American Elm

[VAFisher]

Zach Smith did a series of blog posts about this tree last year on his website. When he offered the tree for sale, I jumped on it. I really liked the slanting trunk and the branch set that he had already started. It grew well all last year. I wired the main branches while it was dormant to spread them out and pulled them down slightly. Other than that, and a repot this spring, I haven't done anything else to it.

I put it into a slightly larger pot that actually came with a sweetgum that I also purchased from Zach in 2014. I managed to kill that tree unfortunately so the pot was empty and I liked it with this tree. (I think I let that sweetgum get too cold). This year I wintered my trees in my garage and they made it through much better. Anyway, here's a shot of the tree now.

 

[johng]

Nice tree!! Zach seems to always have good stuff!
On deciduous material... I will often utilize props to move branches instead of wiring. Since it is much more difficult to leave wire on deciduous material for the amount of time needed for the bends to hold, without scarring...I find the props to be much more effective. They can be left on for 1 to 2 growing seasons without any risk of damaging the tree.

Prop---just a piece of wire cut to the appropriate length and then points cut on each end....if you need to pull instead of push just bend curves in each(that wraps around the branch) instead of the point.

This photo kind of demonstrates what I am talking about...imagine that the red lines are a heavy piece of wire with pointed ends..

Be careful though....I am not responsible if the bonsai wire police come and take you away...ha ha, hee hee...

 

[Stickroot]

I like this one a lot, great job.
Where is @jriddell88.

 

[coh]

Nice tree! I remember seeing that one on his website. It's amazing how quickly some of those trees sell, before I can even open the email notice they are often gone. I've been looking at his elms and sweetgums but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Still working on a privet I got from Zach.

On deciduous material... I will often utilize props to move branches instead of wiring. Since it is much more difficult to leave wire on deciduous material for the amount of time needed for the bends to hold, without scarring...I find the props to be much more effective. They can be left on for 1 to 2 growing seasons without any risk of damaging the tree.

Prop---just a piece of wire cut to the appropriate length and then points cut on each end....if you need to pull instead of push just bend curves in each(that wraps around the branch) instead of the point.

Be careful though....I am not responsible if the bonsai wire police come and take you away...ha ha, hee hee...

It's not a guy wire, so you're probably OK I've used this technique quite often.

Chris

 

[VAFisher]

Nice tree!! Zach seems to always have good stuff!
On deciduous material... I will often utilize props to move branches instead of wiring. Since it is much more difficult to leave wire on deciduous material for the amount of time needed for the bends to hold, without scarring...I find the props to be much more effective. They can be left on for 1 to 2 growing seasons without any risk of damaging the tree.

Prop---just a piece of wire cut to the appropriate length and then points cut on each end....if you need to pull instead of push just bend curves in each(that wraps around the branch) instead of the point.

This photo kind of demonstrates what I am talking about...imagine that the red lines are a heavy piece of wire with pointed ends..

Be careful though....I am not responsible if the bonsai wire police come and take you away...ha ha, hee hee...

That's a good tip. And the wire police already have several warrants out on me anyway, so...

 

[VAFisher]

Nice tree! I remember seeing that one on his website. It's amazing how quickly some of those trees sell, before I can even open the email notice they are often gone. I've been looking at his elms and sweetgums but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Still working on a privet I got from Zach.



It's not a guy wire, so you're probably OK I've used this technique quite often.

Chris

Yeah, you gotta be quick sometimes. This one was in the sweet spot for me - so I had to nab it.

 

[johng]

Nice tree! I remember seeing that one on his website. It's amazing how quickly some of those trees sell, before I can even open the email notice they are often gone. I've been looking at his elms and sweetgums but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Still working on a privet I got from Zach.



It's not a guy wire, so you're probably OK I've used this technique quite often.

Chris

too funny I like to wire and I can wire well, but if the WP ever came to the garden I'd be given a life sentence for a couple of the little projects around

 

[M. Frary]

too funny I like to wire and I can wire well, but if the WP ever came to the garden I'd be given a life sentence for a couple of the little projects around

Adair would probably pass right out if he saw some of the wire jobs I've done.

 

[Tieball]

Nice tree!! Zach seems to always have good stuff!
On deciduous material... I will often utilize props to move branches instead of wiring. Since it is much more difficult to leave wire on deciduous material for the amount of time needed for the bends to hold, without scarring...I find the props to be much more effective. They can be left on for 1 to 2 growing seasons without any risk of damaging the tree.

Prop---just a piece of wire cut to the appropriate length and then points cut on each end....if you need to pull instead of push just bend curves in each(that wraps around the branch) instead of the point.

This photo kind of demonstrates what I am talking about...imagine that the red lines are a heavy piece of wire with pointed ends..

Be careful though....I am not responsible if the bonsai wire police come and take you away...ha ha, hee hee...

Similar....I have used bent wire like this to spread branches. I've also used this in the reverse way to pull branches together. I usually accomplish this in the early morning or near dusk to avoid being spotted.

 

[aml1014]

Similar....I have used bent wire like this to spread branches. I've also used this in the reverse way to pull branches together. I usually accomplish this in the early morning or near dusk to avoid being spotted.

Same thing I do lol

Aaron

 

[Zach Smith]

Zach Smith did a series of blog posts about this tree last year on his website. When he offered the tree for sale, I jumped on it. I really liked the slanting trunk and the branch set that he had already started. It grew well all last year. I wired the main branches while it was dormant to spread them out and pulled them down slightly. Other than that, and a repot this spring, I haven't done anything else to it.

I put it into a slightly larger pot that actually came with a sweetgum that I also purchased from Zach in 2014. I managed to kill that tree unfortunately so the pot was empty and I liked it with this tree. (I think I let that sweetgum get too cold). This year I wintered my trees in my garage and they made it through much better. Anyway, here's a shot of the tree now.

I love the small leaves you've gotten on this tree, Dan. And you've done a great job building the branch structure. Once the bark turns gray and the chop heals over you'll have the character you need. The rest is pretty much done.

Zach

 

[VAFisher]

Thanks Zach. That pic was shortly after it leafed out this spring. The leaves got bigger as they matured but did stay relatively small. I need to post another update pic. It's looking pretty shaggy right now. I've just been letting it grow to try to help heal the chop and thicken some branches.

 

[VAFisher]

I love the small leaves you've gotten on this tree, Dan. And you've done a great job building the branch structure. Once the bark turns gray and the chop heals over you'll have the character you need. The rest is pretty much done.

Zach

Quick question Zach. If the tree is growing strongly, is it OK to defoliated it in order to wire it during the growing season? Or should I wait to wire it after leaf fall?

 

[sorce]

Quick question Zach. If the tree is growing strongly, is it OK to defoliated it in order to wire it during the growing season? Or should I wait to wire it after leaf fall?

I Defoliated and cut back one of mine a couple weeks ago.

Lotta healthy new shoots, and leaves 1/3 the size of the tree it was propagated from.

I think you still have time to do it now.

Sorce

 

[Zach Smith]

Quick question Zach. If the tree is growing strongly, is it OK to defoliated it in order to wire it during the growing season? Or should I wait to wire it after leaf fall?

You should be able to defoliate now. American elm is a robust species!

 

[sorce]

Sorce

 

[M. Frary]

View attachment 112112
View attachment 112113

Sorce

Power leaves!

 

[sorce]

@VAFisher I come here to look at it...

I didn't even "like" it!

I think it was around the time I still had that one @aml1014 "Crayon" tree in my head...
And that top reminded me of it...

The point seems so pointy.

But....

I'm seeing it with a new set of FVG's now...
And I dig it...it should grow out well.

Though...

I would like to see them trunks bulk up some!

@iOne where you been bro?
Your tree is up in this thread...
With some notes on it one me post higher!

Sorce

 

[MichaelS]

On the off chance that someone might take notice ( I keep pointing this out but....) This tree has fundamental a problem. I don't mean to be overly negative, hopefully constructive! I see this time and again. The outline of the tree has been reached. you can't just keep extending out further, (blue lines), so where can you go? The answer is you can only go backwards if you want the tree to go forward. The problem here (and it's a very common one) is that the branches have been rushed to this point and this leaves you nothing to work with. Straight lines everywhere with not much on them. (yellow) To get to this point of branch extension should take at the very least 10 years not 3. Preferably 20. There is a decision to be made in all these cases. What do you want. Just a nice little commercial quality bonsai or do you want to aim for perfection. If it's perfection you want (and I believe everybody should - but that's just me......... and it doesn't really matter if you never get there) then you need to re-construct the branches right from the start and that means cutting almost everything but the primary branches (3 of them) and the odd secondary branch off and going from there. I think the main branches should also be pulled back closer to each other again. Defoliation will do nothing to improve the fundamental quality of this tree. It will only increase density but the problem will remain.
We have to keep in mind that the tree is going to want to keep growing and growing. Plan 10 years ahead.

 

[sorce]

On the off chance that someone might take notice ( I keep pointing this out but....) This tree has fundamental a problem. I don't mean to be overly negative, hopefully constructive! I see this time and again. The outline of the tree has been reached. you can't just keep extending out further, (blue lines), so where can you go? The answer is you can only go backwards if you want the tree to go forward. The problem here (and it's a very common one) is that the branches have been rushed to this point and this leaves you nothing to work with. Straight lines everywhere with not much on them. (yellow) To get to this point of branch extension should take at the very least 10 years not 3. Preferably 20. There is a decision to be made in all these cases. What do you want. Just a nice little commercial quality bonsai or do you want to aim for perfection. If it's perfection you want (and I believe everybody should - but that's just me......... and it doesn't really matter if you never get there) then you need to re-construct the branches right from the start and that means cutting almost everything but the primary branches (3 of them) and the odd secondary branch off and going from there. I think the main branches should also be pulled back closer to each other again. Defoliation will do nothing to improve the fundamental quality of this tree. It will only increase density but the problem will remain.
We have to keep in mind that the tree is going to want to keep growing and growing. Plan 10 years ahead.

View attachment 138453

That is the ONE single thing that bugs me more than anything else.

Very well said.

I would probly spend a couple years pruning the left trunk to freeze it smaller..

Semi prune the top...

And start the extensions on the right low branch now.

Then stop pruning the top when the low is fatter..

Then stop pruning the left.

Grow till the right branch is half as thick as the trunk...

Which should be hella fatter by then too..

Then take em back to an inch or 2 And start the next division branches.

Long game all day.

Sorce