First collected tree

[RNbonsai]

I have decided that these local elms will be my focus.....

Hmmmm, no not focus... My specialty. Yea specialty sounds professional!

This tree is already growing again, new leafs and buds everywhere again. I totally understand that it is possible that I hurt it bad with no water in the heat and this is false growth, and it could still die.

I would bet very heavily that she grows strong and lives like nothing happened.

Going forward my plan is to try to collect more of these elms, treat them better (it’s a low bar so far) and grow some awesome trees.
Those 4 days with no water killed a juniper that had been doing great before this. Im super happy that this beast tolerated it so well, throwing leafs away when it got hot and pushing right back out when it got water.

Sorry no pic, I was watering, holding my baby, and squirting water at my other kids.

 

[RNbonsai]

Cut it back again- it grows like a weed!

 

[leatherback]

Cut it back again- it grows like a weed!

Why are you cutting it back so often?

 

[RNbonsai]

Why are you cutting it back so often?

Cut back May be the wrong word, I cut off some spots where multiple branches came off at the same spot.
Maybe I should leave it be longer at a time? I was thinking I was preventing any spot from bulging?

 

[RNbonsai]

I figured as hard as it was growing it was safe?
And also- because I’m new, learning mostly through failure and don’t have anyone to work with trees on who can teach me in person

 

[RNbonsai]

Dang I just looked at the dates, I thought I had waited way longer....
No more cuts this season

 

[RNbonsai]

Have started to get little holes in leafs on only this tree.
is it from heat? I can’t see any insects, but I’d take advice on what to look for if I’m missing them.

many help would be appreciated

 

[Forsoothe!]

I don't understand why OP is not training major branches, and only major branches, instead of allowing clusters of twigs to clutter-up good sites on the tree. There is growth literally everywhere it should have a major branch and that twiggy crap will contribute nothing but scars instead of being the architecture for next year's growth. Wasted time cannot be reclaimed. Boo Hiss

 

[leatherback]

Could be insects. They look similar as the damage I get on my cabbage seedlings in spring if the soil is kept too wet, and the seedlings get weak.

 

[Shibui]

Do you have elm leaf beetle there? Looks very much like beetle damage. They are cunning buggers and all drop off onto the ground when something comes near so you rarely see the beetles or the larvae. Both eat leaves and leave shot holes like this.

 

[RNbonsai]

I don't understand why OP is not training major branches, and only major branches, instead of allowing clusters of twigs to clutter-up good sites on the tree. There is growth literally everywhere it should have a major branch and that twiggy crap will contribute nothing but scars instead of being the architecture for next year's growth. Wasted time cannot be reclaimed. Boo Hiss

I adjusted the lowest branch but that was it. I was thinking to just do it slow and not take a bunch off the tree. Ill trim the bunches to one branch. Ive never had a tree like this and im still learning

 

[RNbonsai]

It doesn't look like burns then? ok Ima try to find the lil things doing this and eliminate them

 

[Forsoothe!]

I would start it on a systemic like Bayer Rose 3-in-1, there are several others. I would also eliminate a lot of what's there and watch for twigs exactly where you want them, You already know it will buds back everywhere in response to trimming. You want to pick & choose exactly where your ideal branches should be and wait it out, -for just what you want and trim off everything else. Once you get what you want let them grow, but guiding often to keep the growth in your desired cloud shape and not interfering with other clouds. I like something like this as a starting point...

I wouldn't want anything on the lower trunk so I could show it off! Keep the upper canopy tight to force more growth into the lower major limbs. When you're happy with the lowers, then let the top get bigger, -it always favor the top whenever you're ready.

 

[RNbonsai]

I would start it on a systemic like Bayer Rose 3-in-1, there are several others. I would also eliminate a lot of what's there and watch for twigs exactly where you want them, You already know it will buds back everywhere in response to trimming. You want to pick & choose exactly where your ideal branches should be and wait it out, -for just what you want and trim off everything else. Once you get what you want let them grow, but guiding often to keep the growth in your desired cloud shape and not interfering with other clouds. I like something like this as a starting point...
View attachment 350648
I wouldn't want anything on the lower trunk so I could show it off! Keep the upper canopy tight to force more growth into the lower major limbs. When you're happy with the lowers, then let the top get bigger, -it always favor the top whenever you're ready.

Ok, it is leafless currently, before it buds out I will reduce to the ones I want. that makes a long of sense. I agree with that lower trunk staying clear. Ill take a look at it tonight and decide which ones I want where.

Thank you, that was a helpful way to explain it. I feel like i got lucky and got a good tree so Im looking to give it the best setups I can

 

[RNbonsai]

Ok, so I thinned it out some, still need to figure out the top. Hopefully pushing it the right way.

@Forsoothe! Do you think that’s better? The bottom big one I was thinking would thicken the bottom a bit, but I think I’ll just try to air layer it this spring and pull it. There is still a weird root I have to cut but I’ll do that on the next potting.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Still pretty busy on the upper section. Do some picking and choosing to get the clumps of twigs down to the biggest single twig pointing in the right direction. Follow the rules of bonsai: Make air space between layers/clouds/branches; nothing grows straight up or straight down from a layer to interfere with the cloud above or below; no crossing branches; leave or trim/wire branches to point sideways from a cloud; clouds arranged like a spiral staircase with no cloud centered immediately above the cloud below it, it should be rotated about 60° beyond the cloud below it. All new growth will point at the up at the sun, which is what you want.

You do not want a clump of twigs growing anywhere, especially from the trunk. You want one twig pointed/wired in the right direction, so select the best candidate and remove all others in that clump. That will get you a bigger branch at that location sooner. Like this...

 

[RNbonsai]

Plan on working on it this week, I'll try to grab a new pic. Thank you for the help.

 

[RNbonsai]

Here’s a pic of it tonight. I cut back the branches a few weeks ago and just hadn’t got to add a pic. That’s all I plan to cut this year, hopefully it runs good

 

[RNbonsai]

I’m a bit worried she hasn’t put out buds yet. I scratched a few spots and it is super green. Just watering, watching and waiting for now.

 

[Aeast]

I fear the worst for this tree, should definitely be leafed out by now.

The insect in question on previous posts is elm flea weevil, the holes are from the adults feeding, the "burnt" areas are actually from the larva, they are leafminers.

Next time you collect let the tree grow freely and recover for a couple years before you start pruning away. Trees need foliage to replenish sugars and starches.