Beginner Chinese Elm advice

[griffinv989]

I have just bought a young chinese elm from a nursery a couple weeks ago. It has continued to lose more leaves yet the tree is not completely bare yet. I just noticed some light green buds along some of the branches. I was wondering when do you think I should re-pot and when should I start fertilizing? I new to this and I want to make sure what I am doing will not hurt the plant.

 

[Poink88]

If it is leafing now, I am assuming you are keeping it inside?

 

[griffinv989]

If it is leafing now, I am assuming you are keeping it inside?

Ya it is being kept inside. I am planning on keeping outside during the warmer months though.

 

[Poink88]

For now, you have no choice but check if it can tolerate your local winter weather. It will be healthier if you let it stay outside and go through winter dormancy next year onward.

Normally, elms sprout in spring.
Normally, you re-pot before the buds break (to new leaves).
Normally, you fertilize as they "wake up"...except on recently repotted trees, then wait until the leaves hardened a bit.

The situation being not "normal" you can repot now or wait until it is much warmer and after the new leaves had time to "replenish/recharge" the tree.

Note that the worst time to repot (or transplant) is just after the tree leafed out.

 

[griffinv989]

What temperatures do you think that Chinese Elms are hardy to? I live in Colorado and it can get as low as -15 degrees in the winter. If this is too cold would keeping it in my basement be a good option?
Thanks

 

[Poink88]

It is supposed to be cold hardy to zone 5 according to USDA. Check your zone hardiness but note that bonsai trees (being in pots) may need a zone higher as a factor of safety.

 

[griffinv989]

Would I need to acclimate it to our winter? It was previously in a greenhouse.

 

[KennedyMarx]

If you out it outside in the spring and leave it out through the fall it should be ok in the winter. Perhaps give it a little extra protection. Mulch over the pot and protect it from cold winds if it's outside. An easy solution is if you have a garage is to stick it in there until spring.

 

[edprocoat]

Griffin, first off what type of Chinese Elm do you have? The reason I ask is there are some that are more like an evergreen, they will lose leaves in the winter but do not go totally bare like a deciduous tree. I have some Catlin Elms that are like that, and the one I bought last summer, Identified as only a "Chinese Elm" by the NDGC, - North Dayton Garden Center, was grown for the past 15 years inside his commercial garden center greenhouse along with all his Bonsai. The majority of his stock was Ficus, he also had about 15% of his stock in Pro Nana Junipers and 10% of his stock was Japanese Elms all never seeing the light of day. He had some pretty impressive looking stuff too. I have found most Chinese Elms, at least all that I have ever owned can be grown inside keeping smaller leaf size, they will get a slightly bigger leaf in full sun which you just remove and the next flush of growth is smaller. All my Elms get no winter as they go to Florida with me for the winter. I have had Catlins, and the smaller leafed Seiju that do well indoors growing like an evergreen.

ed

 

[griffinv989]

Griffin, first off what type of Chinese Elm do you have?

ed

I am not sure what kind I have, it only says Chinese elm. It may be a Catlin elm like you said because it has lost some, but not all of its leaves.

 

[aphid]

What temperatures do you think that Chinese Elms are hardy to? I live in Colorado and it can get as low as -15 degrees in the winter. If this is too cold would keeping it in my basement be a good option?
Thanks

There were Chinese elm trees at my school in Western Mass where it's Zone 5.

 

[twisted trees]

Chinese elms are known to keep their leaved well into winter especially when protected. That they are losing some leaves now is no big concern. As long as the small branches are flexible and the buds are supple it should be fine. Bringing it out of a green house to your home would cause some leaf drop. Do you have a cool area to keep it? It doesn't necessarily need a lot of sunlight at this time.

Also what type of soil is it in now? How big is it? Any photos?

 

[griffinv989]

Do you have a cool area to keep it? It doesn't necessarily need a lot of sunlight at this time.

Also what type of soil is it in now? How big is it? Any photos?

My basement gets pretty cool in the winter plus it can still get some sun down there. I'm not sure of what kind of soil it is in but I think it has a lot of organic matter. It's trunk is about a 1/3 of in inch in width and is about 8 inches tall. I am having trouble getting any photos on here so you can't really get a full picture of what it looks like, sorry.

Thanks

 

[jkd2572]

I keep mine where they never get below freezing. One of mine that's in the garage under a grow light has started to produce new leaves about a month ago. They will slowly start to loose their old leaves when the buds of the new leaves start to swell. I bet this is what is happening with yours. Are you starting to see little green buds starting to swell? Mine act pretty much evergreen, but old leaves need to be replaced so they will start to fall off when the new crop of leaves are starting to form in the shape of swelling buds. FYI this usually does not start for me until spring, but i have it under a 150 watt flood light and I think the light and heat from the bulb has jump started spring for it. I was experimenting with this this winter as I did a massive cut back on it and wanted it out of dormancy to do this. Look for the swelling new buds. If you have them your fine. Mine usually loose 50% of their leaves going into winter. The rest fall when the new buds swell and turn into new leaves. This is normal for tropicals and semi deciduous trees. The Chinese elm is semi deciduous.

 

[griffinv989]

Thank you! I see a lot of tiny buds that are starting to swell and turn green. I was worried that some old leaves are still falling while some buds are just starting to swell but now I know that this is normal. Thank you