Chinese Elm - Seedling to training pruning?

[Brian Jones]

Hi all, I'm Brian. My family has always been big into plants and I've always been fascinated by Bonsai. At least since I first saw Karate Kid anyway. Which I imagine might be a lot of peoples stories. I'm going to take a second shot at growing a Bonsai. I half-heartedly started to try and grow a Chinese Elm several years ago but didn't give it the attention it needed and killed it. I'm going to try again but take it seriously this time.

I got a Chinese Elm seedling that I'm going to grow. So I'm taking the hard road. It's over 22" tall but the trunk is not even pencil thick yet. So it's going to take at least several years before it's getting into Bonsai range. I have it in a large pot to get it started. I have found tons of information on how to take a tree that has gotten Bonsai size out of a training pot and start turning it into a Bonsai. But I haven't really been able to find anything for pruning and such from seedling up to that point.

I know I don't want to do that much to it and just let it grow. As a finished Bonsai I want it to be in the neighborhood of 10". Before it is thick enough do I ever want to prune the top out of it so it doesn't get out of control? Or I imagine I just want to let it grow as tall as it wants and when it's thick enough then cut it short and start it on the Bonsai road? What about the branches? Basically do I just let them grow and just prune them when they get obnoxious? Or do I want to keep them pruned longer, to something like 8"so they don't get too out of control and to encourage some ramification along the way? It seemed the information on this stage of growing a tree was sparse.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Stickroot]

Hi all, I'm Brian. My family has always been big into plants and I've always been fascinated by Bonsai. At least since I first saw Karate Kid anyway. Which I imagine might be a lot of peoples stories. I'm going to take a second shot at growing a Bonsai. I half-heartedly started to try and grow a Chinese Elm several years ago but didn't give it the attention it needed and killed it. I'm going to try again but take it seriously this time.

I got a Chinese Elm seedling that I'm going to grow. So I'm taking the hard road. It's over 22" tall but the trunk is not even pencil thick yet. So it's going to take at least several years before it's getting into Bonsai range. I have it in a large pot to get it started. I have found tons of information on how to take a tree that has gotten Bonsai size out of a training pot and start turning it into a Bonsai. But I haven't really been able to find anything for pruning and such from seedling up to that point.

I know I don't want to do that much to it and just let it grow. As a finished Bonsai I want it to be in the neighborhood of 10". Before it is thick enough do I ever want to prune the top out of it so it doesn't get out of control? Or I imagine I just want to let it grow as tall as it wants and when it's thick enough then cut it short and start it on the Bonsai road? What about the branches? Basically do I just let them grow and just prune them when they get obnoxious? Or do I want to keep them pruned longer, to something like 8"so they don't get too out of control and to encourage some ramification along the way? It seemed the information on this stage of growing a tree was sparse.

Thanks for your help!

Pics please ??

 

[M. Frary]

The fastest way to a thicker trunk is to just let it grow. Cutting nothing off.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

don't forget the rootbase! Select the best roots every year or every second year. Let it grow without cutting back till the trunk is 2", than cut back to 4" and start over, by that time you should know what to do.

 

[Brian Jones]

So even when the branches get a couple feet long or longer and out of hand don't prune it?

 

[sorce]

So even when the branches get a couple feet long or longer and out of hand don't prune it?

Yup.

I like the likening of leaves I heard to power factories. The more factories, the more power.

I just saw some gangly old thing in an alley and thought...
Hell, if people dont mind that mess, I can sure grow stuff out!

Look up trunk building. Chops etc

Sorce

 

[sorce]

My apologies Brian.

That long winded intro I couldn't enjoy without pics, or have time to reply to earlier....jk

I forgot....

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[Brian Jones]

Wait what are you apologizing for? I don't see anything that needs an apology.

My apologies Brian.

That long winded intro I couldn't enjoy without pics, or have time to reply to earlier....jk

I forgot....

Sorce

 

[Kandoloh]

Sorce u drinkin? Lol

 

[Stickroot]

Sorce u drinkin? Lol

Yep! Chicago's Municiple water SORCE, some wicked stuff!!!

 

[sorce]

SORCE

u drinkin

I Probly was, at work, when I read it.
These old guys I work with don't stop drinking! (and they are Jehovah witnesses lol)

Wait what are you apologizing for? I don't see anything that needs an apology

I don't know how you deleted it from your quote! But That's it, welcome to crazy!

I try to welcome everyone, unless you are really really lame.
Which, quite honestly, was almost the case with that long ass post and no pictures. I'm a sucker for Ulmus tho!

Heres some chop info.
http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATdevelopingtrunksforbonsai.htm

Lot more there too.

Pics?

Sorce

 

[Stickroot]

I Probly was, at work, when I read it.
These old guys I work with don't stop drinking! (and they are Jehovah witnesses lol)



I don't know how you deleted it from your quote! But That's it, welcome to crazy!

I try to welcome everyone, unless you are really really lame.
Which, quite honestly, was almost the case with that long ass post and no pictures. I'm a sucker for Ulmus tho!

Heres some chop info.
http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATdevelopingtrunksforbonsai.htm

Lot more there too.

Pics?

Sorce

What is Jehovah Witness?

 

[M. Frary]

What is Jehovah Witness?

Religious freaks. Don't believe in Christmas. Bang on doors handing out pamphlets. If they come to your door and you don't want to ever see them again,a few choice swear words usually works but I found wearing a Satan mask answering the door works better.

 

[Brian Jones]

but I found wearing a Satan mask answering the door works better.

LOL

 

[Brian Jones]

Which, quite honestly, was almost the case with that long ass post and no pictures. I'm a sucker for Ulmus tho!

If you want pictures I'll give you pictures. It's just a regular old Chinese Elm seedling, nothing special. I didn't think anyone would want to see any pictures. Not the best pictures.

 

[M. Frary]

Not the best pictures.

You're right.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

So even when the branches get a couple feet long or longer and out of hand don't prune it?

I currently have a corkbark Chinese elm growing in my growing beds which is maybe 9ft/3m tall at this point. I reckon you need to grow 3ft in height for every 1 inch in girth. Similar results can be achieved with side branches but it all comes down to masses of foliage generating growth of branches and subsequently of the trunk.

09059099 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

 

[Brian Jones]

I currently have a corkbark Chinese elm growing in my growing beds which is maybe 9ft/3m tall at this point. I reckon you need to grow 3ft in height for every 1 inch in girth. Similar results can be achieved with side branches but it all comes down to masses of foliage generating growth of branches and subsequently of the trunk.

Hmm, sounds like I'm definitely have to stick it in the ground if I want to get anywhere.

 

[jeremy_norbury]

Absolutely. Nearly all bonsai of any significant size spent the majority of their lives in open ground. All commercially grown trees are produced in fields.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Jerry, how did you start growing that elm? I mean, did you buy a seedling and plant it or was it purchased in a bonsai pot and transferred into the ground? And how long did it take to achieve that height? I've been wanting a nice larger Chinese elm for a while, but I've already got so many things growing out.