Defoliated Chinese Elm in our Local Fall Show

[JudyB]

Very good work! Love the bark and the taper is so excellent!

 

[Chuah]

Nice unique tree! The combination tree/pot could be much better in my opinion. I think its too deep and too narrow. This fits better in my opinion. Also a ovale/round is fine...View attachment 464585

Thank you, a shallower pot would bring out

Nice unique tree! The combination tree/pot could be much better in my opinion. I think its too deep and too narrow. This fits better in my opinion. Also a ovale/round is fine...View attachment 464585

Thank you, a shallower pot would definitely be better and would make the tree looks bigger too. I use deeper pots for most of my trees as they are easier to maintain in our very hot Zone 9 weather, and would put the trees in more appropriate pots for shows. Weather has been crazy for us, we are expecting 80F tomorrow, in December!

 

[Chuah]

oh ok, they do look similar. do you have a photo of this one now? or then and now

I do. I am having problem with my hard drive, will look for them when my son is home to help with all matters related to computers!

 

[Chuah]

oh ok, they do look similar. do you have a photo of this one now? or then and now

I was able to find these two January 2021 photos on nebari development. They were taken a month before the disastrous Great Texas Freeze, I lost a couple of branches and is rebuilding them. The 2013 photo from Colin Lewis' critique is the the last one.

 

[BobbyLane]

I was able to find these two January 2021 photos on nebari development. They were taken a month before the disastrous Great Texas Freeze, I lost a couple of branches and is rebuilding them. The 2013 photo from Colin Lewis' critique is the the last one.

great tree, the nebari is epic, thanks for sharing, it was worth the wait to see it like this

 

[Chuah]

Absolutely beautiful work. If you have any pics showing the progress from 1997 to now, please share.

Now I can access my hard drive and was able to find some old photos. Here are some on the progress from 2003 to 2014.

2003 with root grafting for nebari.


2009: major cut back several branches for clip-and-grow ramifications, also potted in colander for more active growth.


2014:

 

[Chuah]

Why would anyone want to defoliate a Chinese elm? The species already has super small leaves ... and beautiful fall colors ... What's the point?

It was done for the bonsai show. Normally I do not defoliate it. We are too far south to have good fall colors.

 

[Chuah]

great tree, the nebari is epic, thanks for sharing, it was worth the wait to see it like this
View attachment 464730

Hi Bobby, growing good nebari is the first thing to do for a bonsai and it requires patient. Attached is a post I wrote on growing nebari for a ficus I am developing, hope you like reading it.

Growing a Good Nebari and Fat Trunk Base Ficus Bonsai

A good nebari (exposed roots just above the soil surface) and a large trunk base are perhaps the two most desirable features we all wanted for our bonsai. However, they ta…

bonsaipenjing.wordpress.com

 

[AnutterBonsai]

Lovely tree! So much better in person! So glad I got to see your trees there.