Can I repot my Chinese Elm now?

Fonz

Chumono
Messages
745
Reaction score
1,715
Location
Pulderbos, Belgium
USDA Zone
8b
I have one of those typical S-shaped mallsai chinese elms. This was actually the first tree that I bought when I started this bonsai stuff 8 months ago. Got some better trees now :)
But anyway, since this will be my first bonsai spring I was planning on doing my first repot in spring on this mallsai elm just for practice. The thing is, it's already starting to break buds, should I repot it now or should I wait until winter is over, we don't really have a winter this year but february can still be a bitch...

P1040777.JPG
 

JosephCooper

Shohin
Messages
359
Reaction score
287
Location
California
USDA Zone
10A
You could do it now if you wanted, maybe let it grow a couple weeks.

It's up to you.
 

Victorim

Omono
Messages
1,108
Reaction score
2,153
Location
Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK
USDA Zone
9b
Much like yours, I repotted mine 2 days ago.. But what to do with a mallsai elm..

I've gone for a much bigger, colander style container and will let it run this year untill autumn. Beefing it up is the plan, and hopfuly that will chill out the S shape. We'll see.
 

Fonz

Chumono
Messages
745
Reaction score
1,715
Location
Pulderbos, Belgium
USDA Zone
8b
Much like yours, I repotted mine 2 days ago.. But what to do with a mallsai elm..

I've gone for a much bigger, colander style container and will let it run this year untill autumn. Beefing it up is the plan, and hopfuly that will chill out the S shape. We'll see.
That's my plan also. Repotted it in a bigger container last week.
 

Pads

Yamadori
Messages
52
Reaction score
82
Location
Athens, Greece
USDA Zone
9b
Same here. The unusually mild weather caused my mallsai s-shaped elm to break buds. I can't be bothered to air layer it so I cut it just above the first branch, wired the branch upward to become the new leader, cut the vertical roots, screwed it on a square piece of plywood and planted it in a large pot with pumice/peat to let it run free for a few years. After cleaning off all the mud and tangled roots I found a pretty decent nebari for the EUR 15 I paid for it.

The upper part was planted in pure perlite with some rooting hormone and placed on a heat mat inside a portable greenhouse to maintain high humidity. Maybe it will root, who knows..

I also planted a larger root cutting. I think this has a better chance of survival.
 
Top Bottom