Zelkova Broom Failure - Where to Now?

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

Here’s a zelkoa I planted in the ground with eye towards creating a broom.

A few pix of its development:


Right before the chop:

The chop:re-potted.

It started growing well,but I only got buds on one side. Now there appears to be significant dieback.



So, my question is this...if this was your tree would you,
A. Leave it be and use the new leader to create an informal upright tree.
B. Wait till spring and cut below the dieback and try the broom style again.
C. Throw it away, it’s no longer worth the time.

Thoughts?

 

[atlarsenal]

A

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

D. Approach graft one of those branches and make a broom?
I dont know if that would work, but if you're at the point of considering about tossing the tree, it wouldn't do much harm to try.

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

D. Approach graft one of those branches and make a broom?
I dont know if that would work, but if you're at the point of considering about tossing the tree, it wouldn't do much harm to try.

Hmm, interesting. But will an approach graft take on the dieback?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Hmm, interesting. But will an approach graft take on the dieback?

No.

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

No.

Didn't think so.

But I could approach graft a side branch if I was to choose option A. Under the dieback?

Like so:




Correct?

 

[BrianBay9]

A. Go with what the tree is giving you. Yes, an approach graft to give primary limbs a head start makes sense. I'd clean up the die back first to make sure I found the live edge.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I meant exactly as in the picture. Maybe a bit lower if the dieback forces you to. Or, in an extremely experimental and high risk(!) case: clean up the dieback and fuse it with the callus that forms on the edges. That way it would stop die dieback from getting further down. How that would look aesthetically, I can't say.

I'm not familiar with how zelkova's perform and act, but it would give you something more to work with.

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

Been a few years since I updated this thread. I decided to go with developing an informal upright. No thread graft was ever performed.

Fall Color:

After removing the leaves


Finally, a bit of wire:


If I remember right, I purchased this seedling off the Arbor Day website for not too much $$$. You can find some good deals on there and you are supporting a good cause!


Think I’ll look for a pot this winter to repot.

 

[PeaceLoveBonsai]

Spring update. Repotted.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Lemonade! That cool refreshing drink...