Chuhin Broom Elm

[my nellie]

Hi Nellie - I'm sorry, nut I missed your question... ...

Thank you very much for your response!

 

[markyscott]

Late for spring work. This should have been my second edit - not my first. I'll probably get in one more this season, but I lost at least one push waiting this long. Oh well - life gets in the way sometime. But if you want faster development, work as soon as the growth hardens off. Shoots are easier to bend and you'll maximize the number of growths you'll get to work with in the growing season.

Here it is on July 29.



Tons of growth. Also, root ball is solid. Note to self - repot this winter.

Scott

 

[markyscott]

Edit and wire. Pull off old leaves on extending shoots.

 

[markyscott]

Done for now - let it grow. And don't wait so long to work it next time. Yeesh.

Front


Other possible front.

 

[ConorDash]

Why do you pull the first sets of leaves off, on the extending shoots?
I've an elm that's currently in a similar situation, 2 large branches that I'm letting grow out, wondering if I should be doing the same..

 

[MACH5]

This is going to be a really nice tree Scott!

 

[markyscott]

Why do you pull the first sets of leaves off, on the extending shoots?
I've an elm that's currently in a similar situation, 2 large branches that I'm letting grow out, wondering if I should be doing the same..

Hi Conor. The goal of removing leaves is to let light and air into the interior. When you remove the growing tip, auxin levels drop in the branch allowing back budding to happen. When these buds emerge in the interior, it's important to keep them healthy. By removing the old leaves on the extending shoots we give the the light that they need. This is a technique for broadleaf trees in development.

Scott

 

[markyscott]

This is going to be a really nice tree Scott!

Thanks Sergio. I hope you get a chance to come to my garden when you visit next year.

Scott

 

[MrBeto]

With spring growth in full swing in Houston, I'm in the busiest time of the year. Trees in development are fertilized heavily - solid fertilizer on top and liquid fertilizer every weekend. Trees are pushing huge growth - it seems like they change every time I look away for a minute. That means wiring and branch selection every weekend. The more I learn about bonsai and the more my trees develop, the more I realize that I can't keep so many of these darn things. I work on them continuously in springtime.

Here's one I thought I'd share - I wanted to highlight this project because it's fun and can be done with easily accessible and affordable material for everyone. This tree started out as a 10 gallon nursery tree I bought at 75% off in the fall of 2012 (sorry - no pictures back then). But we've all seen them - stick straight trunk with no taper and no lower branching and about 8-10' tall. We would all walk past these things. But broom is one style that lends itself to this kind of material. And it was cheap. So I thought I'd give it a try.

@markyscott what is your choice for liquid fertilizer ?

 

[markyscott]

@markyscott what is your choice for liquid fertilizer ?

Hello MrBeto. I use Microlife in the little plastic cups and fish emulsion weekly.

Scott

 

[MACH5]

Thanks Sergio. I hope you get a chance to come to my garden when you visit next year.

Scott

I'd love to!

 

[MrBeto]

Hello MrBeto. I use Microlife in the little plastic cups and fish emulsion weekly.

Scott

I checked the website, and there's many kinds of. Would you specify which one ? Right now I started using the sumo cakes. I also have the bonsai pro 7-9-5 liquid.

 

[markyscott]

I checked the website, and there's many kinds of. Would you specify which one ? Right now I started using the sumo cakes. I also have the bonsai pro 7-9-5 liquid.

The granular 6-2-4 or 8-4-6 is what I use in the cups. You can get it at Quality Feed. And run-of-the-mill fish emulsion like what you get at the box stores. I think that Quality Feed has that too.

Scott

 

[markyscott]

Cutback and repot. Before



Scott

 

[markyscott]

Roots at repot February 2015 vs February 2018



Scott

 

[markyscott]

There are some spots on the nebari that have been reluctant to push roots. Need to do some root grafting using seedlings I ordered from Matt Ouwinga - thanks Matt!



Scott

 

[markyscott]

I drill holes that enter at the point I wish the roots and exit at the bottom of the nebari. The seedlings are then guided up through the soil surface on the other side of the tree.



Scott

 

[markyscott]

Gently scrape the bark away on the top and one side of the seedlings, then push in a toothpick to force the seedling roots against the side of the hole.

After several thread grafts, then back in the pot.



Scott

 

[markyscott]

All done for now.


New training pot.

You can see some of the root graft seedlings I used.

Scott

 

[Adair M]

All done for now.
View attachment 177618

New training pot.

You can see some of the root graft seedlings I used.

Scott

Excellent!

You deserve a Shiner for that!