Ulmus minor twin trunk

[Fishtank307]

I was at a smal bonsai exhibition yesterday and in the vendor's are there was this large elm for only 80 euros... I couldn't resist! The owner said he dug it up 5 years ago and it's been in this pot for 2 years. It's very overgrown and the original structure is gone. But it looks very healthy!








There are some brances with ugly wire marks. Some are so bad they'll have to be cut.

Since the small trunk is relatively straight, I may shorten it next year. I'm also going to hollow out the main trunk near the apex to create some more taper. Very happy I stumbled upon this tree yesterday!

 

[Fishtank307]

Quick update:

Growing strong! I'm letting a few shoots run for thread grafts. I need some lower branches and replacements for branches with wire marks!

 

[Fishtank307]

Pruned back again. I'm amazed at how fast elms grow! (ignore the un-diluted lime sulphure in the uro's)






Couple of branches with wire marks and even grown-in wire... Maybe I'll try my hand at thread-grafting next year.

 

[Fishtank307]

Just finished repotting this one.



The nebari is ok, but it could benefit from some grafts. The big roots are straight and don't bifurcate.
I didn't want to cut too many roots. First I want to know how it will react to this repotting. If it thrives, I'm going to start pruning some of the branches that have wire marks and grown-in wire.


Planted in an oval Japanese pot. I chose a deeper pot so I don't have to worry about watering that much. I think the color will go nicely with the bright green foliage. Once the trunk is hollowed out and the tree looks more gnarly, I think it'll need a more masculine pot, but for now this will do.

I really should start pruning my trees again!

 

[BrianBay9]

Have you considered changing the planting angle? (Crude virt)

 

[Fishtank307]

Have you considered changing the planting angle? (Crude virt)

I like the idea, but I'm not sure if I could pull it off... I still need to learn some basic skills like root grafting for this to be an option!
Also, the fact that the two trees are tilted right now makes the straight sections stand out less (in the bigger trunk at least). By making them 'sort of' formal upright they'd seem more straight to me. But that's just personal taste I guess.
To be really honest, I think I'd have to work on my horticultural skills first

 

[Fishtank307]

Last year in April, I removed all the primary branches that were damaged by leaving wire on for too long. The previous owner had neglected this tree for some time... In one branch, the wire was still on, embedded in the wood!
3d of April 2020:


Some of the wire scars:



After pruning:


After wiring:

(A bit blurry...)

 

[Fishtank307]

Now, 1 year later:



I put on new guy wires.


Thread graft in the apex. I'd like some more taper in that area, to create a better transition from the old trunk and the leader.


All done for now.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I may have been slightly less aggressive with the initial pruning, but it is recovering well. Keep pruning and developing the secondary branches to avoid primary branches having no taper with tertiaries contesting at the tips. Right now the primary branches are a bit straight and lack taper. You could wire them for some movement as well.

I would also consider shortening the second trunk, and wiring up the branches to replace it so it has a bit more taper. The base where the two join is nice, but I would like to see a separation between the two trunks all the way up, so consider adding a spacer between them to move them just a bit apart.

 

[Fishtank307]

I may have been slightly less aggressive with the initial pruning, but it is recovering well. Keep pruning and developing the secondary branches to avoid primary branches having no taper with tertiaries contesting at the tips. Right now the primary branches are a bit straight and lack taper. You could wire them for some movement as well.

I would also consider shortening the second trunk, and wiring up the branches to replace it so it has a bit more taper. The base where the two join is nice, but I would like to see a separation between the two trunks all the way up, so consider adding a spacer between them to move them just a bit apart.
View attachment 366312

Thanks for the advice. Developing taper in the primary branches is my next goal. There are a lot of secondary branches to cut back to, so I will be able to create some more movement by just pruning, as well as with wire. Depending on how well it grows, I'll start cutting back more this or next year.

I just noticed in post #1 I wrote that I "may shorten the secondary trunk", because it's so straight So yeah, maybe that's a good idea!

If I add a spacer between the two trunks, how long would it take to set them in a new position? I've never done it before, but I can imagine you'd have to be careful as not to damage them.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

If I add a spacer between the two trunks, how long would it take to set them in a new position? I've never done it before, but I can imagine you'd have to be careful as not to damage them.

Couple years maybe. I use wooden dowels or piece of a chopstick and carefully spread the trunks first and place them, so I’m not using the dowel to spread the trunks. It will help avoid skinning up the bark.

 

[defra]

How is this one looking now?

 

[Fishtank307]

How is this one looking now?

Dead, unfortunately :/
Every year around february/march, we get very dry northeastern winds. I moved to an appartment in the spring of 2020 and had no idea the winds would have such an impact on my trees (our balcony is very exposed). I had a couple of zelkovas and elms (including this one) that didn't sprout in spring and it think it was because I didn't water them regularly in late winter. The last post of this tree was in April 2021, but I guess it had already kicked the bucket by then! Lessons learned.
In hindsight, I think I also pushed the tree a bit too much.

 

[defra]

Ah man that sucks ...
Yes you have to keep watching the trees closely i think because of this problem my larch dropped two branches i think to late with watering my tree too....

These types of elms grow like weeds over here and if you want i can offer you to put one of the potted seedlings in the ground and grow a trunk for you allong with the ones i grow for myself and give it to you when it has grown some to start working on branching?

 

[Fishtank307]

Ah man that sucks ...
Yes you have to keep watching the trees closely i think because of this problem my larch dropped two branches i think to late with watering my tree too....

These types of elms grow like weeds over here and if you want i can offer you to put one of the potted seedlings in the ground and grow a trunk for you allong with the ones i grow for myself and give it to you when it has grown some to start working on branching?

Definitely yes! That would be cool! I have a lot seedlings here (Scots pine, black and red pine, picea abies and jezoensis, larch, ... ), so maybe we can trade

 

[defra]

Cool thats a deal
Ill put one in the ground for you tomorrow and grow it out this season we will see when you think its worth digging up and we will arange a meeting then maybe at a show or something to get it to you