Some Elms that could use some suggestions

remist17

Shohin
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Hello all;
Finally got some good sun and nice day to take some photos. I would like to get some help with design suggestions for these elms.

Jacqueline Hillier

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Miscellaneous elm
I am not sure of the top branch that goes off horizontal. I bought this tree two seasons ago and left this branch because I was just not sure.
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Chinese Elm
The long leader will be layered off when the leaves harden. My goal is to take this leader up a little more to round out the top.

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I would like to know if these are junk or have some potential. I think the Chinese Elm has to many large branches up top that need to be thinned out. IF there are any trees in these that are worth posting more photos of I will.
 
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october

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Hello remist. These really aren't worth the effort you are going to put into them. Elms are relatively inexpensive. That being the case, why not start with something with an older and thicker trunk. Then you will have a great base and you can work with getting the branches developed. You could probably get 1 decent elm for the price of a few of these. Even with about 4-5 years of work, I don't think these trees will amount to much.

Rob
 

cmeg1

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GrimLore

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Hello all;
Finally got some good sun and nice day to take some photos. I would like to get some help with design suggestions for these elms.

Jacqueline Hillier

Wire the smallest branches and as you do that you will see what needs to stay or go. Also a great tree to practice wire and design on.

Miscellaneous elm
I am not sure of the top branch that goes off horizontal. I bought this tree two seasons ago and left this branch because I was just not sure.

Take it off to stop possible future problems with taper

Chinese Elm
The long leader will be layered off when the leaves harden. My goal is to take this leader up a little more to round out the top.

Good plan, you are on the right course.

I would like to know if these are junk or have some potential. I think the Chinese Elm has to many large branches up top that need to be thinned out. IF there are any trees in these that are worth posting more photos of I will.

All trees have potential and ELMS grow very well in our area providing a great learning platform and many times results in very nice trees. Most of those have good movement and I would pursue and work all of them if I were you

Grimmy
 

jk_lewis

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Rob must not have slept well the night before he responded, because those little trees aren't that bad -- not by a long shot.

Before I did much work on the tops, though, I think I'd bare root them and do some selective pruning/wiring on the roots to start developing decent bases, and planting them over a tile or in shallower pots. On the few pics that show any root, they seem to be very close together.

I can't really tell how large these are, but I suspect their futures lie in shohin-size trees.

Go slow and have fun. They'll be OK.
 

Poink88

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Agree with jkl, though I love big trunks...these are not bad starter plants for shohin. They grow fast so it should not take too long to have decent sized trunks for shohin esp with the movement there already.

I think the point Rob is saying is that it will take several years for these to be ready and you can get bigger stock for not too much that could save you several years in development. Go his route or develop these...either way is good.
 
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