straightened up. But, this late in the year it's not pumping out new growth either to see.

My plan was to winter it outside and sink or swim. Now I fear it's too weak to tackle it's first Ohio winter this year. I can coddle it and keep in the crawl space during cold spells or take it back to Florida this winter LOL
I've also considered keeping it indoors w/my tropicals (GASP)

It was a happy green ball of fun in Florida and I've done nothing but piss it off.

What would you guys suggest?

 

[leatherback]

Well.. Winter is coming so for this year, nothing much.
Next year, fertilize. Water, sun. And stop fiddling.
Most trees respond to being left alone unattended except for water and fertilizer.

 

[Underdog]

But how would you winter it? I'm zone 6-5b

 

[leatherback]

Chinese elm typically do OK up to maybe 14F. If you get that as more than peaks and prolonged, I would put in a shelter. But tbh, I do not have that problem. Our winters with 0F or lower as peak nights are probably stories for the history books.

Some people keep them indoors over winter, but I never trust that for deciduous trees.

 

[Forsoothe!]

I don't remember hearing of a grafted Elm. Probably just chop scars. Bite the bullet and leave it outdoors if that's where it has spent the summer, it should have adapted to our autumn by now and be ready for winter.

 

[Underdog]

I don't remember hearing of a grafted Elm.

This is what I thought looked like a graft.
I also stuck a root cutting which has gone crazy with 12-18 inches of growth and the leaves look bigger on it. Maybe just due to being more healthy.
This is about all that's left of what I thought was fungal. I think that problem is much improved but just barely growing and seems weak. The new growth would open, then turn brown and fall off before even getting 1/8 inch.

 

[Clicio]

I don't remember hearing of a grafted Elm. Probably just chop scars. Bite the bullet and leave it outdoors if that's where it has spent the summer, it should have adapted to our autumn by now and be ready for winter.

Just for the record, I have a grafted Elm.
Had to make a surgery to take out the piece of chopstick used to press the cambiums together (and left on place by the sloppy grafter).
Someone told me it was a Chinese root graft, and they do that a lot, but I am not so sure.
But as soon as the rain stops here I can provide a picture of the ugly thing.

 

[sorce]

I think every out of zone tree "acclimates" as long as acclimatic conditions are present, like slow to get cold winters.

One early winter and they're toast.

The most responsible and easiest way to deal with it would be to trade it to someone in the south for a good pot.

That's a good start.

Sorce

 

[Underdog]

These are listed by the seller (Wigerts) as zone 5. I'm all about cold hardy stuff and tuff em up but, worry because it's not too strong to take on it's first Ohio winter.

Chinese Elm - Shohin - 5" Pot - Wigert's Bonsai

COMMON NAME: Chinese Elm

www.wigertsbonsai.com

 

[Forsoothe!]

I don't doubt that Elm or almost anything can be grafted. And That does look like a nice graft. But They all grow pretty well on their own roots and grafted plants are not common in the trade the way JM or JWP, et al are common.

 

[Underdog]

Does this look fungal?

 

[AlainK]

That does look like a nice graft.

Like you, my first thought was "grafted ?...", but this does indeed look like a graft. I wonder why they grafted it, on what rootstock, Chinese elms are so easy to propagate.

Wintering : it's true that they can stand low temperatures down to maybe -10° C, but if it was grown in Florida where the climate is very mild in winter, I would protect it in Ohio, where I think temperatures can be much lower for a longer period of time.

I would put it in a polystyrene box with straw, leaves, or any very oxygenated kind of mulch - even polystyrene pellets the kind you find in a two-gallon box for a USB key ordered online , up to the first branches and keep it outside. As long as the roots are OK, there's almost no risk that branches will die.

In the second winter, etc., it will have become hardier.

 

[AlainK]

Does this look fungal?

No, I don't think so. Most of the leaves look healthy, it's probably just that it feels winter is coming soon...

 

[Underdog]

My thoughts on the graft is the leaves are tiny compared to the other Chinese Elm I've seen in person. The root cutting I planted is VERY vigorous and has larger leaves.

>>> Most of the leaves look healthy, it's probably just that it feels winter is coming soon...
It's been doing this all season. Generally just the newest growth.
Thanks for your replies

 

[AlainK]

The root cutting I planted is VERY vigorous and has larger leaves.

The mother-tree has had branch and root pruning several times, hence the smaller leaves.

The cutting hasn't, that's why it's developping fast and strong. If you repot it, prune the roots and the top, I'm pretty sure that after a couple of years the leaves will be exactly the same size.

Living on the other side of the pond, I'm not familiar with the climate in Fla. and the local species, but perhaps it was grafted on a native species of elm that fares better in the local climate.

???