Styling Advice Request (Seiju Elm)

[Jester217300]

Kurt is a good guy and The Flower Market is the nicest place I can find locally (still need to go out and visit Don some day). Kurt has been acquiring a lot of trees recently; he bought out a lot of Dale Cochoy's collection and has been steadily importing stock from Florida. Tropicals are his main game but his temperate stock is growing significantly.

Use this and see if it gets you anywhere:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...9868965559.237534.256915795559&type=1&theater

 

[jasonpg]

I used that 10% coupon

So, as a quick air layering refresher, I need to:

• Score the bark around the tree, and cleanly remove a band of bark
• Scrape the layer of exposed wood with a knife
• Pack the newly exposed area with wet sphagnum moss
• Wrap it in something translucent (maybe saran wrap or a zip lock bag?)
• Be patient and wait for new roots to emerge

Did I leave anything out?

 

[Jester217300]

Rooting hormone? Elms root well but probably not well enough to leave RH out. It can't hurt, at the least.

Also after you have finished scrapping off the cambium it's usually a good idea to re-score your top cut (where the roots will come from) before dressing the layer. Just take the faintest bit of material off to clean the cut. The sharper this cut is the better the tree will root and after clearing off the bark and cambium it will likely not be as clean as it could be.

 

[Poink88]

See comments in bold below.

So, as a quick air layering refresher, I need to:

• Score the bark around the tree, and cleanly remove a band of bark. Make sure you reach sapwood.
• Scrape the layer of exposed wood with a knife - make sure you remove all the cambium. Let it dry or wipe with alcohol to be 100% cambium is dead.
• Clean upper ring barked area with sharp knife then apply rooting hormone.
• Pack the newly exposed area with wet sphagnum moss you can also use regular bonsai soil w/ chopped sphagnum
• Wrap it in something translucent (maybe saran wrap or a zip lock bag?) You can also use a nursery pot w/ bottom punched the size of your trunk and slit on the side, later stitch it shut w/ wire or just tape it. Open top makes for easy watering. BTW place hang points (I put 3) at the top of the pot and secure it to the trunk above...else pot may slip down
• Be patient and wait for new roots to emerge

 

[jasonpg]

Any suggestions for a good rooting hormone?

 

[JudyB]

Please remember that you'll need to give the new plant extra winter protection this coming winter. And possibly the lower tree as well, if the new growth that it pops out doesn't have time to harden off before the weather gets cold again.

It would stink to do all that work, just to loose both trees to the cold....

And it sounds like you should take a road trip to Gregory Beach Bonsai, it'll blow your mind... email first, as it's appt. only, but it's the first place I'd take my business....

 

[jasonpg]

Please remember that you'll need to give the new plant extra winter protection this coming winter. And possibly the lower tree as well, if the new growth that it pops out doesn't have time to harden off before the weather gets cold again.

It would stink to do all that work, just to loose both trees to the cold....

And it sounds like you should take a road trip to Gregory Beach Bonsai, it'll blow your mind... email first, as it's appt. only, but it's the first place I'd take my business....

Could you elaborate a bit more on extra winter protection? Should I bring the two new trees created from the air layer into the garage and wrap them in some sort of insulating material in the Winter?

 

[jasonpg]

See comments in bold below.

I followed the tips .. one question I had was regarding the wood color when scraping the cambium layer. As I scraped the wood it quickly turned from white to brown like it was oxidizing or something. I wasn't expecting that ... is that normal?

 

[Poink88]

I followed the tips .. one question I had was regarding the wood color when scraping the cambium layer. As I scraped the wood it quickly turned from white to brown like it was oxidizing or something. I wasn't expecting that ... is that normal?

I've seen that in my elms at chop areas...I think it is just tannin reacting with air. No problem on mine.

 

[jasonpg]

I've seen that in my elms at chop areas...I think it is just tannin reacting with air. No problem on mine.

Thank you!

 

[GrimLore]

As to the rooting compound I find a gel called Clonex works for me, never did a layer without it so it is not Scientific advice just from experience http://www.hydroponics.net/i/371050.

Concerning Wintering - my personal "rule" is to try to time the cutting away of a layer six weeks prior to first frost. The 6 weeks of separation greatly helps the layer to get healthy. Of course that can not be a set in stone routine and can vary a few days. If it appears you do not have at least that amount of time pack the plant up in mulch and toss it in the shed/garage for the Winter. I would normally use a huge cheap plastic storage container, place in the container, all on the floor and pack it in with mulch or pine chips.

Grimmy

 

[dominicblake]

Juliet’s predicament may be a bit more dire, but I know that many of you have felt stylistically confused or hopeless and wondered how to start down the long road to fashionability. When all clothing looks boring and lifeless, and all potential role models seem strange and distant, yet you WANT to carve out a stylistic niche to feel complete and strong and confident, how do you begin to craft your own personal style?
4inch led down light

 

[M. Frary]

Uh.. What?

 

[jasonpg]

Regarding air layering ...

I'd like to cut the top to create a nice slant tree, and do the bottom in a broom style, as suggested. When I make the cut after the air layering roots are ready, do I need to treat the bottom of the top tree where the cut is made?

Also, for the bottom tree ... which will be trained as a broom, I'll be making the "V" cut and taping the top of the trunk, do I need to treat the cut with anything?

Thanks!

 

[mcpesq817]

Before you start cutting and chopping, I would wait until you repot and see what the nebari is like (or gently scrape the top of the soil mass to uncover the base) to help you decide on the front or the style. The first few inches of the trunk are what makes the tree. I never understand why people start offering drastic styling options on other's trees when they haven't seen what the base looks like.

Other than that, if you have some branches that are clearly not going to work because of odd angles or the like, then you can remove them now.

 

[M. Frary]

Before you start cutting and chopping, I would wait until you repot and see what the nebari is like (or gently scrape the top of the soil mass to uncover the base) to help you decide on the front or the style. The first few inches of the trunk are what makes the tree. I never understand why people start offering drastic styling options on other's trees when they haven't seen what the base looks like.

Other than that, if you have some branches that are clearly not going to work because of odd angles or the like, then you can remove them now.

If you look at the picture you can see the base of the tree. Also he asked about when and where to cut this tree.

 

[mcpesq817]

If you look at the picture you can see the base of the tree. Also he asked about when and where to cut this tree.

Maybe it's just me, but the pictures don't show the full base. He probably needs to go down another inch or more.

 

[jasonpg]

Thank you for the advice, but I'm still unclear as to these questions

• When I make the cut after the air layering roots are ready, do I need to treat the bottom of the top tree where the cut is made?
• for the bottom tree ... which will be trained as a broom, I'll be making the "V" cut and taping the top of the trunk, do I need to treat the cut with anything?