I'm gonna make brooms.

[Adair M]

As a "general rule", avoid pinching bonsai. It's usually better to let it grow, and cut back.

Letting it grow stimulates the roots to grow. Good roots make for a healthy tree. Pinching tends to inhibit the production of auxin, the hormone which stimulates root growth. So, pinching the top retards root growth.

 

[cmeg1]

As a "general rule", avoid pinching bonsai. It's usually better to let it grow, and cut back.

Letting it grow stimulates the roots to grow. Good roots make for a healthy tree. Pinching tends to inhibit the production of auxin, the hormone which stimulates root growth. So, pinching the top retards root growth.

Yea,I think I got apprehensive.They are fresh repotted too.Everything is looking so dwarf with these.

 

[akhater]

It seems I got my start-up broom

A Chinese elm cutting that (looks like) took

I was thinking to remove the lower branch and the right and cut back the one on the left to the same level as the other one

what do you think ?

(Hope you don't mind me posting in your thread)

Thanks

 

[Adair M]

Good start. You want the trunk to be absolutely vertical and straight, as smooth as possible.

The length of the two main branches is ok, you don't want it TOO even.

Let it grow out, then cut back.

 

[cmeg1]

It seems I got my start-up broom

A Chinese elm cutting that (looks like) took

I was thinking to remove the lower branch and the right and cut back the one on the left to the same level as the other one

what do you think ?

(Hope you don't mind me posting in your thread)

Thanks

Post all you want in this thread.I have been very busy with a possible move to a new home.Trees are definately coming with me though.
I check the thread every day!

 

[cmeg1]

Letting them get happy.
Note to self....let first flush grow out and let tree get happy,do not pinch too early.
Darn,how did I forget that
I only pinched 4 trees too early.About half of the pinched twigs died back,was just to much for the trees.Forget what the magazine articles say at this point.
They will live though,I mean these are Zelkova.
They are all getting happy now.Roots are starting to poke out the colanders too.

 

[cmeg1]

What's happening lately.

Took some night shots of what is going on with the trees.Letting some grow,others have got there first real trim.Not especially rampant growth I guess because of the hard root prune this Spring.
Everything looks good and healthy.
I want them a lot more vigorous before I defoliate.

 

[cmeg1]

Defoliated Zelkova #11

This one seemed to be vigorous and growing after the root pruning.Roots are poking out all around the colander.So it got it's first trim of the season and then defoliated.Defoliation took 1 hour.Great way to spend an hour.
I am going to feed the tree really well and try to get at least a couple defoliations in.

 

[cmeg1]

Defoliated Zelkova #10

I cut this tree back and defoliated.
This is one of the trees I killed some nice shoots by 'pinching'in early spring,but it came back.

 

[Tieball]

Don't pinch too soon! Let them extend to 6 or 8 leaves, then cut back to 2. Two real leaves.

What exactly is meant by "Two real leaves"?

 

[Eric Group]

What exactly is meant by "Two real leaves"?

Sometimes Elms/ Zelcova will make little mini leaves right at the base of a new branch.. Kind of immature leaves, not exactly full nodes... I think he means "real leaves" to mean two full size/ normal leaves.

Two is the golden standard... 2-3 is fine, the goal when doing this is that the end leaf you cut to is leaving a node that will point in the desired direction as well. So, sometimes you might want to leave three leaves to get to to hat node pointing the right direction...

 

[Adair M]

Exactly, Eric!

The temptation is to cut back to 4 or 5. But what hsppens when you leave it that long is only the terminal bud develops! Cutting back harder signals the tree to produce a lot of new branches.

 

[JoeR]

Exactly, Eric!

The temptation is to cut back to 4 or 5. But what hsppens when you leave it that long is only the terminal bud develops! Cutting back harder signals the tree to produce a lot of new branches.

I don't want to hijack this thread, but does this apply to a cherry? I cut mine back to 4 or 5 leaf sets on some of the branches. I want it to ramify more so maybe i should have cut it back further? I just wasn't sure it was even the right time to prune it. Either way it's probably too late now.

 

[cmeg1]

Yea,I used to think that them first couple nodes were so good since close together on Zelkova.I have learned this season to let the shoot extend till' I actually see little bumps getting ready to pop in the nodes and cut back to them leaving two or three.
I trimmed these back after they stretched to 8-10 leaf stage(real leaves) because I wanted to grow some roots and let them get vigorous.
On half the trees this worked out perfectly since
the first flush was let go to the proper defoliation time,cut back then defoliated at same time.
The other four trees the process was hampered from the early pinching mistake.You can see the two little trees below.While looking somewhat shapely,I would of much rather let the shoots go to 8-10 leaves (like the first picture)then cut back and defoliate.
They are sprouting now so I am just going to begin the process a little late on them.

 

[Adair M]

Good to see that you're learning!

We were all taught to "pinch, pinch, pinch" back in the old days.

What we've learned now is to "grow and cut back".

Keep up the good work!

 

[cmeg1]

Yay...cuttings

I am a couple weeks late taking these cuttings.I made 38 of them.
I want to make small meandering trees with no hard chops.Maybe forest type ,tall trees,but trees with actual branches.Get kinda' creative too!

I'll keep the propagator under the shade of tall trees for about a month.

 

[cmeg1]

Defoliated Zelkova#1
This tree will get it together next year.There is hope for it.It will need more wire this Autumn.I've taken it off too early this season.

 

[cmeg1]

Wow,it is Spring again.

I really enjoy when growth just starts to burst from the trees.
Here are these two trees 11 days after defoliation.
I like where they are headed.Not bad for 2 years old.

 

[Eric Group]

They look great! Especially that first one!

 

[akhater]

I'm glad you are keeping this post updated, such a joy to read.

A quick question, when do you remove the cuttings from the propagator?

I always struggle with this decision, too soon or too late and it dies

Thanks