elm design

erb.75

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a question about deciduous design -

Anyone ever tried to do a literati design with elms where the top "head" is bowed down? I have seen this a lot with conifers and was curious if it can be done....image attached

Also, how do you convince elms to make a cascade when clearly they want to grow upward? I have definitely seen several elms that are either semi cascade or has a large branch growing downward. Do you just have to take a branch and bend it downward? I tried that and the foliage on top of the tree grows, but the lower foliage has no new growth!

What strategies do people use? tip the pot sideways?
 

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Cypress187

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Much bends are made with wire, maybe you can also plant/place it in an angle so the branches will grow more naturally the way u want.
 

sorce

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Anything is possible .

I like the fishing weight trick.

Sorce
 

erb.75

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ya, the issue really isn't being able to bend a branch in place...the issue i'm having is that my tree has decided that branch is no longer the best place to grow and has resorted to increased growth at other areas of the tree that are higher up on the tree...maybe i'll keep the plant tilted at an angle and put it "flat" for shows
 

erb.75

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or just let the plant grow the way it wants...lol...that might just be better
 

sorce

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ya, the issue really isn't being able to bend a branch in place...the issue i'm having is that my tree has decided that branch is no longer the best place to grow and has resorted to increased growth at other areas of the tree that are higher up on the tree...maybe i'll keep the plant tilted at an angle and put it "flat" for shows

I got one growing down off my balcony. It actually is favoring growing down. Odd.

Make it your beeoch. Get er did.

Sorce
 

GrimLore

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or just let the plant grow the way it wants...lol...that might just be better

You might want to if it is an American Elm. They do however make a very nice broom or informal upright if you stay on ramification. On a bright note if you do they pretty much auto reduce the leaf size. Neat tree to work with if you go with the flow :rolleyes:

Grimmy
 

erb.75

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hhaha ya, it's a cork bark elm...i'm experimenting with it to try to make it styled much like the first picture. You'd think I'd just choose a conifer to do it, but I love deciduous trees too much :)
 

M. Frary

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You might want to if it is an American Elm. They do however make a very nice broom or informal upright if you stay on ramification. On a bright note if you do they pretty much auto reduce the leaf size. Neat tree to work with if you go with the flow :rolleyes:

Grimmy

And they flow fairly fast.
 

M. Frary

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I imagine once you got the branches bent down into position you would have to rub every bud off that showed up off immediately. Never let anything grow vertically. Force it to keep the branches it has by doing constant bud rubbing and pinching upward growth.
 

Aaronkslater

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Probably has to do with the fact that it is an apically dominant tree. I think the way it works is auxin moves down the tree from the highest growing tip. Auxin is a hormone that inhibits growth, it is the way the tree chooses a new leader. As soon as you bend the leader down below the level of another branch that other branch becomes the leader as it receives less auxin so it starts growing more vigorously and inhibiting your bent down branch. Or in your case the trunk starts popping new buds.
I would do like frary says. Or maybe you could tip it so the bent leader is still the highest point?
 
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