How tall should I keep this collected Chinese elm?

[Schmikah]

Tree has just been collected. Air layering it is pushing it to develop two sets of roots--one at the expense of the other, while also asking it to produce leaves at the same time. Chop only asks half, of that effort. Simple is better...

Just to be clear so @Mikecheck123 does not confuse my limited experience advice:

I was speaking in the perfect, long term, do it in stages, sense of what to do (as I see it, without time limitations).

 

[Mikecheck123]

Just to be clear so @Mikecheck123 does not confuse my limited experience advice:

I was speaking in the perfect, long term, do it in stages, sense of what to do (as I see it, without time limitations).

Cool, thanks. Given my (in)experience, I think I'm going to err on the safe side and just chop it now.

 

[rockm]

Just to be clear so @Mikecheck123 does not confuse my limited experience advice:

I was speaking in the perfect, long term, do it in stages, sense of what to do (as I see it, without time limitations).

Time frame for recovery of the main root system would be at least a year. Two if you want solid strong response from the tree. Another season to air layer...Three years for a mediocre air layer.

 

[Tieball]

Just chop it off. Low. And start your new tree journey now.

 

[Mikecheck123]

I'd say :

View attachment 277564

Ok!

Done.

 

[Schmikah]

*screams quietly* you sir, have more bravery than I.

 

[Mikecheck123]

*screams quietly* you sir, have more bravery than I.

No bravery is required when I'm the one doing the sawing.

 

[Tieball]

Just a comment....just something I do. I always cut one side shorter than the other. The uneven growth is more appealing to me rather than a perfect V. But in the end, cut like the V you have, you’ll likely have uneven growth anyway and can then bite away some of the excess V. Carefully, I eliminate multiple branch buds growing from one spot....the multiples seem to just create a large obstacle growth...a big knob....that never smooths out.

Nice chop. Your decision is Mighty fine!

 

[Mikecheck123]

Just a comment....just something I do. I always cut one side shorter than the other. The uneven growth is more appealing to me rather than a perfect V. But in the end, cut like the V you have, you’ll likely have uneven growth anyway and can then bite away some of the excess V. Carefully, I eliminate multiple branch buds growing from one spot....the multiples seem to just create a large obstacle growth...a big knob....that never smooths out.

Nice chop. Your decision is Mighty fine!

Thank you for the help and kind words. I always marvel at the resilience and pliability of Chinese elms, but I've never had one this big! Keeping fingers crossed for greatness.

 

[rockm]

Ok!

Done.

Nicely done! No courage, no bonsai.

 

[Igor. T. Ljubek]

Isn't it a bit too early for trunk chop? Even though you live in zone 10a i would rather wait till spring. I hope the tree will survive your "surgery" . Are you gonna keep it outside or inside (green house)?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Ok!

Done.

Boom !!!

I love it, no guts, no glory.
That is about where I would have cut. Nice.

 

[Mikecheck123]

Isn't it a bit too early for trunk chop? Even though you live in zone 10a i would rather wait till spring. I hope the tree will survive your "surgery" . Are you gonna keep it outside or inside (green house)?

Probably. But you gotta make do when Craigslist shopping.

 

[leatherback]

Nah, the plant does not know it is winter

 

[M. Frary]

I would saw that club off low.
Probably as low as 3 to 4 inches inches from the soil line.
Should have been done at time of collection.
With elms cut to height before digging.
No need to worry about existing branches.
They sprout out of the cut.

 

[Mikecheck123]

Buds appear.

 

[Mike Corazzi]

At times I get to thinking that one or two trees should actually be left in the ground where they grew up.
A yamagonawokawai if you will.

 

[misfit11]

Nice job making the difficult decision to chop this way down. The tree will be better for it in the long run. Much better than wasting years trying to make a convincing tree out of it only to chop it down then. No guys, no glory!

 

[Mikecheck123]

Uh guys I think it worked. New shoots are almost 30 inches long in less than three months. You can barely even find the V cut.

Is there something I should do now (like branch selection)? Or do I just let it recover this season?

 

[Mikecheck123]