American Elm. The trunk start.

[Tieball]

One of my American Elms. It is now just starting from the trunk level. It has taken on a few chops down to this size over the last few years. Those chop marks are now rolling over. It’s in a box now and will stay in the box for a few seasons. Maybe forever. I don’t know. It’s good to see plenty of buds developing all over the trunk from very low up to the top. There will be lots of choices in the future. My objective this year is to let new branches grow. Next season the branches will be pruned back significantly. And that should begin to form the development direction of the tree. I don’t yet know the canopy shape that will be developed. I’ll adjust my thinking as the tree develops.

The large chop mark in the middle should roll over and bark up after several seasons. There’s a short story behind that chop.

I may have an extending root to reduce, or eliminate, or keep, next root-pruning season. There are other roots buried so I’ll take a look at the roots all at one time and determine what needs adjustment. It’s possible, with the other roots buried, that this root length is perfectly fine. There is a good fan-out of the roots around the tree.

Right now the trunk diameter at the substrate base is 4.25” (10.80cm). Visible roots not included.
The height from the substrate level trunk base to the highest tip on top is 16” (40.64cm).
The root pad depth is about 2.5” (6.35cm).
The American Elm trees stay outdoors throughout the year. Whatever weather happens.
This tree has a nice rugged look starting.

 

[BobbyLane]

What a lump! Great bark on it too. If it was mine I would be diligent in rubbing out clustering buds of 2 and more and leaving one lone bud in each area. You will develop branch thickness much quicker on this species. So where theres two competing buds I remove one and so fourth. With a scalpel. Or you'll find that there will be many shoots sapping energy that should be for keepers. But at this stage which ones are keepers? Well normally the buds or shoots that look stronger, or are placed well for a future canopy. You can make virtuals based on where there's emerging buds to give you an idea. So keeping too many clusters especially in the crown, blocks light and energy unnecessarily to the middle and lower areas. This early work also reduces knuckling and ugly bulges.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Fantastic! Keep it goin'!

 

[Tieball]

What a lump! Great bark on it too. If it was mine I would be diligent in rubbing out clustering buds of 2 and more and leaving one lone bud in each area. You will develop branch thickness much quicker on this species. So where theres two competing buds I remove one and so fourth. With a scalpel. Or you'll find that there will be many shoots sapping energy that should be for keepers. But at this stage which ones are keepers? Well normally the buds or shoots that look stronger, or are placed well for a future canopy. You can make virtuals based on where there's emerging buds to give you an idea. So keeping too many clusters especially in the crown, blocks light and energy unnecessarily to the middle and lower areas.

Thanks. I’ll keep an eye on multiple bud developments. You’re correct…clusters of buds are common and I need to deal with selection early on in development….especially anywhere up high nearing or on the apex.

 

[LeatherTree23]

One of my American Elms. It is now just starting from the trunk level. It has taken on a few chops down to this size over the last few years. Those chop marks are now rolling over. It’s in a box now and will stay in the box for a few seasons. Maybe forever. I don’t know. It’s good to see plenty of buds developing all over the trunk from very low up to the top. There will be lots of choices in the future. My objective this year is to let new branches grow. Next season the branches will be pruned back significantly. And that should begin to form the development direction of the tree. I don’t yet know the canopy shape that will be developed. I’ll adjust my thinking as the tree develops.

The large chop mark in the middle should roll over and bark up after several seasons. There’s a short story behind that chop.

I may have an extending root to reduce, or eliminate, or keep, next root-pruning season. There are other roots buried so I’ll take a look at the roots all at one time and determine what needs adjustment. It’s possible, with the other roots buried, that this root length is perfectly fine. There is a good fan-out of the roots around the tree.

Right now the trunk diameter at the substrate base is 4.25” (10.80cm). Visible roots not included.
The height from the substrate level trunk base to the highest tip on top is 16” (40.64cm).
The root pad depth is about 2.5” (6.35cm).
The American Elm trees stay outdoors throughout the year. Whatever weather happens.
This tree has a nice rugged look starting.

View attachment 487883View attachment 487884View attachment 487885View attachment 487886View attachment 487887



View attachment 487888

I might be a newbie weirdo with no taste but I like trees like this with healed over cut scars. The bumps and ridges add age and character. *shrug*

 

[bonsailevel:master]

Bitchin' tree!

 

[Tieball]

I might be a newbie weirdo with no taste but I like trees like this with healed over cut scars. The bumps and ridges add age and character. *shrug*

I totally agree. I think this tree will keep adding more aged character as it grows.

 

[Tieball]

I’m interested in some apex top-growth-right-now thoughts. The first narrow section at the top is quite straight. It doesn’t seem to match the character of the rest of the tree.

Your thoughts….
- Cut the straight section down to the bud shown in this attachment? This would end up like the current top but just a lot shorter. This could be done now in spring or wait until after branches grow and leaves harden off around the tree. Cutting now would push strong growth to that top branch bud.
- Leave it as is and develop it out with branches first and then select a cut point? Next season?

 

[BobbyLane]

I would make that cut..

 

[MGTT]

Great character in that trunk.

 

[Cajunrider]

One of my American Elms. It is now just starting from the trunk level. It has taken on a few chops down to this size over the last few years. Those chop marks are now rolling over. It’s in a box now and will stay in the box for a few seasons. Maybe forever. I don’t know. It’s good to see plenty of buds developing all over the trunk from very low up to the top. There will be lots of choices in the future. My objective this year is to let new branches grow. Next season the branches will be pruned back significantly. And that should begin to form the development direction of the tree. I don’t yet know the canopy shape that will be developed. I’ll adjust my thinking as the tree develops.

The large chop mark in the middle should roll over and bark up after several seasons. There’s a short story behind that chop.

I may have an extending root to reduce, or eliminate, or keep, next root-pruning season. There are other roots buried so I’ll take a look at the roots all at one time and determine what needs adjustment. It’s possible, with the other roots buried, that this root length is perfectly fine. There is a good fan-out of the roots around the tree.

Right now the trunk diameter at the substrate base is 4.25” (10.80cm). Visible roots not included.
The height from the substrate level trunk base to the highest tip on top is 16” (40.64cm).
The root pad depth is about 2.5” (6.35cm).
The American Elm trees stay outdoors throughout the year. Whatever weather happens.
This tree has a nice rugged look starting.

View attachment 487883View attachment 487884View attachment 487885View attachment 487886View attachment 487887



View attachment 487888

Beautiful start.

 

[Tieball]

I forgot to photograph the first new growth after pruning off everything down to the plain trunk. After that first new growth that turned the American Elm trunk into a full bush I cut it back again and removed about 80% of the branches. Here’s the result after that branch removal.

 

[Tieball]

This morning I photographed the trunk again. This is about two and a half weeks after the last cut-back branch removal I posted a few minutes ago. Once again the trunk grew branches all over turning the trunk into another bush.

 

[Maros]

Great material and really good start. Bark is amazing on this one. Lucky find with such gnarly shape. Our elms are rarely this gnarly.

 

[BobbyLane]

Indeed. We dont see too much American Elm here. We are sort of led to believe that good deciduous trees are hard to come by in the US or just 'difficult'

 

[Gabler]

Indeed. We dont see too much American Elm here. We are sort of led to believe that good deciduous trees are hard to come by in the US or just 'difficult'

To be fair, we don't see too much American elm around here either, not since the Dutch elm disease almost completely wiped them out.

 

[Tieball]

Great material and really good start. Bark is amazing on this one. Lucky find with such gnarly shape. Our elms are rarely this gnarly.

Interestingly it’s not really a lucky find. I grew this from a short thin twig, it measured about 1/16” (1.5mm) diameter at the ground level of the trunk. The twig trees stood a tall 4” (10cm) in height. I grew this tree, along with several other American Elm thin twigs, with a combination of ground growing and box growing over the years. The gnarly appearance is probably, well….mostly, a result of years of mistakes made in pruning and chopping. The trees are healthy growers and have done well despite my efforts.

 

[Maros]

Interestingly it’s not really a lucky find. I grew this from a short thin twig, it measured about 1/16” (1.5mm) diameter at the ground level of the trunk. The twig trees stood a tall 4” (10cm) in height. I grew this tree, along with several other American Elm thin twigs, with a combination of ground growing and box growing over the years. The gnarly appearance is probably, well….mostly, a result of years of mistakes made in pruning and chopping. The trees are healthy growers and have done well despite my efforts.

All roads lead to Rome, seems even roads taken by mistake

 

[BrianBay9]

Interestingly it’s not really a lucky find. I grew this from a short thin twig, it measured about 1/16” (1.5mm) diameter at the ground level of the trunk. The twig trees stood a tall 4” (10cm) in height. I grew this tree, along with several other American Elm thin twigs, with a combination of ground growing and box growing over the years. The gnarly appearance is probably, well….mostly, a result of years of mistakes made in pruning and chopping. The trees are healthy growers and have done well despite my efforts.

Nice job! So is that screen on the soil surface to discourage squirrels?

 

[Shogun610]

I love this elm. Ugh