English Elm root cutting

[Maiden69]

Coming along great, my yatsubusa root cuttings are at the same stage as yours on the first post... I think one of them could be working into something similar.

 

[pandacular]

I'm curious why you decided to separate the layer now rather than in autumn. Was it just due to an abundance of healthy roots?

 

[BobbyLane]

I'm curious why you decided to separate the layer now rather than in autumn. Was it just due to an abundance of healthy roots?

Yes thats right, I did the same with a Beech layer yesterday. I think both will adjust fairly quickly, more so the Elm.

 

[BobbyLane]

Temps will be cooling a bit here over the next few days, with less intense sun. I use the weather forecast at times when making these types of decisions

 

[AJL]

Also here in Britain this week Ive just separated a Cork bark elm ,Mountain maple and Potentilla air layers which seem to be all happily establishing with no signs of wilting. All had strong new rooting so our current cooler weather after our recent heatwave is helping them to establish after separating from their mother plants .

 

[BobbyLane]

Did some major rootwork on this today. The roots had filled the pot and were growing through the drainage holes and into the balcony troughs.

I noticed a lot of lower branches died back last year, which I believe was mainly down to course growth in the apex, ive only just cut back a few branches today, since starting this tree. Couple of the trunks got thicker than the main one, so those were cut back.

Reduced the root ball considerably. Everything growing downwards and a few thick roots were removed, whats left is a pretty levelled out root base. There's some wood developing too

 

[BobbyLane]

May still make further reductions in one or two trunks...
Should get a lot of backbudding.

I wont get as much trunk thickening in this pot, but if I keep the others in check, the main trunk should still put on a little girth with time. The rootbase should really begin to improve now though.

 

[JeffS73]

Good to see you're still on with this project! The layer came out really well.

 

[Jrmcmich]

Cool progression you have made on this.

 

[BobbyLane]

Good to see you're still on with this project! The layer came out really well.

The layering process did indeed turn out really well, got a nice new pad of roots to play about with. Roots would of went crazy if I didn't get a re pot done this season. The root mass had conformed to the shape of the plastic tub, so vigorous.

 

[BobbyLane]

Cool progression you have made on this.

Thanks, looking back I think the two central trunks can come closer together.

 

[BobbyLane]

So this has had somewhat of a reset. Ive cut back the trunks and introduced taper.
I like this for the front, the base will be better on this side

 

[BobbyLane]

Update after the hard reset about 3 weeks ago. Ive just used a sharp scalpel to rub out numerous clusters of buds, buds in crotches etc. So whats left are keeper buds essentially.

There's a few well placed buds now at the base of the two thickest trunks, I may use these to grow out two more backround trunks, thinner for depth.

 

[BobbyLane]

2 weeks on..

Im looking to develop 2 more trunks. One in foreground and one in the background.
There's 3 viable shoots to choose from

Elm just being an Elm, so vigorous

 

[BobbyLane]

For a while now, ive been thinking the extreme lean in both side trunks is a little too much, and maybe a little contrived. So ive made some adjustments to train them more upright and I think there will eventually be more harmony/cohesion between all trunks now.

The left trunk is so strong and thick, im still getting the middle trunk to become thicker. The left trunk has been cut back hard, while there's a few longer shoots left on the middle trunk, coming from the base upwards.

There's a few strategic reductions all around the tree, im trying to get strength into the new emerging trunks, as much as 4 shoots around the base will become trunks in foreground and background.


You can just see in last image where ive pulled the two right trunks together, thus making a gap for a young trunk to emerge.

 

[BobbyLane]

So there was 5, now there is 7.
I have applied wire to two new trunks on the left. One is in the foreground and one to the rear.


Will allow some thickening, before cutting them shorter

 

[Woocash]

I'd not seen this one before. What a nice progression, from root cutting to ground layer and a lovely clump forming. I think you made the right call with the side trunks.

 

[BobbyLane]

I'd not seen this one before. What a nice progression, from root cutting to ground layer and a lovely clump forming. I think you made the right call with the side trunks.

Thanks for your input Woocash! Yes the sidetrunks seemed a little to 'forced' .
Whats your opinion on adding more trunks as per last post, yay or nay? I think will add more overall interest and perspective.

 

[Woocash]

Thanks for your input Woocash! Yes the sidetrunks seemed a little to 'forced' .
Whats your opinion on adding more trunks as per last post, yay or nay? I think will add more overall interest and perspective.

Well, in my local woods it seems like the elms down one side are all just from one tree or root mass so I don't think you can have too many. I liked the silhouette in the image in post #7 and so I do think you need the width - either from the trunks you have cut back or from some extra trunks. They don't have to reach up high, but could just provide some lower width. I think the taper that your chops will create is more important than the direction they were moving in. If anything, to me the second established trunk on the left is a little too wiggly compared to the others and would look better reducing and growing out again as exaggerated movement would look better on a more tapered trunk.

That said, keeping it higher until the rear one is established and can provide the height is also an option. This tree is young, effectively 5 years or so, so I'm sure there'll be various iterations until you settle on a final configuration.

 

[BobbyLane]

Well, in my local woods it seems like the elms down one side are all just from one tree or root mass so I don't think you can have too many. I liked the silhouette in the image in post #7 and so I do think you need the width - either from the trunks you have cut back or from some extra trunks. They don't have to reach up high, but could just provide some lower width. I think the taper that your chops will create is more important than the direction they were moving in. If anything, to me the second established trunk on the left is a little too wiggly compared to the others and would look better reducing and growing out again as exaggerated movement would look better on a more tapered trunk.

That said, keeping it higher until the rear one is established and can provide the height is also an option. This tree is young, effectively 5 years or so, so I'm sure there'll be various iterations until you settle on a final configuration.

You made some good points there, I appreciate your insight as a fellow nature man. All things I shall consider going forwards. Width sounds good, as well as reducing the wiggley trunk for taper. Height will come from the main trunk, the gate keeper. Im not looking for any taper in the middle trunk, it will be more of a trunk that splits into two, with a spreading, high crown that sort of covers the others like an umbrella.