my yatsubusa elm update

cmeg1

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I bought this Yatsubusa elm last year.It was in a bonsai pot.It got infested with little honeydew excreting bugs and when my tree was being covered in fly's ,I got fustrated and put it in the ground with just weekly watering.I hope it survived the winter,Buds are starting to burst.Anyway,as you can see from the original pic,I lopped off the branch on the left and the rear branch also.I potted it in a 13" colander and I plan to let it get vigorous and grow a bit,perhaps for a hair-cut in summer.I guess we will see how vigorous it gets.What do you think about it.If it gets vigorous at some year ,If I chopped it real low would it sprout for a sumo broom design?The pic in leaf is as purchased last year.
 

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Poink88

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Very nice. I think you did the right thing cutting the other branch. I also hope you saved it and tried planting it as a cutting. :)
 

cmeg1

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Very nice. I think you did the right thing cutting the other branch. I also hope you saved it and tried planting it as a cutting. :)
Actually I did not save it.Would a 1" cutting root?
Thanks,Happy Spring
 

Poink88

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Actually I did not save it.Would a 1" cutting root?

First I have no yatsubusa elm yet so not sure. I also have not tried rooting elm since I can collect as much as I want BUT given my first statement, I would definitely have tried. :)

On your question...I rooted 2"+ yaupon holly and crabapple cuttings successfully. Trying some trident maple, logwood, and boxwood right now. I am not even giving them the best treatment...just plopped them on available container and see. So far they look okay but way too early to tell.
 

PaulH

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If the infestation happens again, I've fount that Bayer Tree and Shrub systemic works great at ridding bonsai of aphids, scale and most other nasty bugs that can attack bonsai. Just please don't use it on anything with flowers or fruit as it is thought to be a major contributor to honeybee hive collapse from improper use.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Actually I did not save it.Would a 1" cutting root?
Thanks,Happy Spring

Doubtful. I have only had success propagating Yatsabusa/corticosa elms with root cuttings...like this ugly sucker...from one I bought at Bonsai Northwest in '97. The original tree is long gone (sold), but this root cutting is 3-4 years old, from a root cutting from the original; in fish keeping, its like an F2. Both are back in the ground getting fat and ugly.
 

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october

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I am not saying to do this, but you know what I think would make a really nice tree. If you chopped or air layered it right at the small branch on the right. The proportions would be excellent and it would make a very nice slant style. However, chopping that much is gamble. It might be better to air layer.

Here are a couple of virts explaining what I mean.

Rob
 

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cmeg1

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I am not saying to do this, but you know what I think would make a really nice tree. If you chopped or air layered it right at the small branch on the right. The proportions would be excellent and it would make a very nice slant style. However, chopping that much is gamble. It might be better to air layer.

Here are a couple of virts explaining what I mean.

Rob
Thanks Rob,that is a great vert.It is nice to see a suggestion,and as I am cosidering bringing it down at some point it is just what I needed to see.For now though it seems it wants to grow and flourish for awhile before I make my decision.
 

davetree

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I think you could make a nice twin trunk out of this tree by cutting the main trunk back to about half size next spring. You should get a ton of buds after pruning.
 

cmeg1

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I think you could make a nice twin trunk out of this tree by cutting the main trunk back to about half size next spring. You should get a ton of buds after pruning.
That is what I was wondering.If they bud after a chop.Thanks for the input.I do see now on the tree,buds bursting everywhere along the trunk.The 'Yatsubusa' definately likes to bud.
 

cmeg1

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I am happy to inform that the tree does seem to be vigorous and is surviving the root pruning I gave it.I am know considering,possibly,air layering a couple sections next year and also taking cuttings this year.I talked to Martha at Meehans last Wednesday ,from whom I bought it, and she said cuttings strike easily from them.We will see,I have never taken cuttings from trees.She said wounding the cut end with a small file helps a lot.There are some very vigorous shoots sprouting from the trunk that look great for making a few.I may layer sections off the top and keep the bottom for a more shohin like tree in seasons to come.I want it to be very vigorous if I am layering,so maybe next year for that.For size reference,it is in a 13" colander.
 

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edprocoat

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That is such a majestic looking tree ! Personally I would never consider chopping it, it looks so natural right now. I would clean off all the buds on teh trunk though.

ed
 

cmeg1

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That is such a majestic looking tree ! Personally I would never consider chopping it, it looks so natural right now. I would clean off all the buds on teh trunk though.

ed
Thanks,I like the tree now too.It barely got any fertilizer last year,and I just had to see it grow a bit.i am going to use all the trunk sprouts for cuttings soon.They seem noticeably more vigorous than the rest of the shoots on the tree.We will see.I like the cultivar because of it's hardiness and back-budding ability.I am really going to let the shoots grow out before it gets a haircut.
 

tmmason10

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Sweet tree! It has a good amount if potential. I like Robs idea but there are other possibilities.
 

cmeg1

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Well,I guess I may as well update this tree to show what I am doing.I wanted to thank everyone for the great advise.I have decided to try to get it in shape as it is for a while,till' I just cannot any more,if that time ever happens do to looking too big.It will be a learning experience for me on how to pinch and also make branches and balence vigor.Plus sometime way down the road when I want something new to do I feel confident I could cut it back hard and develop a nice smaller tree.I love the way the lower trunk is ,the part with the mature bark.The top has plenty of vigor now.The bottom trunk looked to me that it needed some more vigor to catch up to the top,so I cut it once and am going to leave it till' sometime next season probably.I tried making everything as even as possible on the lower trunk/branch till' next year.The top just keeps getting pinched.I am developing a branch on the left side you can see and I am also developing a branch in the back,which really should not take long at all,you can see the extensions.I definately am going to wire next season to really try to tweak it in the right direction.The branches are quite soft and should still be pliable next season.Well that is about it.I left pictures of spring and a few from now as it is currently.I keep it in the open,not under the poly carb.
 

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cmeg1

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Well,here we are ...3 months.I am happy that I am achieving what I really wanted to do,that is,learn to balence the vigor of this tree.I made a branch too.I learned some clip and grow techniques too.The weaker bottom trunk I was worried about seems to have caught up to the top.It is swelling and cracking all over.I am thinking now that I will prune after leaf fall and wire ,or maybe prune in late winter for possibly more vigorous growth.I got pretty good density on the top section.I just need to do that on the lower section next year.We will see after leaf fall.I may have to thicken some other branches first.I am actually considering to put this in a bonsai pot.I have a rather large unglazed oval that would fit.I need it next year for better water retension.It got a little close this year.
 

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cmeg1

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Trunk removal healing quick

Seems the trunk removal is gonna' heal quick.At this rate it should be covered in two seasons.Maybe almost next season.Here's the best pictures to convey the process.It was chopped in very early spring this year.
*the little white flies are dead by the way.
 

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davetree

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That's a lot of moss on your trunk. That stuff can destroy corky bark. I would get rid of it.
 
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